Robert Quigg
Encyclopedia
Robert Quigg VC
(February 28, 1885 - 14 May 1955) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross
for his bravery in the Battle of the Somme in the First World War.
, near the Giants Causeway, County Antrim
. His father, Robert Quigg senior, worked as a boatman and tour guide at the Giants Causeway. Young Quigg attended the Giants Causeway National School. Like most young teenage boys from the rural areas of the time, he left school and sought work on local farms. He worked for a number of years on Forsyth’s farm at Turfnahun and also on the MacNaghten
Estate at Dunderave
. Robert was a prominent member of the local Orange Lodge Aird LOL 1195 ; he played in the flute band. He was also a member of the Royal Black Institution and the William Johnston Memorial RBP 559.
perceived Ulster
’s constitutional position to be under threat. The constitutional position was a response to the growth of Irish Nationalism
and the activities of British Liberal Party. It led to the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force. At that time, the Ulster Volunteer Force was a legal force which had been empowered to carry out drilling and military preparations, with the proviso that it uphold the constitution. It had nine divisions, based on county. The divisions, in turn, were divided into battalions, companies and platoons. Robert Quigg joined the Ulster Volunteer Force in January, 1913, shortly after its formation. He became commander of the Bushmills Volunteers. At that time, the UVF membership numbered over 100,000, with an estimated 40,000 bearing arms. As the European crisis, and war between Britain and Germany, became imminent, a halt was called to the Ulster Volunteer Force's preparations in Ulster. Sir Edward Carson, in turn, offered the services of the Ulster Volunteer Force to the British government against Germany. The Ulster Volunteer members, who volunteered to join the British Army
, formed the bulk of the 36th (Ulster) Division
. Thousands of its members volunteered for active service. One such volunteer was Robert Quigg. In September, 1914, he enlisted in the 12th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles (Mid-Antrim Volunteers). His service number was 12/18645. He held the rank of Rifleman. His Platoon Officer was Harry Macnaghten, the heir to the Macnaghten Estate. Sometime earlier, Robert had worked on Dunderave Estate; he had first become familiar with Harry Macnaghten while employed there.
for his "Most Conspicuous Bravery" at the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. Prior to the major offensive, their unit had been placed in the French village of Hamel
, located on the north bank of the River Ancre
. On July 1, the Mid-Antrim Volunteers were ordered to advanced through the defenses towards the heavily defended German lines. During the advance, they encountered fierce resistance from heavy machine-gun and shell fire. Quigg's Platoon made three advances during the day, only to be beaten back on each occasion by German fire. The final evening assault left many hundreds of the 12th Battalion lying dead and wounded in "No Man's Land". In the early hours of the next morning, it was reported that Lieutenant Harry Macnaughten, the Platoon commander was missing; Robert Quigg volunteered to go out into "No Man's Land" to try and locate him. He went out seven times to search for the missing officer, without success. On each occasion, he came under machine-gun fire, but he managed to return with a wounded colleague. It was reported that, on one of his forays, he crawled within yards of the German position in order to rescue a wounded soldier, whom he dragged back on a waterproof groundsheet. After seven hours of trying, exhaustion got the better of him; Robert had to rest from his efforts. The body of Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten was never recovered.
On 8 January 1917, Robert received his Victoria Cross from King George V
, at York Cottage
, Sandringham
. Queen Mary
was also in attendance. Upon his return to Bushmills
, the people of the town and district turned out in force to welcome him home, including the Macnaghten household. Lady Macnaghten presented him with a gold watch in recognition of his bravery in attempting to find and rescue her son, Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten. Robert reached the rank of Sergeant
before retiring from the army in 1926 (after he was badly injured in an accident). Later, in 1953, two years before he died, he met the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II. Robert Quigg died on 14 May 1955 at Ballycastle
, County Antrim
. He was buried in Billy Parish Churchyard, with full military honour. His statue now stands in Bushmills town centre.
The Russians also presented Robert Quigg with the Medal of Order of St. George
(Fourth Class), the highest award of the Russian Empire. The First and Second classes were only given on the personal decree of the Emperor. The Third and Fourth classes were only awarded by the approval of the Georgevsky Council, a group of St George Knights. The Third Class was for senior officers, and the Fourth Class was the highest award of the Russian Empire for non-senior officers. His Victoria Cross and Order of St. George (fourth class) are on display at the Royal Irish Rifles Museum in Belfast
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(February 28, 1885 - 14 May 1955) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his bravery in the Battle of the Somme in the First World War.
Youth
Robert Quigg was born on February 28, 1885 in the townland of Ardihannon. Ardihannon is located in the Parish of BillyBilly
- People :* A given name and a common nickname for William* Jacques de Billy, French mathematician* Jacques de Billy , French patristic scholar, theologian, jurist, linguist, and Benedictine abbot...
, near the Giants Causeway, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. His father, Robert Quigg senior, worked as a boatman and tour guide at the Giants Causeway. Young Quigg attended the Giants Causeway National School. Like most young teenage boys from the rural areas of the time, he left school and sought work on local farms. He worked for a number of years on Forsyth’s farm at Turfnahun and also on the MacNaghten
Clan MacNaghten
Clan Macnaghten is a Scottish clan who claim descent from the eighth century Pictish king, Nechtan.-Origins of the clan:The earliest reference to the Clan Macnaghten is in connection with great Pictish rulers of Moray. The name 'Nechten' which means "pure" or "clear" was popular in the Pictish...
Estate at Dunderave
Dundarave House
Dundarave is a country house in the village of Bushmills, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is currently the home to the Macnaghten family which is the chiefly family of Clan Macnaghten....
. Robert was a prominent member of the local Orange Lodge Aird LOL 1195 ; he played in the flute band. He was also a member of the Royal Black Institution and the William Johnston Memorial RBP 559.
Ulster Volunteer Force
In 1912, because of calls for home rule, the Ulster crisis deepened. UnionistsBritish unionism
British unionism is a political ideology favouring the continued existence of the United Kingdom as a sovereign state, consisting of four constituent countries, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland....
perceived Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
’s constitutional position to be under threat. The constitutional position was a response to the growth of Irish Nationalism
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
and the activities of British Liberal Party. It led to the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force. At that time, the Ulster Volunteer Force was a legal force which had been empowered to carry out drilling and military preparations, with the proviso that it uphold the constitution. It had nine divisions, based on county. The divisions, in turn, were divided into battalions, companies and platoons. Robert Quigg joined the Ulster Volunteer Force in January, 1913, shortly after its formation. He became commander of the Bushmills Volunteers. At that time, the UVF membership numbered over 100,000, with an estimated 40,000 bearing arms. As the European crisis, and war between Britain and Germany, became imminent, a halt was called to the Ulster Volunteer Force's preparations in Ulster. Sir Edward Carson, in turn, offered the services of the Ulster Volunteer Force to the British government against Germany. The Ulster Volunteer members, who volunteered to join the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, formed the bulk of the 36th (Ulster) Division
British 36th (Ulster) Division
The 36th Division was a division of Lord Kitchener's New Army formed in September 1914. Originally called the Ulster Division, it was made up of members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, who formed thirteen additional battalions for three existing regiments: the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Irish...
. Thousands of its members volunteered for active service. One such volunteer was Robert Quigg. In September, 1914, he enlisted in the 12th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles (Mid-Antrim Volunteers). His service number was 12/18645. He held the rank of Rifleman. His Platoon Officer was Harry Macnaghten, the heir to the Macnaghten Estate. Sometime earlier, Robert had worked on Dunderave Estate; he had first become familiar with Harry Macnaghten while employed there.
Battle of the Somme and Victoria Cross Award
Robert Quigg was awarded the Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his "Most Conspicuous Bravery" at the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. Prior to the major offensive, their unit had been placed in the French village of Hamel
Hamel
Hamel may refer to:* Hamel, Western Australia, town* Hamel, Nord, a commune of the Nord département, in northern France* Beaumont-Hamel, a commune of the Somme département, in northern France...
, located on the north bank of the River Ancre
Ancre
The Ancre is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, it flows into the Somme at Corbie. It crosses no départements other than the Somme.-See also:* Battle of the Ancre Heights...
. On July 1, the Mid-Antrim Volunteers were ordered to advanced through the defenses towards the heavily defended German lines. During the advance, they encountered fierce resistance from heavy machine-gun and shell fire. Quigg's Platoon made three advances during the day, only to be beaten back on each occasion by German fire. The final evening assault left many hundreds of the 12th Battalion lying dead and wounded in "No Man's Land". In the early hours of the next morning, it was reported that Lieutenant Harry Macnaughten, the Platoon commander was missing; Robert Quigg volunteered to go out into "No Man's Land" to try and locate him. He went out seven times to search for the missing officer, without success. On each occasion, he came under machine-gun fire, but he managed to return with a wounded colleague. It was reported that, on one of his forays, he crawled within yards of the German position in order to rescue a wounded soldier, whom he dragged back on a waterproof groundsheet. After seven hours of trying, exhaustion got the better of him; Robert had to rest from his efforts. The body of Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten was never recovered.
On 8 January 1917, Robert received his Victoria Cross from King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, at York Cottage
York Cottage
York Cottage is the former home of the Duke and Duchess of York , who lived in the house after their marriage in 1893. It is currently used as the Estate Office for Sandringham House. Some of the building is also used as flats for estate employees and holiday accommodation....
, Sandringham
Sandringham
Sandringham can refer to:Places*Sandringham, Johannesburg, a suburb of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa*Sandringham, Norfolk, a village in Norfolk, England*Sandringham House in the aforementioned village, owned by the British Royal Family...
. Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
was also in attendance. Upon his return to Bushmills
Bushmills
Bushmills is a village on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Bushmills had 1,319 inhabitants in the 2001 Census. It is located 95 km from Belfast, 10 km from Ballycastle and 15 km from Coleraine...
, the people of the town and district turned out in force to welcome him home, including the Macnaghten household. Lady Macnaghten presented him with a gold watch in recognition of his bravery in attempting to find and rescue her son, Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten. Robert reached the rank of Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
before retiring from the army in 1926 (after he was badly injured in an accident). Later, in 1953, two years before he died, he met the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II. Robert Quigg died on 14 May 1955 at Ballycastle
Ballycastle, County Antrim
Ballycastle is a small town in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its population was 5,089 people in the 2001 Census. It is the seat and main settlement of Moyle District Council....
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
. He was buried in Billy Parish Churchyard, with full military honour. His statue now stands in Bushmills town centre.
The Russians also presented Robert Quigg with the Medal of Order of St. George
Order of St. George
The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
(Fourth Class), the highest award of the Russian Empire. The First and Second classes were only given on the personal decree of the Emperor. The Third and Fourth classes were only awarded by the approval of the Georgevsky Council, a group of St George Knights. The Third Class was for senior officers, and the Fourth Class was the highest award of the Russian Empire for non-senior officers. His Victoria Cross and Order of St. George (fourth class) are on display at the Royal Irish Rifles Museum in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland)