Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Underwood, a journeyman baker, born 1864 in Whitwick, Leics.,, and his wife Sarah Underwood (nee Hunt, married Q3 1884 in the Ashby de la Zouch, Leics. district), born 1865 in Leicestershire. Robert was born on the 30th November 1887 in Whitwick, Leics., his siblings were, John Henry, born 1885 and Reginald F., born 1891, both his siblings were born in Whitwick, Leics., also residing with the family was his cousin, Andrew Hoult, a driller, born 1877 in Leicestershire, in April 1891 the family home was at Paris Hill, Whitwick, Leics. In March 1901 Robert was employed as an assistant grocer and was residing at Paris Hill, Whitwick, Leics., this being the family home of his widowed paternal grandfather, John Underwood, a retired grocer, born 1826 in Leicester, together with his father, a journeyman baker and grocer, and his siblings John, a coal miner, Ethel, born 1893, Frank William, born 1896 and Alfred G., born 1900, the latter three siblings were all born in Whitwick, Leics. In April 1911 Robert was employed as a baker and was residing in the family home at Paris Hill, Whitwick, Leics., together with his father, a grocer, and his siblings, Ethel, a domestic worker, Frank, a mineral water worker and Alfred. In the 1st quarter of 1916, Robert married Alice Annie Broadhurst in the Ashby de la Zouch marriage registration district. They resided at 8, North Street, Whitwick, Leics. Robert was recorded as an Army Reservist on the 7th February 1916. He enlisted on the 25th June 1917 and embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 18th October 1917, joining his unit, the Hawke Battalion on the 13th November 1917 and serving with this unit until the 13th March 1918 when he was gassed, he was admitted to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen, where he died on the on the 25th March 1918.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 29th, 1918

LOCAL CASUALTIES

News has been received in Whitwick that Pte. Robert Underwood has died of wounds. He was the son of Mr John Underwood, of Pares Hill, Whitwick, and son-in-law of Mrs Broadhurst. This is the second son that Mr Underwood has lost in the war, the other, Frank, being one of the first Whitwick men to fall in action.

LOCAL CASUALTIES

Official news has been received by Mrs Underwood, of Pare’s Hill, Whitwick, that her husband, Able-Seaman Robert Underwood, of the Royal Naval Division, has died in hospital in France from the effects of gas poisoning. His brother, Frank, was killed in October, 1915, and his brother-in-law, Pte. A. C. Hobson, was killed in September, 1916, both in France. Able-Seaman R. Underwood, who joined up in June, 1917, was last at home in October. He leaves a widow and one child.

Coalville Times article - Friday April 19th, 1918

THANKS

Mrs R. Underwood, of Whitwick, wishes to thank her many friends for their kind expressions of sympathy to her in her recent bereavement through the death of her husband in France.

Coalville Times article - Friday March 30th, 2018

Bellringer Commemorated 100 Years after he died

A Whitwick bellringer has been commemorated exactly a century after he died. Robert Underwood, who was a bellringer at Whitwick Parish Church, died on March 25th, and last Sunday marked the centenary of his death - an occasion that was marked by current ringers at the church as well as friends who rang a quarter peal on the eight bells in memoriam.

Mr Underwood was an Able Seaman who was baptised at Whitwick on December 23rd, 1886. He was the son of John and Sarah Underwood of 16, Pares Hill, Whitwick, and married Alice (nee Broadhurst) in 1916. At the time of the 1911 census he was working as a baker, while his brother, Private William Underwood, was killed in the First World War in 1915.

That same fate befell Robert who died at the age of 31 in France on March 25th, 1918, of gas poisoning. He would never see his daughter Margaret, who was born after he died on May 3rd. As a bellringer he has not been forgotten at the church with his photograph hanging in the ringing room at Whitwick Church in his honour.

Coalville Times article - Friday March 28th, 1919

IN MEMORIAM

In ever loving memory of Robert Underwood, late of Whitwick, who died in France, March 25th, 1918.

Sadly missed by his loving Wife and Daughter.

Coalville Times article - Friday March 26th, 1920

IN MEMORIAM

Underwood – In fond remembrance of Robert Underwood, who died in France, March 25th, 1918.

From his loving Wife and Child.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 1/2/2018.