Coulter, Robert
Private
No. 10051, 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Killed in action on Friday 30 April 1915 (aged 28)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
V Beach Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey (Special Memorial A 28)
Donaghadee and District War Memorial
Donaghadee Methodist Church
Family grave headstone in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Graveyard
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Coulter was born on 2 July 1886 in Donaghadee and he was a son of John and Margaret Coulter (nee Agnew) who were married on 16 February 1882 in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church. John Coulter from Donaghadee was a son of Thomas Coulter, a labourer. Margaret Agnew from Donaghadee was a daughter of John Agnew, a shoemaker.
For many years John Coulter was the manager of the local Gas Works and he and Margaret had at least six children:
Sarah (born 7 October 1882 in Donaghadee; died 27 April 1911 aged 28)
John (born 7 February 1884 in Donaghadee)
Robert (born 2 July 1886 in Donaghadee)
Thomas (born 28 July 1888 in Donaghadee)
James (born 8 July 1891 in Donaghadee)
Ellen Annabella (born 3 April 1894 in Donaghadee; died 17 July 1910 aged 16)
The children were baptised in Donaghadee Methodist Church.
Robert Coulter’s father John died of pneumonia on 2 October 1898 (aged 51), his mother Margaret died of bronchitis on 11 October 1904 (aged 57), his sister Ellen Annabella died of tuberculosis on 17 July 1910 (aged 16) and his sister Sarah died of tuberculosis on 27 April 1911 (aged 28).
Robert Coulter was a career soldier and in May 1915 it was reported in the Newtownards Chronicle that, prior to the outbreak of the Great War, he had served in India with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. It was in the ranks of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers that Private Robert Coulter died on 30 April 1915 when he was on active service at Gallipoli and he is commemorated in V Beach Cemetery, Gallipoli; on Donaghadee and District War Memorial and in Donaghadee Methodist Church. He is also commemorated on the family grave headstone in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Graveyard where his date of death is inscribed as 11 May 1915.
Private Robert Coulter (No. 10051) was 28 when he died.