FALLEN SOLDIERS
Robert William GORST
|
Regiment
Rank / Number
Date of Birth
Date of Death
Grave / Memorial
Rainhill remembers on . . .
|
Lancashire Fusiliers
Private / 47584
10th October 1899
11th January 1918 aged 19
|
Robert William Gorst was the only son of James and Catherine Gorst. He was born in Goosnagh, Lancashire on 10th October 1897 and christened in the local church on 30th December.
In the 1901 Census the family was living in Church Lane, Whittingham, Preston where James was working on the Asylum farm. Robert was 2 and his sister Isabella was 4.
By 1911 they were living within the Asylum grounds where James was now a cowman and Robert was at school.
By 1917 the family had moved to Rainhill Asylum farm.
Robert enlisted in the army in St Helens and joined the Lancashire Fusiliers 1st/6th Battalion as Private 47584.
He was wounded on 11th January 1918, aged 19 and died the same day. He is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery.
The village of Chocques was occupied by the Commonwealth Forces from 1914 to the end of the war. No.1 Clearing Station was posted here and casualties who died at this clearing station had mostly been wounded at the Bethune Front.
At a special ceremony at the Warrington Road Cenotaph on Sunday 3rd July 2016, Rainhill village dedicated a new plaque bearing the names of 17 men with Rainhill connections who perished during WW1. These men's histories were found during Rainhill Civic Society's research. Rainhill Parish Council funded the plaque and organised the ceremony with Rainhill Civic Society, our local Churches and the Royal British Legion. Robert William Gorst is one of those names.
Source: - St. Helens Rolls of Honour
The Rainhill Asylum Roll of Honour showing the name of Private Robert Gorst of the Lancashire Fusilliers