Lance Corporal Robert Duke

6th Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment

21st June 1944

Son of Charley Frederick and Annie Roberta Duke; husband of Joyce Ethel Duke, of Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire

Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery, XI. B. 12

 

   

Bob Duke as a child and in his army uniform                      Bob's grave, photographed in 1945

 

Robert was known as Bob. He was born in 1923 and died in Normandy on 21st June 1944. His widow, Joyce, was interviewed by Zoe Farrell and Sophie Horwood in 2010.  She remembered, “In no way did he want to go into the services. His father had had a very bad experience in the First World War and could not work after the age of 45 because of his wounds. But then there was the call up for the big push on D-Day and he was drafted into the Herts and Beds Regiment. He took his Latin and Italian books with him to continue his studies but they were soon returned home! …. We discovered that Bob had been transferred to the [6th battalion of the] Duke of Wellington’s Regiment on 20th June 1944 on a draft of reinforcements. He travelled during the night in a landing craft to France and at first light on the 21st the regiment suffered heavy casualties from enemy fire some distance away. He must have died at this point….  Instead of having that lovely boy, I have a medal. It was an absolute waste of a life. We had been married less than 6 months.  It was also a very sad thing for his parents. Bob was an only child.”

 

Read more about Robert Duke here and here, plus reminiscences from Tony Horton here.