Robert Mair Badger

Killed in Action on the 02/05/1918 by an enemy sniper at Boiry-Saint-Martin, Beaumetz-lès-Loges, Arras.

The Battalion arrived in Boulogne on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Robert was killed by an enemy sniper. At this time the Battalion was in the right subsector of the CENTRE sector at Boiry-Saint-Martin. His wife Kate got the news of his death. SEE PHOTOS x 16 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY APRIL - MAY 1918. The First Battles of the Somme 21st March - 5th April 1918 : After transferring very large forces from the now-collapsed Eastern Front, the German Army commits to a series of large-scale offensives. The first, Operation Michael, strikes the British Fifth and Third Armies. A deep advance is made and inflicts large losses, although the second phase, Operation Mars, at Arras on 28 March, is soon held. The 2nd Division took part in the following : Battle of St Quentin, 21st - 23rd March 1918, First Battle of Bapaume, 24th - 25th March 1918 and the First Battle of Arras, 28 March 1918. SEE PHOTOS x 58 FOR THE 2nd DIVISION BOOK MARCH - MAY 1918 (this covers the 3 aforementioned Battles). Robert was a popular member of the Monkland Harriers Athletic Club. In 1920 Robert was buried in Blairville Orchard British Cemetery. His body was moved to Cabaret-Rouge in 1923 (see Reburials photos). Situated between two war cemeteries, one French and the other German, Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery lies south of the town of Souchez in France. The Cemetery contains more than 7,650 burials of Servicemen of the British Empire in the First World War, over half of which remain unidentified. Robert is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery x 2 (see photos). See photos for Robert's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge, Robert's Pension Records x 3, his Headstone Report x 2 and his Reburial Form x 2. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 2 (Coatbridge Express x 1, Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1), Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery taken by myself July 2023, another photo of Robert's grave. 9 Poppy Crosses placed by myself July 2023 at Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery (second one is Robert's), photos for 2nd Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was serving with when he died) and another 2 grave photos kindly donated by my friend in France, Thierry Dericbourg.