Robert Plowright was born in Stamford in early 1899. His father Robert Henry, who was a woodwork machinist for a coachbuilder, and mother, Alice already had 2 other children, Bertie aged 4 years and Elizabeth 1 year. (There may have been another son, born in 1901, who died soon after birth.)

Robert Henry was 27 years old and was born in Elton, Northants, in 1911 the family were living at 8 Vine Street.

Robert joined the North Staffordshire Regiment on 16 February 1917. Before then he was attested for home service from 1915 and served in the Channel Island Militia from 21 October 1916. He was said to be 5ft 2ins and underweight. He transferred to the 17th Battalion Royal Defence Corps on 9 August 1917 and served with the 1st Battalion the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. During May, June and September 1917 he spent a number of days in hospital in Guernsey suffering from scabies (3 days), eczema (29 days) and pleurisy (27 days).

On 20 February 1918 the Battalion was sent to France and on to Flanders. Outersteene was captured by the Germans on 12 April 1918 and Robert died there on 13th April during the Battle of the Lys where the the vast majority of the battalion became casualties. On 11th April Lt. Col. T.L. de Havilland took into action 20 officers and 483 men. – by 14th April he was reduced to just three officers and 55 other ranks.

Outersteene Cemetery, Bailleul

Robert is buried is in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of northern France, his name is on the Outersteene Cemetery memorial.

His living relatives who received a plaque and scroll in May 1919 were his parents, Robert Henry and Alice, and his sister Elizabeth 21 years all living at 12 Stanley Street and his brother, Bertie aged 24 years who was by then living at 69 Ripon Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield.