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battle of loos
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Robert Dunsire VC
13TH BATTALION OF
THE ROYAL SCOTS
Robert Anderson Dunsire VC signed
up on 6 January 1915 along with
many men in Denbeath, where he
lived with his wife Kate, and
he became Private Dunsire
(18274) of 13th Battalion of The
Royal Scots. The Battalion’s first serious action was
at The Battle of Loos. Day 2 witnessed Robert Dunsire perform
an act of conspicuous bravery carrying a wounded man to safety
in full sight of enemy fire. This led to him being awarded the
Victoria Cross.
‘I got underneath him (the wounded man) and struggled to
my knees and then to my feet. By this time the Germans had
spotted me and machine guns and rifles were going galore,
while the shells were bursting overhead. It was impossible
to run with this man, as his injured leg was dangling
down, and any attempt to run on my part made the pain of
his wounds unbearable. I stood, therefore, a good target
for the Germans, but it just seemed as if the Lord, in
His good providence, was looking after me.
I got to within 25 yards from our own trenches when I
had to let him drop, as it was impossible for me to carry
him further. I asked one of my pals, a north country
chap called Dewar and a really good fellow, to help me
bring him in the remaining distance, and this we safely
accomplished. Both the men I brought in belonged to the
East Yorkshire Regiment, so I did not know them, neither
have I heard anything since.’
Robert’s VC was announced in The London Gazette on 18 November
1915, and he went to Buckingham Palace to receive his VC medal
from King George V on 7 December 1915. He told a newspaper
reporter “Oh, it was naethin’ ata. I couldnae let the puir chaps
lie there on the brae withoot makin’ an attempt to help them.”
Sadly, just after 7pm on 30 January 1916, Robert was
severely injured by a German trench mortar and was
declared dead shortly afterwards.