| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Robert Ranson was born in Beverley the 29 Nov 1888 the son of William T Ranson and his wife Charlotte. William was a tanner’s labourer and the family lived at 26 Cherry Tree Lane, Beverley. Robert joined the GPO as a rural postman in 1909, working at the sub depot in Howden. He transferred to Beverley in Mar 1914. Robert married Maud Watson at Howeden Parish church on the 18 Sep 1911. Their first child, Charlotte was born in Howden in 1912. They later lived at 11 Cherry Tree Lane, Beverley and had two further children, Robert born 1917 and Edith born 1919.
Robert joined the army in 1916, he rose to the rank of Corporal in the 10th Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. This was the first Hull Pals Battalion raised initially in 1914. The 10th were in action on the Somme in 1916, particularly in actions on the Ancre, at Serre, in Nov 1916. He was present in the Battle of Arras in Apr and May 1917 and at the bloody action at Oppy Wood on 3 May 1917 where Robert received wounds to his left knee and right hand and was taken prisoner. According to the Beverley Guardian of 23 Jun 1917 it took many weeks for news of his plight to reach his family in Beverley. He spent time at camps at Cassel, Soltau and Langensalza. Robert date of release is not known. He was awarded the War and Victory Medals.
After the war Robert and his family lived at 231 Grovehill Road. He died in Oct 1979 in Hull aged 91.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |