Those who gave their lives from Yarm ______________________________________

DARLING, Robert. 2 Lt 9th Kings (Liverpool Regt).

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Yarm1914 note that CWCG record 7 soldiers with the name R Darling died in WW1. Two lived in Scotland, one in Ireland, one in Canada, one in Australia, one in Newcastle and one in Hartlepool. The most likely pupil at Conyers is Robert Darling who was born in 1890 to Robert aged 33 and Dorothy Darling of Home Farm in Hart.
The family were well off, living in an 11 roomed farm house with a servant and a nurse. Robert had two elder sisters Elizabeth aged 2 and Dorothy aged 1. His mother Dorothy Snowdon was herself a farmer’s daughter and died in 1900 having given birth to 5 more children. In 1901 there were 4 servants living in the farm and Robert senior married Margaret Taylor in Easington. He died on 5 August 1916. Robert could have gone to Conyers between the census of 1901 when he was 9 and 1911 when he was 20 and helping on the farm. Robert was promoted from Corporal in the Northumberland Yeomanry to 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Kings (Liverpool Regiment) on 22 October 1915. It was reported in the London Gazette 25 August 1916 and Edinburgh Gazette 28 August 1916

“His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to confer the Military Cross on the undermentioned Officers and Warrant Officers in recognition of their gallantry and devotion to duty in the field : —
2nd Lt. Robert Darling, L'pool R. For conspicuous gallantry during a raid on the enemy's trenches. He pushed through the enemy's wire and entered his sap. He was one of the last to leave the enemy's trench, and returned carrying a severely wounded man. Later he volunteered to attempt the rescue of a missing officer, and, assisted by a private, brought in his body. All this was under heavy shell and rifle fire.”

In the book Visiting the fallen - Arras south by Peter Hughes he indicates that the raid took place on 28 June 1916 and the missing officer was 2nd lieutenant Herbert Angus Riley aged 19 born in Waterloo, Lancashire and buried in Wailley Orchard Cemetery. The private mentioned was Frederick Winrow who received the military medal and survived to receive it. He left the conflict on Christmas day 1917 having received a bullet in the arm.
Robert died of wounds on 16 September 1918 and is commemorated in Ecoust-Saint Mein British Cemetery.

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Yarm 1914 Research ________________

The Yarm 1914 Commemoration Group is carrying out research on the soldiers listed. We are finding where they lived in Yarm and will represent the findings in a wall of poppies presentation. More details will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and this web site. If you have any information please contact us. Left click on the picture below.