Vimy Week Stories - Robert and John Tait

Robert and John Tait

John Tait (born October 11, 1880, in Monkton, Ayrshire, Scotland) and his younger brother Robert Tait (born February 21, 1885, in Ayrshire, Scotland) were among several members of the Tait family who served during the First World War.

The family emigrated to Canada in stages between 1910 and 1912, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. John worked as a stone cutter and mason, while Robert was employed as a labourer. At the time of their enlistment, John was married to Margaret Tait and had a young son, Douglas. Robert was married to Mary Tait and had four children.

Both brothers had prior military experience. John had served for ten years with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in Scotland, and later with the Canadian Militia. Robert had also served in the militia before the war.

Robert enlisted in Hamilton on August 26, 1915. John followed five days later, enlisting on August 31, 1915. They were both assigned to the 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada). They travelled overseas together and served in the same battalion in France.

On October 8, 1916, during operations connected to the Battle of the Somme, both John and Robert Tait were reported missing. They were later officially recorded as having been killed on that date. Their bodies were not recovered.

Five Tait brothers served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force: John, Robert, Gilbert, David, and Hugh. Three of them, John, Robert, and Gilbert, died as a result of the war. Gilbert Tait died in 1930 from illness linked to his service. Their brother-in-law, James Armour, was killed in 1917.

John and Robert Tait are commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, which lists 11,285 Canadians who died in France during the First World War and have no known grave. They are also commemorated in Troon, Scotland, including on the town’s war memorial and a family headstone.

To learn more about the 11,283 other names commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, use Vimy: A Living Memorial. The app allows users to scan names on the memorial or search from anywhere in the world, with access to biographies, photographs, and additional records.https://vimyfoundation.ca/livingmemorialvivant

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