People on board

HALL, Robert Henry

When Robert Henry Hall enlisted in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in October 1914 he gave his age as twenty four years and nine months, which gives a birth date of 1890. He stated that he had been born in Manchester. Following his death his ‘Soldiers Effects’ were to be sent to John J Hall, but the relationship was not stated. Those are the only confirmed personal details found for Robert Henry Hall; no birth or census records reliably identify him.

His military records show that he enlisted in Ruthin in north Wales, that his occupation was ‘Labourer’, and that he had not resided at his father’s home for at least three years. He was with the 3rd Battalion in Scotland and London and from November 1917 was in Kinsale, Co Cork. His Regimental Conduct sheet shows that he was in trouble in 1915 and again in 1916 for ‘Absenting himself without leave’. In September 1917 he was court marshalled for “stealing money, the property of a comrade”, and served ninety-six days.

He was returning from Ireland on leave when he travelled on RMS Leinster on the 10th of October 1918, along with twenty other members of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Robert Henry Hall was one of the fourteen of that group to lose their lives. His body was not recovered after the sinking but his name is remembered on the Hollybrook War Memorial in Southampton. He was awarded the Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.