Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Updates for Private Robert Falls
Date Information
01/05/2020 02102
11/02/2019 Remembered by his mother, brothers, sisters. Blue Doors, Cookstown.
11/02/2019 ‘Gone but not forgotten’
11/02/2019 FALLS – In loving memory of my dear son, No 7881 Private Robert Falls, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was killed in action at Mons on or about 18th October 1914. ‘Gone but not forgotten’
11/02/2019
11/02/2019 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 10th October 1918:
22/05/2018 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 24th October 1914: Private Robert Falls
22/05/2018 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 24th October 1914:
22/05/2018 FALLS – Killed in action (date and place unknown), Robert Falls, of Cookstown, Private in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
22/05/2018
22/05/2018 Private Robert Falls was well known in Cookstown and had made himself celebrated in sports circles by securing the championship of the Marathon Race at Malta some few years ago, when he defeated several French runners, and in three hours covered twenty-six miles. The prize was a silver casket, value for almost £10, which is widowed mother and brothers who live at The Finger Boards, Cookstown, greatly prize. Private Falls, who was a native of Cookstown, was a life-long chum of Private William Nixon, whose death at the front we recorded last week. Falls and Nixon were almost the same age, and the two families lived next door to each other. Both enlisted in the Inniskillings in 1903, and probably met their deaths in the same engagement. Falls served in China with the British Legation Guard, and in 1910 won a medal in a cross country foot race, promoted by the army and navy Y.M.C.A. in Peking. After completing his term of service he was employed for some time in Scotland, and before being called up on the declaration of war, worked in the farmyard of the Department’s Ulster Dairy School at Loughry. He was just thirty years of age., and leaves a widowed mother and several brothers and sisters. He belonged to the Irish Church, and was a member of Strifehill L.O.L. and the Cookstown Company of U.V.F. His brother Sam, who was working in Scotland, recently joined the Scots Guards.
22/05/2018
18/03/2018 I still remember well.
18/03/2018
18/03/2018 ‘Some long and dreary weeks have passed
18/03/2018 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 23rd October 1915:
18/03/2018
18/03/2018 FALLS – In loving and affectionate remembrance of No 7881 Private Robert Falls, C Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was killed in action about the 18th October 1914, at the Battle of Mons.
18/03/2018 The shock which I received that day
18/03/2018 Loved, mourned, and sadly missed by his mother, brothers and sisters, Blue Doors, Cookstown.
18/03/2018 Since this great sorrow fell;
18/03/2018 Although I am in a far off land,
18/03/2018
18/03/2018 Tragically, his great friend Private William Nixon died on the same day, but he is buried in Esnes Communal Cemetery, France.
18/03/2018 He died a hero’s death – a true and British soldier.
18/03/2018 I will remember thee.
18/03/2018 As long as life and memory last,
18/03/2018 And your grave I cannot see,
30/12/2015 John Falls died on 10th July 1900 in Cookstown. Robert was 15 years old.
30/12/2015 At the outbreak of the First World War, Robert joined his old regiment and was Robert was posted to France on 23rd August 1914 with the first draft of men.
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 Private Robert Falls has no known grave and is commemorated on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, France.
30/12/2015 Private Robert Falls was killed in action in the battle of Le Cateau on 26th August 1914. His unit was driven back about 200 yards before eventually recovering most of the lost ground. It was during this action that Robert was killed. The Battalion lost thirty-six men on this day. Tragically his great friend Private William Nixon died on the same day.
30/12/2015 Robert returned home and found work at the Ulster Dairy School (now Loughry College) where he worked in the farmyard. He was a member of the Church of Ireland and a member of Strifehill L.O.L.
30/12/2015 The 1911 census does not list Robert as living with the family at house 10 in Killymoon Demesne, Cookstown.
30/12/2015 Robert Falls was also a member of LOL 133 in Coatbridge District 22.
30/12/2015 While serving in China with the British Legation Board, Robert won a medal in a cross-country race promoted by the Army and Navy YMCA, in Peking in 1910. After completing his time of service in the Army, Robert was employed for some time in Scotland.
30/12/2015 Robert was well known in Cookstown. He distinguished himself in sporting circles by winning a marathon race in Malta a few years before the war when he defeated several French runners and covered the twenty-six miles in about three hours. His prize was a silver casket priced at the time at £10, which his widowed mother and his brothers at home greatly prized.
30/12/2015 Robert enlisted in 1903 and had served for a time in China. He was a lifelong friend of Private William Nixon. The two friends were almost the same age and lived next door to each other.
30/12/2015 The 1901 census lists Robert as age 17 living with the family at house 10 in Killymoon Demesne, Cookstown. Robert was working as a heckler in a mill. The census confirms his mother as a 40 year old widow working as a housekeeper.
30/12/2015 Robert was born in Tempo, County Fermanagh on 6th April 1885.
30/12/2015 Private Falls is commemorated on Cookstown Cenotaph and St. Luran’s Church of Ireland Roll of Honour, Derryloran Cookstown.
30/12/2015 No brothers, his last words to hear.’
30/12/2015 Family: John Falls (died 10th July 1900), Margaret Falls, Eliza Falls (born 6th January 1884), Robert Falls (born 6th April 1885), Theresa Falls (born 19th September 1886, died 29th July 1887), Mary Falls (born 25th March 1888), Samuel Joseph Falls (born 11th August 1889), Irwin Falls (born 2nd April 1891), Margaret Falls (born 11th July 1894), George Falls (born 4th March 1896), Isabella Falls (born 26th May 1898), Teresa Falls (born 17th October 1899).
30/12/2015 To the grave so far away,
30/12/2015 Inserted by his sorrowing mother, brothers, sisters, Blue Doors, Cookstown.
30/12/2015 No sister near to shed a tear
30/12/2015 Robert Falls was the eldest son of John and Margaret Falls. John Falls married Margaret Keys on 20th March 1883 in Omagh.
30/12/2015 Lying dying in a foreign land;
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 No mother near to take his hand;
30/12/2015 Where they laid my dear son
30/12/2015 His younger brother, Private Samuel Falls, was killed in action 13 months later while serving with the Scots Guards on 27th September 1915 at the Battle of Loos.
30/12/2015 ‘Often there my thoughts do wander,
30/12/2015 FALLS – In loving and affectionate remembrance of No 7881 Private Robert Falls, C Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was killed in action about the 18th October 1914, at the Battle of Mons.
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 21st October 1916:
30/12/2015
30/12/2015 The CWGC record Private Robert Falls as the son of Margaret Falls, of Blue Doors, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, and the late John Falls.
30/12/2015 Just two years ago today.
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