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46765 11th Battalion (Midland Pioneers), Leicestershire Regiment
Robert Hammond was born in Bermondsey, London in 1884. He was the only son of Robert James and Mary Hammond (née Okey). His father was employed as a docks foreman. Robert had three sisters: Florence Joanne, Lydia Caroline and Maud Annie.
By 1891 his father had died and his mother had moved to Sudbury and was living in Cornard Road along with her daughters and her parents. Robert was at this time a pupil at Reedham School (an asylum for fatherless children) in Coulsdon near Purley in Surrey.
At the age of 16 Robert was an apprentice carpenter and was living in Sudbury with his mother and sisters at 36 School Street. He married Ada Florence Griggs at Sudbury Registry Office on 7 January 1905 and they lived with their children in Newton Road, Great Cornard.
Robert was employed as a carpenter and joiner by Messrs Mauldon & Sutton (Builders). An appeal was made for ‘exemption from military service’ by his firm in May 1916. It was made on the grounds that three men were necessary to complete a contract in hand and restoration. This was granted for three months.
Robert enlisted in Sudbury and joined the Leicestershire Regiment. His battalion was attached to the 6th Division as a pioneer battalion. In 1917 the Division saw action at the Battle of Hill 70 (15 – 25 August) and the Battle of Cambrai (20 November – 3 December).
Robert died aged 33 on 5 December 1917 and lies buried in Ribecourt British Cemetery, Nord, France. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave in October 2012.
Robert is also remembered on the Great Cornard War Memorial. His sister Lydia was married to Henry Gould, who is also remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial. He was killed in November 1917, just one month before Robert died.
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