9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
30/05/1896
Died:
07/06/1917 (Killed in Action)
Age:
21
Summary
Robert McClelland was the son of William and Sarah McClelland. He was born in the Bellaghy area on born 30th May 1896. The family lived in Bellaghy and his father was a farm labourer. Robert McClelland enlisted in Partick, Scotland. He had been living in Scotstown. Private Robert McClelland was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action at Messines on 7th June 1918. He was 21 years old. He is also commemorated on the Diamond War Memorial in Londonderry, so it must be presumed he lived there for a time.
Messines Ridge British Cemetery is located 9.5 Kms south of Ieper town centre on the Nieuwkerkestraat, a road leading from the Rijselseweg, N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate, Mesen and on to Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. Nieuwkerkestraat is a right hand turning from the N365 in the town of Mesen. The cemetery lies 250 metres after this right hand turning, on the left hand side of the road.
