Harrogate Herald - 24th October 1917

Roll of Honour

Private Robert Stanley Bland (West Yorks), who has been killed in action, was the third son of Mr & Mrs E Bland, Princess Road, Ripon. He joined the colours in March, 1915, and was sent to France in September of the following year, and was only recently home on leave. Educated at the Cathedral Schools, he was afterwards apprenticed to the butchering business, and was, at the time of enlistment, with the Argenta Meat Company in Harrogate. He was 26 years of age, and leaves a widow and one child. Mrs Bland has received a letter from the chaplain of the regiment, in which he says Private Bland was taken to the dressing station seriously wounded but conscious, and after sending the messages Private Bland gave him for his friends, he says : "I don't know how to express my sincere sympathy with you in your bitter grief. He was such a fine fellow and a noble example to all in the battalion. His officer was devoted to him and admired him for his sterling qualities. His pluck, courage, and sense of duty were extraordinary. he had been given permission to go to the transport lines as he had not been well. He would therefore have avoided going into danger, but he felt his duty was to go with his officer and not to shirk his duties, dangerous though they were".

CWGC

In Memory of

ROBERT STANLEY BLAND

Private 27920 9th Bn., West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales's Own) who died on Monday, 1st October 1917. Age 26.

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Bland, of Princess Rd., Ripon; husband of Erica E. Bland, of 23, Ashfield Rd., Harrogate.

Commemorative Information

Cemetery:

BARD COTTAGE CEMETERY, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

Grave Reference/Panel Number:

IV. I. 35.