Black, Robert John (John)
Rifleman
No. 18879, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 8 December 1917 (aged 20)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
Comber and District War Memorial
First Comber Presbyterian Church
BIOGRAPHY
Robert John Black was born on 25 November 1896 in the townland of Ballyscullion, Co Londonderry and he was a son of Robert and Mary Black (nee Wherry) who were married on 8 October 1895 in First Comber Presbyterian Church. Robert Black was a coachman from Belfast and his father worked as a plumber. Mary Wherry from Comber was a daughter of Alexander Wherry, a labourer.
In April 1901 Robert John Black was living in Railway Street, Comber with his maternal grandparents, Alexander and Jane S. Wherry
Alexander Wherry died of tuberculosis on 29 June 1904 (aged 50).
In 1911 Robert John Black (aged 14) was working as a Machine Boy and he was living with his widowed grandmother Jane S. Wherry in Brownlow Street, Comber.
Robert John Black enlisted in Belfast, he served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and he was 21 when he was killed in action on 8 December 1917.
His mother Mary lived in Laurencetown House, Laurencetown, Co Down.
Rifleman Robert John Black (No. 18879) has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France; on Comber and District War Memorial and in First Comber Presbyterian Church.