WW1 Casualty: Private 1910 William Robinson - Private 1910 William Robinson
Prescot Reporter 21/05/1915
| Unit/Regiment |
1st/5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment |
| Date of Death |
03/05/1915 |
Age at Death |
20 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Menin Gate
Panel 37 |
| CWGC Family Details (if shown) |
Son of Thomas and Jane Robinson, of 41, Cross St., Prescot, Lancs. |
| Census Details |
1901 Census -
The Robinson family lived at 6, Smith Street Prescot. William, aged 5, was the only child of Thomas, 33, a Labourer in the Tank House of the B.I.W. Co, and his wife Jane (30).
1911 Census -
The family lived at 41, Cross Street, prescot. Thomas (40) was a Labourer in the Export Dept of the Wire Works. William, now aged 16, was an Office Boy, also at the Wire Works. 8 year old Arthur was also present. |
| SDGW - Where Born |
Prescot, Lancs |
| Enlisted |
Prescot, Lancs |
| How Died |
Killed In Action |
Theatre of War |
France & Flanders |
| Research Ref. No. |
P244 |
Service DetailsThe 5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, had just started its annual training in camp when war broke out in August 1914. It was sent to Edinburgh until October, then moved to Tunbridge Wells until February 1915. It was then ordered to France, sailing on the 13th aboard s.s. King Edward. Arriving at Le Havre the same day.
Over the next few days the battalion marched to billets at Le Bizet, and then undertook instruction in trench warfare. The system was for companies from a battalion to be attached to other battalions for spells in the line, before the sector was allocated to the battalion on its own. In addition to the trench duty, the battalion undertook its share of pioneer work and training in rapid fire.
The Battalion was moved around regularly without seeing action, until 28th April when it was moved to Vlamertinghe, Belgium in readiness to take part in the 1st Battle of Ypres, which had started on the 22nd.
On 2nd May, the Germans launched a violent attack, accompanied by a cloud of chlorine gas, and the battalion was moved into the line for the first time. On 3rd May, it was moved to the new line in front of Wieltje, and then on the 4th it was again moved to Shell Trap Farm. At dawn, they engaged the Germans but by 4pm the enemy was within 400 yards of the British lines, from where they began a heavy bombardment of the British lines.
More shell fire continued through the next day, culminating in heavy concentrated fire about 5 p.m. which resulted in a considerable number of men being buried, many of them killed and wounded. The enemy fire continued until midnight and four attempts were made by the Germans to take the farm, but all were repulsed.
Private Robinson would have been killed in the fighting at Wieltje. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Menin Gate memorial.
He is commemorated on the BICC Memorial
A list of Prescot men reported killed which appeared in the Liverpool Daily Post on 31st May 1915
The transcribed entry from the Scout Organisation 'Great War Roll of Honour' courtesy of http://www.scoutsrecords.org
William Robinson's Medal Index Card shows that he arrived in France on 13th February 1915 and was killed in action just a month later.
William Robinson's inscription on the Menin Gate
Pte Robinson's entry in the Register of Soldiers Effects
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