12953 Private Robert Philips Willing
9th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born on 13/05/1893 in Abervenny,Monmouthshire,Wales.
His parents were Robert Philips Willing(1867-03/08/1931) and Alice Mahala Callard(1867-1942). They married in 1886.
Robert had 3 brothers; Alfred Edgar(1866-30/09/1915),
Lawrence Charles(1889-1967) and
William Stroud(1891-1950).
In the 1901 Welsh census, the family were recorded as living at 13 Highland View,Twynnrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil,Wales.
Roberts father was employed as an architects assistant.
In the 1911 Welsh census was recorded as visiting his brother William,who lived at 64 Glenroy Street Cardiff, Wales.
Roberts occupation at this time was that of shop assistant.
The family home was still in Merthyr Tydfil,though it was now at 18 Newcastle Street and Roberts father was now an architect for the borough council.
He enlisted in Cardiff and his date of disembarkation into France was on 27/07/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,the British War 1914-1918 and the Allied Victory medals.
His brother Alfred ,who had also served in the 9th(Service)Battalion Devonshire Regiment as Private 11724 was killed in action on 30/09/1915 and is remembered on the Loos Memorial ,Pas de Calais,France ,Panel 35-37.