Robert Quigg VC.

Robert Quigg was born on February 28th 1895 in the townland of Ardihannon. His father, Robert Quigg senior, worked as a boatman and tour guide at the famous Giants Causeway and was married in Billy Parish Church on 27th May 1888 to Matilda Blue of Mullaghduff, Armoy, daughter of Alexander Blue. Young Robert attended the Giants Causeway National School where he was taught by David McConaghy, (the same David McConaghy who carved a wonderful full size face on the cliff face at the Giants Causeway ). Like most young teenage boys from the rural areas at that time, he left school and sought work on local farms. He worked on the Forsythes farm at Turfahun and also on the Macnaghten estate at Dundarave where he first became familiar with Harry Macnaghten. Robert was a prominent member of Aird L.O.L. 1195 and played in the flute band. He was also a member of the Royal Black Institution and the William Johnston Memorial RBP 559. As the Ulster crisis deepened in 1912, the perceived threat to Ulsters constitutional position from Irish Nationalism and the British Liberal Party brought about the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force in January 1913. The UVF at that time was a legal force empowered to carry out drilling and military preparations provided it was to uphold the constitution. It was formed into nine divisions based on county which were divided into battalions, companies and platoons. Robert joined shortly after its formation in 1913 and became commander of the Bushmills Volunteers. A halt to the UVFs preparations was brought about by the European situation and the imminent prospect of war with Germany and Sir Edward Carson offered the services of the UVF to the British Government. The UVF volunteers went on to form the bulk of the 36th Ulster Division. Thousands of its members volunteered for active service, including Robert who enlisted in the 12th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles (Mid Antrim Volunteers) in September 1914. His service number was 12/18645 with the rank of Rifleman and his Platoon Officer was none other than Harry Macnaghten, heir to the Macnaghten estate and to whom Robert was familiar having worked on the Dundarave estate. Robert was awarded the Victoria Cross for his Most Conspicious Bravery at the Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916. Prior to the major offensive their unit had been placed in the French village of Hamel on the north bank of the River Ancre. On 1st July, the Mid Antrim Volunteers were ordered to advance through the defences towards the heavily defended German lines and in doing so met with fierce resistance and a barrage of machine-gun and shellfire. Robert and his platoon made three advances during the day only to be beaten back on each occasion by the German fire. The final evening assault left many hundreds of the 12th battalion lying dead and wounded in No Mans Land. In the early hours of next morning, it was reported

that Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten, the Platoon Commander, was missing and Robert volunteered to go out into No Mans 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 returned with a wounded colleague. On one of his forays it was reported that he crawled to within yards of the German position to rescue a wounded soldier whom he dragged back on a waterproof groundsheet. That man was Robert Matthews of Mosside. After seven hours of trying, exhaustion got the better of him and he had to rest from his efforts - the body of Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten was never recovered. Robert received his Victoria Cross from King George V on January 8th 1917 at York Cottage, Sandringham - Queen Mary was also in attendance. On his return to Bushmills the people of the town and district turned out in force to welcome him home, including the Macnaghten household and staff. Lady Macnaghten made a presentation of a gold watch to him in recognition of his bravery in attempting to find and rescue her son. This presentation took place in the Hamill Hall on Upper Main Street, Bushmills in February of 1917. In July of 2009 the Victoria Cross was back in the Hamill Hall for the first time since Robert was presented with his watch, an amazing ninety-two years. By the early 1920s Robert was a celebrity of some standing and invited to attend numerous dinners as guest of honour at events all over the UK. One grand occasion was a VC dinner at the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords in 1929 attended by many other Victoria Cross winners. Robert was seated between two other famous heroes, Pte William Radcliffe VC MM,(who had single handedly rushed an enemy machine-gun, bayoneted the crew and commandeered the gun). William was a Liverpool lad who had briefly worked in Liverpool dockyard before enlisting. He died in Liverpool on 26th March 1963 and is buried in Allerton Cemetery, Liverpool. On the other side was Pte Henry Howey Robson VC (who had rescued a wounded NCO, attempted a second rescue under fire, and although wounded continued his effort until a second bullet disabled him).Henry later emigrated to Canada and died in Toronto on 4th March 1964. He is buried in York Cemetery, Toronto. Robert reached the rank of Serjeant before retiring from the Army in 1926 due to injury. The accident happened at the Soldiers Home, Clifton Street, Belfast, when he fell fifty feet from a window, narrowly missing a paled iron fence. Later in 1953, he met the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II. Sergeant Robert Quigg, VC, died on 14th May 1955 at Ballycastle, County Antrim, and was buried in Billy Parish Churchyard with full Military Honours. His Victoria Cross and Medal of Order of St George(fourth class), presented by the Russians, are on display at the Royal Irish Rifles Museum in Waring Street, Belfast.