Where is the grave?

If walking up from the main entrance, pass the North entrance, turn left, and left again. The Fisher grave is on your left at this point, Fell on your right, Ramsay on your left – Roberton is a few graves further on the left.

SAD END TO A PROMISING CAREER

BLOW TO BARROW PARENTS

The sad news has been received in Barrow of the death, on 2nd February, of Alexander Paterson (Patterson on the CWGC website) Roberton, midshipman on H.M.S. Zealandia. He is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Roberton, of Cavendish Park, Barrow. It appears that he was on duty coaling the ship at a British port, when he slipped and fell into the hold of the collier. Death was instantaneous. The captain of H.M.S. Zealandia, in a letter of sympathy to the parents, says: “Your son was a very promising young officer, very popular with his messmates, and with all on board. We feel his loss very deeply.” The deceased was only 20 years of age last January. He had only left school when the war broke out, and at once joined the Navy, on which he had set his heart prior to hostilities. He was educated at St. Aubyn’s School, Barrow, and later at St. Bees School.

This is the second son Mr. and Mrs. Roberton have had the misfortune to lose in connection with the war, their eldest boy, Charles, who was an officer in the Lancashire Fusiliers, having been killed in action, on the 1st July, (1916) in France. Another son, Eric, is a captain in a machine-gun corps, and is now serving in France. Every sympathy will be extended to Mr. and Mrs. Roberton, whose sacrifices have indeed been great and difficult to bear.

Barrow News, 10 February 1917

At St. John’s Church, where the service was conducted ... there was a large assemblage of mourners and sympathisers, amongst whom were many friends of the family, to whom the deceased young man was personally known, respected and beloved. ...... Inside the church were also many naval officers, a few military officers, many prominent townsmen and a large number of ladies. A contingent of bluejackets and airmen were also present.

... At the close of the service the coffin, wrapped in the Union Jack, and on which was placed the deceased’s cap, and beautiful wreaths sent by the family, the captain, ward-room officers, gun-room officers, seamen, stokers and marines of H.M.S. Zealandia was borne from the church by members of the Royal Naval Air Service, and placed on a gun carriage ....

.... The chief mourners were Mr. and Mrs. Roberton and their two daughters; Mrs. Nelson (aunt), Mr. Borrowman (cousin), Mr. Drinnen (uncle), and Lance-Corporal Nelson, O.T.C. (cousin), all of Glasgow.

The Barrow News, 10 February 1917