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Served gallantly in WW2 for his people and country

Forces

SGT Robert Downie (on the left of picture) was born in 1891 to parents from County Down. He joined the army at 19 and was a regular with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at the start of the first world war. He was awarded a Military Medal, and then a Victoria Cross (the highest honour) for the below.

He was a sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Dublin Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place during the Battle of the Somme, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross for exceptional bravery.

On 23 October 1916 east of Lesboeufs, France, when most of the officers had become casualties, Sergeant Downie, utterly regardless of personal danger and under very heavy fire, organised the attack which had been temporarily checked. At the critical moment he rushed forward shouting "Come on the Dubs!" which had an immediate response and the line rushed forward at this call. Sergeant Downie accounted for several of the enemy and in addition captured a machine-gun, killing the team. Although wounded early in the fight, he remained with his company, giving valuable assistance while the position was being consolidated.


On his homecoming, he arrived at Glasgow Central Station to be met by hundreds of people who carried him shoulder-high to a taxi. Springburn Road was decorated with flags and bunting and lined with hundreds more people, and his achievement was widely reported in the Glasgow press.

He lived quietly in Carleston Street, Springburn, until his death in 1968. A modest man, he often played down his bravery, saying he won the medals for having 'shot the cook'.

A Celtic fan through and through, football fans at Celtic Park regularly saw him on a Saturday as he worked as a cashier at the turnstiles. He donated his medal to Celtic, and the medal is on display at Celtic Park.

Downie has a grave/memorial at St. Kentigern's Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland. Section 21. Lair 506. Headstone.