Robert BROOKS

29 October 1915

BARNOLDSWICK MEN WOUNDED AND MISSING

Information was received on Sunday that Pte. Darby Kirrane, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, whose home is at 27, Colin Street, Barnoldswick, had been wounded in France and is now in hospital at Cambridge. He has been severely crushed through being buried in a broken trench blown in by a shell, and was not rescued until an hour and a half afterwards. Kirrane, who is 19 years of age, is a brother-in-law of Pte. Thomas E. Heyworth, of the same regiment, who recently had his arm amputated. His mother and sister went to Cambridge to see him on Tuesday.

Considerable anxiety is felt as to the fate of two Barnoldswick men belonging to the 8th Battalion Duke of Wellington's in the Dardanelles - Pte. Thos. Hargreaves, son of Mr. Wm. Hargreaves, Gisburn Road, and Pte. Robert Brooks, son of Mr. Thos. Brooks, Lane Bottom. The former was first reported wounded about a month ago, and now missing, all efforts to trace him having proved futile, though it is possible that, owing to a discrepancy of regimental number in replies received by his parents from the York Record Office, that some mistake has arisen. In the case of Pte. Brooks no official notice has been received from the War Office, though the fact that nothing has been heard of him for over three months is regarded portentous. The last letter sent to him was returned (October 15th) endorsed "wounded - present location uncertain." In both cases several parcels sent from home have not as yet been acknowledged.

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks' two elder sons are serving with the army in France, one in the firing line and the other in the A.S.C.

28 July 1916

BARNOLDSWICK CASUALTY LIST

Private Thos. Brooks, 2nd Duke of Wellington's, is in hospital at Fazackerley, Liverpool, with a serious shell wound in the knee. He is one of three soldier sons of Mrs. Thos. Brooks, Lane Bottom. His mother visited him last week and found him progressing favourably. Pte. Brooks related how, when his company were lying down to rest, a shell exploded amongst them, killing two officers and seven men, and wounding most of the others. Using his rifle as a crutch he managed to walk back to the dressing station, a distance of two miles. Pte. Robert Brooks, 8th Duke's, was wounded in the Dardanelles last August, and nothing has been heard of him since. It is thought he is a prisoner in Turkey. Another son (Willie) is in France.

08 June 1917

BARNOLDSWICK - AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS

Private Robert Brooks, Duke of Wellington's, has just been reported missing since August 3rd, 1915 in Gallipoli, this being the first intimation. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Brooks, Lane Bottom, Barnoldswick, who have another son recently discharged from the Army owing to wounds received in France.

14 September 1917

BROOKS - Missing since August 2nd 1915, and death now officially presumed in Gallipoli, Pte. Robert Brooks, Duke of Wellington's Regiment, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Brooks, Lane Bottom, Barnoldswick, aged 18 years.

14 September 1917

BARNOLDSWICK - AFTER TWO YEARS: Missing Soldier's Death Presumed

The War Council have sent to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brooks, Lane Bottom, Barnoldswick, an official intimation presuming the death of their youngest son, Pte. Robert Brooks, Duke of Wellington's, who had been missing since August 2nd 1915 in Gallipoli.

Though nothing had been heard of him since that date, when several other Barnoldswick and Earby lads were last seen, Pte. Brooks was not officially reported missing until about three months ago. He enlisted at the age of 17, and was only one year older at the time of his supposed death.

One of his brothers has been discharged from the Army with a bullet wound in the knee, received during the battle of the Somme last year, and another is still serving in France with the motor transport.