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Robert was born in Cottingham in the spring of 1887 and baptised at the parish church on July 14th 1887. He was the youngest of five children born to local oil and seed merchant Alexander Plimpton (1847-1923), originally from London, and his wife Margaret (1850-1912), originally from Renfrewshire in Scotland. Robert was brought up on Hallgate in Cottingham but the family then moved to The Elms on North Bar Without in Beverley. He was educated at Oakfield School in Rugby and at Repton public school. He was captain of the Beverley Town Cricket Club for seven years and played for Yorkshire 2nd XI in 1914. He became a farmer at Rectory Farm in Walkington. He was unmarried.
Robert volunteered for service in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders early in the war, rapidly rising to the rank of sergeant. On February 6th 1915 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, promoted to Lieutenant on October 6th of that year. He was then attached to the combined 4th/5th Battalion of the Royal Highlanders (The Black Watch) and arrived in France on November 3rd 1915. He was heavily involved in actions in the Battle of the Somme on the Ancre in late 1916. On December 11th 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross. His citation in the London Gazette said it was “for conspicuous gallantry in action. He carried out a most valuable reconnaissance under heavy fire. Later he consolidated and held his position for over 30 hours under intense fire. He set a splendid example to his men throughout.” He was awarded a Bar to his MC on 26th January 1917. The London Gazette said he “led his men in the attack, with great courage and determination, capturing his final objective together with an enemy machine gun and 80 prisoners. Later, in conjunction with another officer, he captured 120 more prisoners.”
On 27 September 1917 he was shot dead by a German sniper whilst leading an attack on Polygon Wood in the Battle of Paschendaele. He is buried at the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium. He was also awarded the 1914-15 Star and the War and Victory Medals. He is commemorated on the Hengate Memorial and on the East Riding Memorial in the Minster. A commemorative plaque is also in Walkington All Hallows Church. His older brother, Kelburne Plimpton, also served with distinction in the war in the East Yorks Regiment, winning the DSO.
Includes information taken from census, military records, newspapers. |