Robert Quigg : Short Biography

Robert Quigg was born in the civil parish of Billy, County Antrim on the 28th of February 1885. His father worked as a boatman and tour guide at the Giant's Causeway.

As a young man, Quigg enlisted in the Ulster Volunteer Forces, eventually becoming commander of the Bushmills Volunteers. As conflict with Germany became imminent in the First World War, the UVF were offered to the British crown to fight in the war to come. Quigg was one of the men who volunteered for active service. In September 1914 he enlisted in the 12th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles. 

On the 1st of July 1916, Quigg was involved in the Battle of the Somme. While advancing from the French village of Hamel, Quigg's battalion came under heavy fire and were beaten back a number of times. When Quigg's platoon commander went missing, Quigg volunteered to venture out into No Man's Land under risk of heavy fire to search for him. He went out a total of 7 times, under heavy machine gun fire. Though he never found his commander, he returned each time with another wounded man. After 7 long hours, Quigg finally accepted defeat and stopped due to severe exhaustion. 

For this act of selfless bravery, Quigg was awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross. 

Upon his homecoming to Northern Ireland, Quigg received a hero's welcome. His lost commander's mother presented him with a gold watch in thanks for his attempts to retriever her fallen son. 

Quigg died on the 14th of May 1955 at the age of 70. He was buried in the Billy parish churhyard with full military honours.