Robert Baxandall Constantine was born in 1895 in Jafua, Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. He was the son of Baxandall Constantine b Martha, nee Emsley, who were both born in Bradford. Baxandall Constantine was a civil servant working abroad and Robert together with his siblings were not born in Britain but had British citizenship. Baxandall and Martha had four children, Robert Baxandall , George Baxandall, Mary and Jack. George was the Governor of Sindh, Pakistan in 1953 and is shown on the family website as having been knighted. In 1901 Robert has been sent to England and he is living with his maternal uncle George Emsley at

31 Pemberton Drive, Listerhills. His uncle is a manufacturer of dress goods. By 1911 Robert is living as a guest at Wilsden Vicarage with the Rev. Joseph Beanland and at 16 years of age he is still at school. There is no trace of his family in this country during the census years. When war broke out in 1914 Robert was a medical student but he immediately enlisted into the 1st Corp of the West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales own) at the age of 20 years 1 month. He joined on the 22nd August 1914 as a territorial for the duration of the War and was given home leave on the 27th August to his father B Constantine of 31 Harrogate Road, Eccleshill.

He served throughout the war on the Western Front in France as a Captain and would have had further home leaves. He was attached to the Army Cyclist Corps. It is not known when he was returned to this country as unfit or why but he died on the 4th March 1919 aged 24 years and is buried in Scholemoor Cemetery, Bradford. His parents were now living at Hill Rise, Lister Lane, Bradford. Robert’s Will was administered in London on the 30th December 1919 and he left his effects of £307 13s 8d (£15000 in today’s money) to his father Baxandall Constantine, Agent. He was awarded the Victory medal and the British medal and

eventually the 1914/15 Star after his mother Mrs M Constantine had applied in respect of her late son. The 1914 Star was awarded only to those men who had enlisted at the beginning of the War. Baxandall Constantine continued to work as a civil servant and as late as 1934 he travelled on business to Australia, 1st Class to Lennon’s, Belle Vue, Brisbane. Martha Constantine died on the 4th January 1937 at the Duke of York Home, Bradford. Baxandall died in 1947 in Bradford. Researched and written by Jean Britteon, to whom many thanks