Book Review
Michael Crawley "The Unknown Grandfather"
Cawley, Michael Robinson, The Unknown Grandfather. ( Greyhound Self-Publishing: Worcester, 2015). 121p 81 illus 1map. ISBN 978-1-909219-25-0
As the title suggests this is the biography of the author’s grandfather, Robert Robinson Cawley, a Lancashire man, who served with 1 RWF in India, the Boer War and in the UK between 1890 and 1906. He was the battalion Drum Major before leaving the Army. At the outbreak of the First World War he was recalled to the Colours and posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion RWF which formed at Wrexham. As an ex-regular his experience would have been in high demand in this brand new Battalion with very few men with prior military service. He served with 8 RWF in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia before being awarded a Quartermaster’s commission and posted to India to assist in the training of Indian Army units. Tragically he died of Malaria on 30 June 1918 aged 41. This is a useful book as little has been written about 8 RWF and the author makes good use of existing service records and some personal papers to tell his grandfather’s story. A worthwhile addition our knowledge of the Old Contemptibles who fought in both the Boer and First World Wars.
As the title suggests this is the biography of the author’s grandfather, Robert Robinson Cawley, a Lancashire man, who served with 1 RWF in India, the Boer War and in the UK between 1890 and 1906. He was the battalion Drum Major before leaving the Army. At the outbreak of the First World War he was recalled to the Colours and posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion RWF which formed at Wrexham. As an ex-regular his experience would have been in high demand in this brand new Battalion with very few men with prior military service. He served with 8 RWF in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia before being awarded a Quartermaster’s commission and posted to India to assist in the training of Indian Army units. Tragically he died of Malaria on 30 June 1918 aged 41. This is a useful book as little has been written about 8 RWF and the author makes good use of existing service records and some personal papers to tell his grandfather’s story. A worthwhile addition our knowledge of the Old Contemptibles who fought in both the Boer and First World Wars.
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