Robert Hislop Reid

Robert had a deep and wholehearted interest in religious and evangelistic work, intending to pursue the vocation of a missionary. Prior to enrolling at the university, he had led missionary classes at the Christian Institute and completed a course of study at the Glasgow Bible Training Institute. He registered at the University of Glasgow at the beginning of the 1914/15 academic year to study Logic & Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy.

Robert joined the University Officer Training Corp and received a temporary commission as a Second Lieutenant on 12 July 1915 with the 3rd Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry (HLI). Robert was subsequently posted on the 14 April 1916 to the 10th Battalion HLI in the front line near Bizet near the French - Belgian border. In an artillery barrage by the Germans on 5 May, Robert was wounded and repatriated to England.

Robert returned to France on 8 September 1916 where he was posted to the 2nd Battalion HLI in Coigneau, north of Albert in the Somme. On 13 November, the 2nd Battalion HLI attacked and captured the enemy’s front system of trenches just north of Beaumont Hamel. All objectives were reached and consolidated. The Battalion however suffered significant casualties and Robert was again seriously wounded. He was repatriated to England on 16 November 1916.

In early October 1917, Robert was posted to the 17th Battalion HLI at Nieuport, Belgium. The Battalion was undertaking intensive training for a planned attack by two Brigades in the Passchendaele Sector on the 2 December. The attack was to extend the area taken by the Allies during the 3rd Battle of Ypres.

On the evening of 1 December, the 17 HLI moved into position on the northern end of Passchendaele Ridge. The attack began at 1.55 a.m - 2 December. The ground conditions were atrocious. There had also been a light snow fall and a full moon lit up the battlefield. The Battalion made little progress against two German pill boxes and the casualties were very heavy.

Robert was listed as killed in action on the 2 Dec 1917 and his remains not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial near Zonnebeke, north east of Ypres. The Tyne Cot Memorial commemorates over 30,000 officers and men who have no known grave.