Robert Charles Cropley

A Private with 198th Company, Robert died on 20th of May 1917 at the age of 25. 

Robert was born at Lowestoft on 6 October 1891, a son of William Henry and Jane Cropley. He was baptised at Saint John’s Church, Lowestoft, on 10 June 1892 and his family lived at 27 Stevens Street. By 1901 Robert’s father had died and the family were still living at 27 Stevens Street. Robert attended the British School and, from 1 September 1903, was a pupil at Saint John’s School. By 1911 his mother had married John Lay an the family lived at 96 Norwich Road, and Robert worked as a greengrocer’s carter. 

Robert enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 22846, and was posted to the 10th Battalion. On 22 February 1916 Robert was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, service number 13255. 

Robert was wounded and his name appears in the War Office Daily List of 27 August 1916. Subsequently he was posted to 198th Company. The company war diary for May 1917 is missing, therefore it is no possible to state exactly what happened to Robert other than the fact he was killed in action at Arras. 

Robert's brother-in-law, John Knights, served with the Royal Naval Reserve and died in 1918. 

Note: In memorium notices placed in newspapers by his family give his date of death as 21 May 1917.