Robert was on duty at Broughty Ferry Police Station on Monday 5th May, when a report was received around 6am of an ‘unfamiliar object’ near the beach at Fisher Street and Dundas Street, to which he swiftly responded.

On approaching the object, he identified it as a mine. Realising the danger it would pose to Navy and merchant ships if it drifted back out into the estuary, he threw a rope around the mine and pulled it toward the shore to secure it. As he was doing so, it exploded.

Robert was taken to Dundee Royal Infirmary in a critical condition, and his family were called to his bedside. Though heavily sedated, he was aware of his extensive injuries.

The Procurator Fiscal’s precognition into Robert’s death, the cause was amended to ‘Extensive injuries to both legs, right hand, shock and haemorrhage caused by explosion of mine’.

Roll of Honour Citation

Killed by the detonation of an unexploded bomb he was checking.