Selected Biography

Ost, Robert – Born: Lambeth, London in 1883.  Parents: James Ost of Long Melford (General Labourer) and Ann [née Hobbs].  Home: 101 Landsdown Road, West Ham, Essex (1891), 32 Shillington Street, Battersea, London (1901), 64 Grant Road, Battersea [1904], 74 Kambala Road, Battersea (1911).  Occupation: General Labourer (1901 to 1911).  Married: Elizabeth Bruckland in 1904.  Service Record: Robert enlisted as Pte.14429 of 5^th [Service] Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment, posted with other reinforcements to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 3.12.1915 joining his battalion as part of 34^th Brigade, 11^th [Northern] Division.  Within a matter of days however the whole Allied army was evacuated to Egypt, his division taking over a section of the Suez Canal defences at El Ferdan.  There they remained until 9.7.1916 when they were transferred to the Western Front taking over front-line trenches at Bretencourt in the Somme valley.[1]  Died: On the morning of 26.9.1916 Robert and his comrades went over the top with the objective of capturing an enemy held stronghold at Mouquet Farm.  During the advance his unit came under a withering German artillery barrage despite which the bulk of the battalion fought its way through to the farm.  At some point during the mayhem and devastation Private Ost lost his life.  Robert was one of 380 Dorset’s either killed, wounded, or missing on that day; sadly, his body was never identified.  He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme [pier and face 7B], Somme, France.[2]

Notes – [1] Medal Roll [WO 329], Medal Index Card [WO 372] and WWI, Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923.  [2] For details about the wider battle of Thiepval Ridge see Chris M^cCarthy, The Somme: The Day-to-Day Account [London: Brockhampton Press, 1998] and 34^th Infantry Brigade’s War Diary [TNA – WO 97/1818].  Also see British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 [ref: 394875] and Commonwealth War Grave Commission website.