Not much is known about Robert Rankin. He was born in 1914 and was the son of John and Jeanie Rankin.

Robert joined the British Army and became an sapper with the Royal Engineers. He was attached to 555 Field Company which was part of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division.

Not much is known about 555 Field Company. In Gheel, Belgium, the unit constructed a 191 foot Bailey Barge Class 40 Bridge over the Albert Canal.

The bridge consisted of one 110 foot T/S and one 80ft D/S landing bay on a German 90 ton pontoon strengthened by

555 Field Company

Royal Engineers

strutting and extra buoyancy obtained by lashing two bipartite pontoons piers. 555 Field Company R.E. constructed this bridge with 71 Field Company.

Robert was killed on 27 November 1944. The circumstances of his death are as yet unknown. The area he was in was attacked by German planes on this day and several casualties were sustained by the 53rd Infantry Division due to this attack. Robert was 30 years old.

Sapper Robert Rankin is buried at Nederweert War Cemetery.

Nederweert, The Netherlands

Sources and Acknowledgements:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
 

Directions to Nederweert War Cemetery

Posted 25 January 2009

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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