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Aug 16, 1897
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Born in Dublin, Ireland
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May 5, 1910
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Embarked the SS Tunisian in Liverpool, England as
part of the Smyly Children’s Home for orphaned children
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May 15, 1910
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Disembarked in Montreal, Quebec and proceeded to The
Coombe Home for Children in Hespeler, Ontario
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Dec 24, 1915
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Attested into the 153rd Battalion CEF
in Orangeville, Ontario
Ø Number 928160
Ø Next of kin given as Arthur Pullam,
friend, The Coombe, Hespeler, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as
Farm Labourer
Ø Present address given as R.R. No.
5, Mono Mills, Ontario
Ø No previous military experience
given
Ø Religion given as Methodist
The battalion did initial training in Guelph,
Ontario
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Jan 18, 1916
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Transferred to the 164th Battalion in Hamilton,
Ontario
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Oct 26, 1916
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Admitted to the Toronto Military Base Hospital
with a diagnosis that reads Fractured Clavicle
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Nov 1, 1916
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Discharged to duty from hospital
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Mar 28, 1917
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Sentenced to 3 days CB (Confined to Barracks) for
being absent
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Apr 5, 1917
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The battalion embarked a train in Hamilton to
proceed to Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Apr 10, 1917
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Embarked the SS Carpathia in Halifax
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Apr 22, 1917
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and the
battalion proceeded to the Otterpool Camp
After being quarantined for 10 days, the
battalion proceeded to the East Sandling Camp and Private Skuse was
transferred to the 2nd Canadian Reserve Battalion to continue his
training
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May 27, 1917
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Transferred to the 164th Battalion in
Witley
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Dec 24, 1917
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Awarded the Good Conduct Badge
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Mar 8, 1918
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Attached to the 119th Battalion in
Witley
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Mar 19, 1918
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Ceased to be attached to the 119th Battalion
and attached to the 125th Battalion in Witley to continue training
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Mar 29, 1918
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Mar 30, 1918
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Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base
Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 1,498 reinforcements from
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Apr 3, 1918
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After leaving the base depot he joined the CC
Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Calonne Ricouart, France as
part of a draft of 98 reinforcements destined to join the 21st
Battalion
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Apr 12, 1918
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After leaving the reinforcement camp, Private
Skuse joined the 21st Battalion in the front lines near Mercatel,
France and he was assigned to “A” Company
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Aug 6, 1918
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While moving into positions closer to the front
in preparation for the attack on Marcelcave, France, his company was passing
by an ammunition dump near the roadway when an artillery shell landed in the
middle of the dump causing a very large explosion that killed Private Skuse
and 18 other men, in addition to wounding a number of others.
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From the Battalion’s
War Diary
From the August
1938 Communiqué
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Private Robert Skuse was buried in the Longueau
British Cemetery south east of Amiens
Following the war, the British War Medal, Victory
Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his friend, Arthur
Pullman, The Coombe, Hespeler, Ontario
There was no Memorial Cross issued
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Robert Skuse is remembered
on the Orangeville, Ontario War Memorial
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