Robert Stanger or Stangar

Robert was born in Stamford in 1896 was working as an errand boy in 1911 as well as helping his father, Arthur, in his painting and decorating business. Robert and his younger brother and sister lived with father and mother, Sarah, at 5 High Street St Martins. Two older siblings had left home but his mother’s unmarried sister, Mary Jane Houghton, lived with the family as a housekeeper.

On the outbreak of WW I Robert was working as a painter for the building firm of E.E. Howes, Northfields. He was well-known in the town, winning a silver-mounted walking stick for swimming just before the war. He was also a good footballer.

On 9 October 1914 Robert enlisted as a gunner in the Lincolnshire Regiment. Posted to France as Private 11693, he was wounded on the Somme on 28 July 1916 and subsequently died of his wounds. His name is on the Memorial panel of St Martin’s church.

A large percentage of the troops in the Lincolnshire Regiment were local Lincolnshire lads. They fought, were wounded and died as the theatre of war took them through France and Belgium and on to Egypt. They sustained heavy losses at Ypres and Loos and were decimated during the five months of the Battles of the Somme in 1916, a time of ‘great hardships and tremendous physical and moral strain’ for every soldier (British Official historian). The ones who returned never wanted to talk about their experiences.