FEELIE, Robert ^{2 3}

   Another name for Robert was FEELY, Robert.^{4 6}

  General Notes:

When Robert Feely was born in 1879 it was his father, also Robert Feely, who gave notice of his birth before the registrar at Hamilton, M. Hamilton, on 14 July 1879 and made his X mark.

When the 1881 census for Lesmahagow recorded Robert Feely he was living with his newly widowed mother. He was 1 year old and had been born in Stonehouse.

The 1891 census for Stonehouse recorded James Kane as head of a household living at Back House, Townhead Street, that comprised himself, his wife, Mary, her son, Robert, two daughters of James and Mary, and three visitors, Ann, Bella and Jane Trotter. Robert Feelie, the son of Mary Kane's first marriage, was aged 12 years and had been born in Stonehouse, Lanarkshire.

Robert Feelie, of UK nationality, is recorded in the Casualty Lists held by the War Graves Commission. He held the rank of Private in the 1st Battalion of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, service number 19242. He died at the age of 37 years, according to this source, on 14 July 1916, husband of Mrs Agnes Feelie of 6 Douglas Street, High Blantyre, Lanarkshire. The grave and memorial reference for him is Pier and Face 4A and 4D, Thiepval Memorial. Robert was one of 72-73,000 men lost without trace in the mud of Flanders. 628 of those, including Robert, were from his own regiment.

"Rank:PrivateService No:19242
Date of Death:14/07/1916
Age:37
Regiment/Service:King's Own Scottish Borderers 1st Bn.
Panel Reference: Pier and Face 4 A and 4 D.
Memorial:THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:Husband of Mrs. Agnes Feelie, of 6, Douglas St., High Blantyre, Lanarkshire."

When Agnes Feelie died in 1931, her death certificate recorded her as "widow of Robert Feelie coal hewer".

Robert Feelie's daughter, Elizabeth Feelie, married in 1932. Her father was recorded in her marriage certificate as a "coal hewer deceased". ^{3 4 5 7 8}

  Research Notes:

THIEPVAL

Thiepval is the largest and one of the most emotive memorials to the Missing from any war in which British soldiers have died. It stands in an isolated windswept position on the Somme - and had absolutely no facilities for visitors and nothing to explain what had happened in 1916. At one time, all that visitors found were 600 British and French graves and the names of over 72,000 British soldiers carved into the stone of the massive memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and impressively maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. (CWGC)

The Thiepval Project raised funds to correct this, and the completed Visitors' Centre now welcomes many relatives and interested parties who wish to understand more clearly and treasure more deeply what took place there in 1916.

The CWGC has provided this historical information:

On 1 July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a failure. In the following weeks, huge resources of manpower and equipment were deployed in an attempt to exploit the modest successes of the first day. However, the German Army resisted tenaciously and repeated attacks and counter attacks meant a major battle for every village, copse and farmhouse gained. At the end of September, Thiepval was finally captured. The village had been an original objective of 1 July. Attacks north and east continued throughout October and into November in increasingly difficult weather conditions. The Battle of the Somme finally ended on 18 November 1916 with the onset of winter. In the spring of 1917, the German forces fell back to their newly prepared defences, the Hindenburg Line, and there were no further significant engagements in the Somme sector until the Germans mounted their major offensive in March 1918. The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. ⁹

Robert married Jessie MILLAR on 11 June 1900 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland.¹ (Jessie MILLAR was born in 1873 ¹ and died on 23 May 1904 ¹.). The cause of her death was pregnancy with severe vomiting, miscarriage followed by collapse.

Robert next married Agnes McNAUGHTON, daughter of William McNAUGHTON and Janet FERGUSON, on 25 August 1905 in 24 Donaldson Street, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland.² (Agnes McNAUGHTON was born 9 March 1880 at 6.00 pm in Chassell's Buildings, Antland Place, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland ^{2 10 11} and died 10 February 1931 at 7.10 pm in 6 Douglas Street, Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland.). The cause of her death was pernicious anaemia and myocarditis.

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage was celebrated after banns according to the forms of the Catholic Church. the priest was James Girton. The witnesses were Robert Summers and J. McNaughton.

Robert Feelie was a coal miner aged 25 years of 7 Lockhart Street Stonehouse. He was a widower. His father was deceased.

Agnes McNaughton was a spinster aged 25 years living at 24 Donaldson Street Hamilton. No occupation was noted for her. Her father was deceased.

The marriage was registered at Hamilton on 28 August 1905, James Frame being the registrar. ²