More about Robert Barclay

Robert has no known grave but is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial.

11090 Robert Barclay 2 R Scots

Robert was born at 3:20 in the morning of 4^th April 1893 to parents Robert,  a Calendar Worker and Sarah (nee Thoms) at 93 Rosebank Street Dundee.  Prior to his service in the Forces Robert was  a “factory hand” in Dundee

He enlisted as a Regular Soldier  to the Royal Scots on 14 March 1912 just short of his nineteenth birthday During his service he was noted to have serve in both 1^st and 2^nd Regular Army Battalions of the Regiment.  Robert entered France and Flanders on 19^th December 1914 and served in The Ypres Salient and Northern France.

It was in Ypres Salient on 25 Sept 1915 that Robert made that final sacrifice.  Along with members of his battalion,  2^nd Bn R Scots serving in 8 Brigade,  he was involved in a diversionary attack in support of the Battle of Loos.  This became known as the Second Action at Bellewaarde which is a village close to Hooge on the Menin Road near Ypres.  Just like the other two diversionary attacks in support of Loos at Pietre and Bois Grenier involving other Scottish Bns ,   the action at Bellewaarde  had as its primary objective exactly the same as that of the other two diversionary attacks,  that being to occupy enemy forces to prevent them being moved to support the enemy at Loos,   although at Bellewaarde with a secondary objective of taking ground around Bellewaarde lake and beyond in the Ypres Salient.

This is no different to the objectives of the actions at Pietre and Bois Grenier where again the primary objective was to occupy enemy forces and thus inhibit them from supporting enemy at Loos and the secondary objective in those actions being linking up in the taking  of taking Aubers Ridge which dominated the immediate battle areas of Pietre and Bois Grenier

The War Diary of 2^nd R Scots for 25^th Sept 1915 illustrates considerable valour and indeed many casualties suffered by the Bn.   Robert Barclay amongst them   With no known grave Robert is listed on the Menin Gate in Ieper,  (Ypres)

By 1919 Roberts parents,  Robert and Sarah had both died and Roberts surviving family,  his brother Alexander and Sister Isabella were living at 34 Ogilvies Road,  a second sister Margaret was married, (McCartney) and living at 174 Hilltown Dundee.