Stewart, Robert Douglas (Robert)
Rifleman
No. 17013, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, transferred to
No. 17768, 108th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 36th (Ulster) Division
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 21)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 5 C and 12 C)
Donaghadee and District War Memorial
Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church
BIOGRAPHY
The name Stewart, R. is inscribed twice on Donaghadee and District War Memorial and the name Robert Stewart is inscribed twice on the war memorial plaque in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church.
The name Stewart, R. D. is inscribed once on Donaghadee and District War Memorial and the name Robert D. Stewart is inscribed once on the war memorial plaque in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church.
Research has identified four Robert Stewarts with Donaghadee connections who were casualties of the Great War.
Robert Douglas Stewart (No. 17768) was born on 3 March 1895 in Mount Street, Donaghadee and he was a son of James and Grace Stewart (nee Douglas) who were married on 17 April 1891 in Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark’s). James Stewart from Newtownards was a son of William Stewart, a labourer. Grace Douglas from Donaghadee was a daughter of Robert Douglas, a sailor.
The Stewart family lived in Donaghadee, in Mount Street; William Street and at 97 Moat Street.
James Stewart worked as a labourer and he and Grace had at least five children including:
Robert Douglas (born 3 March 1895 in Mount Street, Donaghadee)
Margaret Jane (Maggie, born 7 July 1897 in Mount Street, Donaghadee)
George (born 2 February 1902 in William Street, Donaghadee)
William (born 29 July 1903 in Mount Street, Donaghadee)
Robert Douglas Stewart enlisted in Donaghadee and he served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (No. 17013) in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division before being transferred to the 108th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) (No. 17768).
Rifleman Robert Douglas Stewart (No. 17768) was 21 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and he has no known grave.
Rifleman Robert Douglas Stewart (No. 17768) is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France and, along with two other soldiers named Robert Stewart, he is commemorated on Donaghadee and District War Memorial and in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church.