Robert Emeny Sargeant. Died 28 February 1915
Robert was born in 1891 to father John and mother Martha in Bracknell, Berkshire. He was the twelfth born and had thirteen siblings, six brothers and seven sisters. Robert’s life does not appear heavily in the records, he is not found in the 1911 Census record. Four of his brothers had emigrated to Canada before 1911, therefore it is possible Robert made the same move. However, he does not join a Canadian outfit, he becomes a bombardier with the Royal Garrison Artillery in the 9th Heavy Battery. The 9th Battery is created in August 1914 and is ready for duty and lands in France in May 1915. However, Robert dies at home in the February before he sees action. Only by sight of the above photograph and caption are we aware that he died of spotted fever. However, Robert’s story is only a part of this huge family’s experience, before, during and after the war.
Robert’s brother Victor was awarded the Military Medal.
When Martha married John, she must have seen potential in a man whose family were manual workers but he himself was a solicitor’s clerk. John was to later become a solicitor with his own practice in Wokingham, with a governess for the children and several domestic staff. John was a self made man, a member of Wokingham’s middle class and living in a large Georgian home at Shute End. The first indicator of how the family had split up at the turn of the new century is that we find John on board the Mauritania and making his way to New York in 1912. He is visiting his sons. We learn that not only his eldest John, has made his way to Canada, but four of the brothers have joined him. Of John’s seven sons, only two, William and the youngest, Donald have decided to stay. However, when duty called to defend the old country, all five of the Canadian sons answered the call.
Gordon was another brother, he was to survive the war.
We believe John (Junior) made several journeys back to England and the ships records tell us he is a sailor. He survived. Gordon became a Canadian soldier and was wounded in battle, but he survived too. Victor joined the 46th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment) around 1916 and was soon on his way to France. A few weeks before the end of the war he had been killed on the 2nd of November, around the village of Auberchicourt, northern France. Wilfred was to marry a Canadian girl, Ester Rose Oliver and later became a US citizen. Although Wilfred was called up for duty during the Second World War, he was unlikely to have seen action on account of his age. Robert, as we know, was to join The Royal Garrison Artillery, but died at home with his family. John (Senior) was to die soon after the war in 1920 and his wife was visit her sons in Canada, but was to return home to her children in England. Even after a life of birthing and rearing fourteen children, Martha passed away at the veritable age of 82 in 1937. What a life !
Name: SARGEANT, ROBERT EMENY
Initials: R E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Acting Bombardier
Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery
Unit Text: 9th Heavy Bty.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 28/02/1915
Service No: 42560
Additional information: Son of John Frederick Sargeant and Martha Sarah Sargeant (nee Emeny).
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: North of Church Tower.
Cemetery: EASTHAMPSTEAD (SS. MICHAEL AND MARY MAGDALENE) CHURCHYARD
The Shack, Oxford Road, Wokingham, Berks, England. Post War.
Holly Bank, Bracknell, Berkshire 1901
6 Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire (now a church) 1911
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