Private Robert Bissessur, a “man of colour” in the Dorset Regiment in the First World War

By John D Ellis

Robert Bissessur was born at Curepipe, Plaines Wilhelms District on the Island of Mauritius c.1894. Although Mauritius had been captured in 1810 by the British from the French during the Napoleonic Wars, the French language was widely spoken and consequently it is likely that Robert Bissessur was a native speaker. A cook by occupation, in early 1918 he was working in Paris, France, when called up for service in the British Army. In February 1918 he was medically examined for service at Le Havre when it was noted that he was single, 5 feet 3 and ½” tall and a “Pure native (Mauritius)”. He identified his father in Mauritius as his next of kin.

Mauritius was, and still is, a multi-ethnic society, home to people of African, Asian (both southwest Asia and China) and European origin. Robert Bissessur was described both as a “pure native” (of Mauritius), and as a “man of colour”, suggesting that he was of African origin. His records contain two addresses pertaining to his time in France prior to enlistment: Firstly, 38 Rue St Honore, Paris. Secondly, 23 Rue de Lannoncation, Paris, France. Additionally, a referee was named as Madame Le Mouchy, Ville Borgton, Maison Regines, 29 Boulverd [Boulevard] Victor Hugo, Neilly, Paris.

Between February and June 1918, he undertook training in Hampshire and Dorset. His training was not without incident. In May 1918, he scalded his right arm on a pan of steaming vegetables whilst undertaking fatigue duty. The following month he caught influenza (the infamous ‘Spanish Flu’). Both incidents required two weeks hospitalisation. In June 1918 he joined the 3^rd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in Dorchester. In September 1918 he was posted as a private to the 5^th Battalion (‘5^th Dorsets’) on the Western Front, with whom he served at the battles of Cambrai, Selle and the Sambre.

After the cessation of hostilities in November 1918 he remained in France until April 1919, when he was posted to Winchester to await repatriation. He returned to France after discharge, giving his address as Café de Voges, Place Gambetta. He was awarded both the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service. In February 1921 the medals were dispatched by registered post to: Mr R Bissessur. Rue Belleford, No. 26, Hotel de Nord, Paris, France. They were returned with no forwarding address.

Similar to other military veterans, Robert Bissessur disappears into the anonymity of civilian life after discharge. Searches of both ancestry.co.uk and findmypast.co.uk have failed to identify him. However, the newspaper archives of the latter do reveal his involvement in April 1919 (whilst he was in England awaiting repatriation), in the ‘1919 Riots’.

He featured in a number of reports:

“COLOURED SOLDIER FALSELY ACCUSED DISCHARGED BY MAGISTRATE. An extraordinary affair off the Edgware Road, in which five coloured soldiers are alleged to have been concerned, one of whom is under military arrest on a charge of stabbing, was further inquired into at Marylebone, when Robert Bissessur, a bomber from the British West Indies, serving in the Dorset Regiment, was charged, on remand, with maliciously wounded Frank Williams, of Stanley Street, Paddington, by cutting him about the neck with a long-bladed sheaf knife in Praed Street. According to accused, a girl refused to speak to him because he was a “darkie”, and a man struck him in the eye. A crowd collected, and in the excitement that followed the crowd considerably increased in size, and, adopting a hostile attitude towards the five coloured soldiers, went in pursuit of them, shouting and screaming. Then, it was alleged, one or two of the soldiers drew a long sheath knife. Prosecutor was cut about the neck, and another man, Herbert Thompson, is alleged to have been stabbed in the ribs. By this time the crowd had become infuriated, and had set upon one of the soldiers, and fearing that the accused would be seriously injured, the police arrested him for his own safety. Bissessur denied that he used a knife at all. Mr Biron said the evidence tended to show that a mistake had been made, and that accused could not have been guilty of the charge brought against him. He thereupon ordered him to be discharged.”^[1]African Telegraph and Gold Coast Mirror 01 April 1919

That a soldier about to be demobbed should make for London for ‘one last hurrah’ is nothing new, nor is the fact that once there, a Black soldier might seek out the company other Black soldiers a decision certainly vindicated by subsequent events. The reference to Robert Bissessur as being from the “British West Indies” was likely an assumption based on presence of large numbers of Afro-Caribbean service personnel in the Armed Forces. Whilst the reference to him being “…a bomber…” suggests that he was specialist in the use of hand grenades. There is no indication in his records that he had received such additional training in England, although it is possible that such a specialism was learnt ‘on the job’ (i.e. in the trenches).^[2]Sources: His surname was also rendered as Bissessier. TNA WO 363 and WO 372/2. African Telegraph and Gold Coast Mirror, 1st April 1919. findmypast.co.uk For the 5th Battalion, The Dorset Regiment … Continue reading