Gorman, Robert
Private
No. 2447, 1st/4th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment
Killed in action on Wednesday 18 August 1915 (aged 25)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 75 to 77)
BIOGRAPHY
The death of Private Robert Gorman was reported in the 17 September 1915 edition of the County Down Spectator under the headline Bangor Man Killed in Action. The report began, ‘We regret to note the announcement that our young and respected townsman, Mr R Gorman, of the 4th Cheshire Territorial Regiment, has been killed at the Dardanelles’.
Robert Gorman was the eldest son of Robert Thomas Gorman (born in Belfast) and Mary Ann Gorman (nee Jones, born in Kent, England). They were married around 1886/1887.
The Gorman family lived in Ormeau Street, Belfast; in Athol Street, Belfast and in Newtownards Road, Belfast.
Robert Gorman Senior worked as a pawnbroker, a clothier and a dealer and he and Mary Ann had at least ten children:
Lilian (born 12 May 1888 at 10 Ormeau Street, Belfast)
Robert (born 24 January 1890 at 44 Athol Street, Belfast)
Gladys (born around 1891/1892 in Toronto, Canada)
Ernest (born 26 April 1894)
James (born 5 February 1896 at 26½ Newtownards Road, Belfast)
Herbert (born 22 December 1897 at 26½ Newtownards Road, Belfast)
Constance (born 17 October 1899 at 26½ Newtownards Road, Belfast)
Maurice (born 25 October 1901 at 26½ Newtownards Road, Belfast)
Eva (born 30 September 1903 at 26½ Newtownards Road, Belfast)
Frederick (Fred, born 28 December 1905 at 26½ Newtownards Road, Belfast)
Before the Great War, Robert Gorman worked as a plumber.
During the war, Private Robert Gorman served with the Cheshire Regiment and he was killed in action at the Dardanelles on 18 August 1915. Sergeant Robinson described the circumstances of his death: ‘He died a hero’s death, helping to carry a wounded man to the dressing station when the swine put a bullet through him’.
At the time of Private Robert Gorman’s death his parents were living in Lorelei, Princetown Road, Bangor and his wife, Ellen Dorothy Gorman (nee Sell), was living at 43 Morton Street, Royston, Hertfordshire. Robert Gorman and Ellen Sell’s marriage was registered in the April to June quarter of 1915 in Royston. Two of Robert’s brothers were on active service in the Royal Navy, James aboard HMS Juno and Ernest aboard HMS Russell.