Robert's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Robert Henshaw was born on 8 October 1897 in Hurdsfield, the son of John Henshaw of 119 Hurdsfield Road, and his wife Emma, the daughter of William Trueman, a baker. Robert was educated at Daybrook Street School and worked for his older brother, J W Henshaw, at his butchery business in High Street, Bollington.
WW1 SERVICE
Robert enlisted at Macclesfield on 8 September 1914, joining the Army Service Corps with service number 2173. In February 1917 he was transferred to the 6th Battalion of the Prince Of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians).
Robert was killed on 9 April 1918 at Neblau in Palestine; his death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 26 April 1918:
Pte Robert Henshaw, son of Mr and Mrs J Henshaw, 119 Hurdsfield Road, Macclesfield, and brother of Mr J W Henshaw, butcher, High Street, Bollington, was killed in Egypt on April 9th. He was 21 years of age and was educated at Daybrook Street School. Pte Henshaw before the war assisted his brother in the butchery business. He enlisted in September 1914, and after 18 months service in France was transferred to Salonika.
His death was also reported in the Macclesfield Courier the following day:
PRIVATE R HENSHAW - The parents of Private Robert Henshaw (21), residing at 119 Hurdsfield Road, were officially notified on Thursday that he fell in action in Egypt on 9th April. Private Henshaw had been engaged with his brother in the butchering business at Bollington for several years before enlisting on September 8th, 1914.... He lived on weekdays with his brother and family at 19 High Street, Bollington, returning to Macclesfield for Sundays. He was a member of the Men's Bible Class at Hurdsfield Church. He enlisted in the Army Service Corps but was drafted to another regiment.
COMMEMORATION
Private Robert Henshaw is buried in Grave Ref. U. 44. at Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel.
In Macclesfield, Private Robert Henshaw is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael's Church and Hurdsfield Holy Trinity Church war memorials, and on the Macclesfield Ancient Order of Foresters Roll of Honour.
SOURCES
Soldiers Died in the Great War (Find My Past)
De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour (Find My Past)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Macclesfield Times: 26 April 1918
Macclesfield Courier: 27 April 1918
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.