Lieutenant Glyn Cuthbert Robertson was shot and killed by a sniper at Neuville St Vaast, France whilst inspecting trenches previously taken over from the French. There is a slight discrepancy in the date of death, with some sources giving this as 15th March.
Although Glyn was born in Southgate, London in 1893, the family actually seems to have been living in Warwickshire for several years. His parents, Arthur (an insurance inspector) and Agnes (née Fitter), were married at Edgbaston parish church in 1889, and his sister, Dorothy, was born in Egbaston in 1890. Glyn was baptised at Hampton-in-Arden on 22nd July 1893, with his parents’ address at the time being recorded as Pembroke House, Bounds Green, London and his father’s occupation as clerk.
By 1898, the family had moved to Solihull, living in Birmingham Road. Glyn’s mother, Agnes, died in February 1898, when Glyn was just under five years old. She was 38 years old and is buried at St Alphege Church, Solihull. Glyn and his sister continued to live with their widowed father at Littlemore, Birmingham Road until at least 1901. It’s known that Glyn attended Solihull School and left there in 1910, when he would have been 16/17 years old.
By 1911, the family was again living in London, at 65 Marlborough Mansions, Hampstead. 49-year-old Arthur was listed as an insurance manager, whilst 17-year-old Glyn was still at school. Glyn is known to have attended the Royal College of Science in South Kensington, and during his time there he was a member of the college’s Officer Training Corps.
He joined the Royal Engineers (Territorial Forces) and he first entered a Theatre of War on 1st March 1915. He was killed in action a year later.
He is buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery and is also commemorated on the Solihull School war memorial and on the war memorial in Pinner, Greater London, where it seems his father was living. His father, Arthur, doesn’t appear to have remarried, and it’s known that after his retirement Arthur went travelling in Europe with his unmarried daughter, Dorothy, during 1931-32. They sailed from Southampton for Gibraltar in February 1931, giving their last address in England as the Marlborough Hotel, Tunbridge Wells. On arrival at Southampton in February 1932, having sailed from Genoa, their country of residence was listed as “travelling”, and they gave their address as c/o Lloyds Bank.
Arthur Gordon Robertson died in Wingfield Nursing Home, Llandrindod Wells in April 1938 and is buried at the Old Parish Church, Llandrindod Wells. His gravestone also mentions his “only son, Glyn C. Robertson, killed in action.”
If you have any more information about the family, please let us know.
Tracey
Heritage & Local Studies Librarian
tel.: 0121 704 6977
email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk
Solihull Life 
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