Robert George Thomas Heath 1895-1918 and Charles William Heath 1897-1917
My name is Robert Heath. My brother, Charles, and I were the sons of Robert & Florence Amelia Heath nee Timberlake. My father was born in Denbighshire, Wales, but he was married in 1893 in the Wycombe district. We lived in Kitchener Rd, High Wycombe. Our parents had 10 children in total but sadly two of our brothers, both called Arthur John, died before they were a year old. Our father was a carpenter & joiner and when I grew up I became a polisher in the chair trade, with Howland & Sons of Denmark Street.
During the Great War it was only natural that I would want to do my bit for King and country as all my uncles and my grandfather had served in the army or the navy at one time or another. I served with the Wycombe Territorials for five years and when my time with them expired I came home for a month's leave and then joined the Royal Field Artillery in May 1916. I became Gunner/Signaller 906252 in D Battery of the 317th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. After I married I moved to 106 Upper Desborough Avenue and I became a father to our new little baby.
I was to be sent to the Front three times in total and was badly gassed at Messines. I was last home on leave on August 30th just a few weeks before I was killed in action on the 12th Oct 1918 when I was 23 years old. I am buried in Caudry British Cemetery, France.
My younger brother, Charles, had been a polisher's assistant in the chair trade. He became Lance Corporal G/7742 in C Company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment. He initially joined the Royal West Kent Yeomanry and after serving with that regiment for twelve months was transferred to the West Kents and landed in France just a couple of weeks later. There he was to see 10 months of active service before his death on the 4th Oct 1917.
So he died before me and was killed in action when he was only 20. But his death really gave me something to fight for. Charles is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Please note that my brother was called Charles William Heath and yet there is another Charles Heath remembered here in High Wycombe Cemetery, but that Charles Heath's full name was Charles William James Heath and he died in 1916. Confusing eh?
Researched by Margaret Anderton, Flackwell Local Area History Group and Sally Scagell, Lost the Plot.
