Stewart, Robert
Rifleman
No. 17014, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 21)
Buried:
A.I.F. Burial Ground, France (Grave X A 5)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Donaghadee and District War Memorial
Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church
Family grave headstone in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Graveyard
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 Stewart (No. 17014) was born around 1894/1895 in Donaghadee and he was a son of Alexander Stewart (sometimes Stuart) and Annie Stewart (nee Curry, sometimes Currie) who were married on 11 December 1891 in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church. Alexander Stewart, a widower from Donaghadee, was a son of James Stewart, a labourer. Annie Curry from Donaghadee was a daughter of John Curry, a gardener.
Alexander Stewart had previously been married to Sarah Pink; they were married on 18 March 1882 in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church. Sarah Pink aged 19 from Donaghadee was a daughter of John Pink, a labourer.
Alexander Stewart worked as a general labourer and he and Sarah had at least three children:
Alexander (born 11 April 1884 in Schoolhouse Brae, Donaghadee)
Mary Jane (born 16 April 1886 in Union Street, Donaghadee)
Sarah (born 10 September 1887 in Union Street, Donaghadee)
Their mother Sarah died on 14 September 1887 (aged 24), four days after baby Sarah was born.
Alexander and Annie Stewart (nee Curry) had at least eight children:
Elizabeth (born 1 May 1893 in McConkey’s Court, Donaghadee)
Robert (born around 1894/1895)
Edith (born 19 April 1899 in Mount Street, Donaghadee)
John (born 1900)
William (born 1901)
Margaret (born 1903)
Henry (born 10 January 1908 in Manor Street, Donaghadee)
Samuel (born 15 October 1910 in Manor Street, Donaghadee)
Elizabeth and John were baptised in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church.
The Stewart family lived in Donaghadee in McConkey’s Court, Mount Street, Church Lane and Manor Street.
Robert Stewart worked as a general labourer before he enlisted in Donaghadee.
Rifleman Robert Stewart (No.17014) 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 the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Rifleman Robert Stewart (No.17014) was buried in the A.I.F. Burial Ground, France.
Along with two other soldiers named Robert Stewart, (one of them Robert D. Stewart), Rifleman Robert Stewart (No. 17014) is commemorated on Donaghadee and District War Memorial; in Donaghadee Parish Church of Ireland Church and on the family grave headstone in the adjoining graveyard.
His father, Alexander, died on 2 October 1926 and his mother, Annie, died on 26 May 1962.