Private Robert Batting
Robert Batting was born in Southfields, London, England on August 31, 1897, or at least that is what he stated on his attestation paper when he enlisted. He immigrated to Paris and worked as a farm hand. He attended St James Anglican Church. Robert was still single when he enlisted with the 125th Battalion in Paris.
Robert was a member of the 10th Platoon that embarked aboard the S.S Scandinavia on February 12, 1916. The 9th and 10th Platoons were the first contingent of soldiers from Paris, nearly 100 men, to go overseas. was transferred to the 60th Battalion on May 12, 1916 and went overseas to France. On March 25, 1917, he was transferred to the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.
On July 14, he was transferred again, this time to the 2nd Quebec Regiment in Shoreham, England. Two days later, he was transferred again to the 1st Canadian Discharge Depot (CDD) in Buxton, Derbyshire, England, which operated during World War I to process, rehabilitate, and repatriate discharged, injured, or disabled Canadian soldiers. It was primarily headquartered at the Empire Hotel and processed thousands of Canadian Expeditionary Force members before their return to Canada. The depot was largely based in the Empire Hotel, which had been requisitioned for military use, and worked in tandem with the town's Red Cross Special Hospital. The facility was responsible for handling medical discharges, issuing pensions, organizing travel, and reintegrating soldiers into civilian life. It ensured that servicemen requiring further specialized medical treatment—such as those recovering from severe wounds or shell shock—received care before crossing the Atlantic.
On August 18, Robert boarded a ship for Canada to be discharged. He was discharged on October 23, 1917, when his age was listed, on the Particulars of Discharge, as 17 years, 1 and 1/2 months. Private Robert Batting was not the only underage boy who enlisted in the first World War, but he is one of the ones who was caught. All of his transfers were in order to get him back to Paris where he belonged.