abercrombie

CWGC website shows that he was the son of Chester and Ada Maria Abercrombie, of The Mount, Pleshey, Chelmsford.

Born 1890 in Willesden. At the time of the 1911 census he was a 20 year old Bank Clerk at London County & Westminster [Bank] living at home with his parents, 5 sisters and 2 servants at Ashberrie, Ruislip, Robert was their only son. Chester Abercrombie was a 50 year old Auctioneer and Estate Agent.

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour shows that he entered the bank on leaving school and was successively in the St John's Wood, Hanover Square, Uxbridge and Hastings branches. After the outbreak of war he joined the 2/9th Battn Middlesex Regiment in Oct 1914. Promoted Corporal in November and Sergeant in December. Obtained his commission as 2nd Lieut with the 3/8th Battn of the same regiment in March 1915 and the following month was transferred to the 1/8th Battn then in Flanders. In the fighting at Frezenberg near Ypres 3 May 1915 the company were detached as escort to the artillery, and he was killed while in command (the other company officers having been all killed or disabled) in the act of helping a wounded comrade. Buried in Poperinghe Cemetery.

This is a photograph of my great-uncle (my father his sister's eldest son was named Henry Chester after him). We have the picture in a commemorative frame on the wall at home. Very interesting to have all this background info. Where did it come from? We also have his badges, medals and I believe a lock of hair. His sisters also were good shots - all won sets of teaspoons for rifle-shooting, some of which we have. Caroline Oakley Nov 2013

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

Thanks for adding your images to Trunkey & the Abercrombie group!

Phew! Took me a while to find this - at the junction of Abercrombie Street and Cleveland Street. GoogleMapsStreetView - goo.gl/maps/fQtwz See also this map at original size for the tram routes -

Walk/run/cycle this junction most days - great to see it so familiar from a previous era!

Also on Historypin - www.historypin.com/channels/view/8934049/#tab-home|map/in... (Boo hoo it doesn't link to the photo, but look for Cleveland Street ... )

Lanfranchi's alley on the right. I am not quite convinced, isn't Cleveland St between Abercrombie and City Road running down and up ? This looks too flat.

Building at far left was the local Post Office. Its façade has since been incorporated in a modern apartment block.