1882 – 1918
Robert William was born in 1882, the fifth child of Harry Alfred and Elizah Neville, in East Bergholt, Suffolk. His father, the local blacksmith, died in 1898, and in 1901 Robert was living with his older sister, Annie, and her husband, George Middleton, in Stratfield Saye.
George was a butcher and grocer, and Robert was working as his clerk. Annie unfortunately died in 1909 and by 1911 Robert was himself working as a butcher and living in Baughurst.
Sometime after the start of the war, Robert became a canteen manager at Lark Hill army camp, in Durrington on Salisbury Plain. He must have stayed in touch with the local area, as in August 1916 he married Maude Street from Lower Farm, Bramley Road, in St Mary’s Church, Silchester. They then lived in Gorselands (now Keeper’s Cottage) on Silchester Common and their son, Ralph Neville was born there in June 1917.
Robert signed up as an Army Reservist in December 1915, and was called up to join the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards in October 1916. He was transferred to the 4th (Pioneer) Battalion and was sent to France with them in May 1917, about a month before his son Ralph was born. In August that year he was transferred into the 2nd Battalion, who had suffered heavy losses.
He served the rest of 1917 and much of 1918 serving on or near the front line. He was listed as wounded in the War Office Weekly Casualty List of 8th October 1918. This means he was probably wounded about a month before then.
On the 27th August 1918 the battalion made a major attack on enemy lines near St. Leger. During this attack over 330 officers and men were killed or wounded. We believe this is when Robert was most likely wounded
After being wounded he was transferred back to England, to the 5th Northern General Hospital in Leicester. It was there in the military hospital that Robert died of pneumonia on 23rd October.
Robert was buried in Leicester Welford Road Cemetery where he is commemorated on the Screen Wall, along with 285 other men.