Robert Benjamin Futter (1896-1916) of Martham
Robert is listed on the War Memorial as one of those who gave his life during the First World War.
Robert was born in 1896 in Martham as the seventh child of Henry Futter & Arletta Skoyles. He came from a large family and had ten siblings.
Robert was listed in the 1901 census when he was five and lived with his parents at Black Street. He was also listed in the 1911 census, aged 15, when he was living at the family home at Black Street and was a general labourer.
By 1915 he was a carpenter and an apprentice to his father who was a builder. He enlisted in the Army at Great Yarmouth in August 1915 and saw service with the Infantry Brigade of the 9th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. His military serial number was Private 15510. He was killed in active service on 15th September 1916 in France & Flanders. His grave is unknown. He was 20 and is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and face 1c and 1d. He is also commemorated on the grave of his parents at St Mary the Virgin graveyard (section H, plot L19) and Martham War Memorial.
His Attestation Papers say his d.o.b. was 11th March 1895 but his birth registration and census returns indicate 1896. He may have been pretending he was older when he joined the Army.
