Acting Lance Corporal
William Haddock ROBINSON
Service Corps
Died: 12th August 1918 - Age: 39

Commemorated:

1. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.133
2. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour27C GQS
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Early Life :

With grateful thanks to Caroline Crook at the Warrington Museum of Freemasonry for extensive research into this soldier.

William H. Robinson is recorded in the 1881 census as being born in 1879. He was the son of William Haddock Robinson and Elizabeth Johnson Robinson (nee Bolton) of 18 Bridge Street Warrington and was one of seven children. His father was cashier at Joseph Crosfield and Sons, Soap Manufacturer and his mother was a tobacconist. The family moved to Wilson Patten Street, Warrington and they are recorded as living there on both the 1891 and 1901 census. His father died 15 April 1903 and his mother 22 February 1911. On the 1911 census, he is recorded as living with his brother and sister at The Mount in Lower Walton.

Education & Career :

William worked for the Liverpool and Manchester District Banking Co. Ltd. of Sankey Street, which was taken over eventually by the Royal Bank of Scotland. His Masonic records held at United Grand Lodge of England show he was a member of the Lodge of Friendship No. 2963 from 1911 and that he was on War Service from 1915 until his death in 1918.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: Royal Army Service Corps 

Action : Air Campaign 

The use of aircraft as a platform for observation, also gave rise to strategic bombing raids on military and civil targets

Prior to the outbreak of First World War (1914-1918), William had moved to the South of the country and was living in Saltford, Somerset at the time of his deployment. He enlisted in Ramsgate as a dispatch rider on the 2nd May 1915. He latterly served in the Army Service Corps 364th Company, at the Base Mechanical Transport Depot as a driver. 'No. 6 Base Supply Depot' as it was known, was located close to Calais, France and it was opened in April 1915 as a supply base to relieve pressure on Boulogne and to be closer to the Western Front. This base did not close until the last soldiers left France in 1921. The supply depots supported the front-line forces carrying out, administration and recruitment, induction for new arrivals, training for butchers and bakers and re-supply. They would supply everything from Locomotives to move equipment and supplies to the Western Front such as food for the soldiers and horses. Ordnance however was supplied by the Royal Ordnance Corps. No. 6 Depot, also served as the Army Veterinary Corps Base depot and was the site of no fewer than 6 hospitals with capacity for 2,500 beds. There was also a Royal Flying Corps airfield close by and it was also served by the Royal Engineers Inland Water Transport Company, who used tugs to move goods from the British coast and along the river and canal systems in France. Incredibly, at its peak, the Army Service Corps numbered nearly 330,000 men and officers. The large base at St. Omer was similar to that in Calais, but had a very large repair depot where they would repair everything from bicycles to tanks and planes. At the time of his death, his regimental number was M2/082708 and according to the Register of Effects, he was a Private, but Acting Lance Corporal.

Detail :

Considering the importance of such Military bases, it comes as no surprise that they were often targeted and bombed by German aircraft.

It was during such a bombing raid that William was seriously injured along with several of his Comrades and they were taken to the 30th General Hospital, where William and eleven others died of their wounds on the 12 August 1918. It is difficult to say the exact spot where William was killed, as records are not available, but by researching other soldiers who died on the same day and who are buried alongside William, it is most likely that he was at the Calais or St. Omer bases during the air raid.

They were all buried in Les Baraques Cemetery in Sangatte, which was started in September 1917 having been designed by Sir Herbert Baker. The last First World War (1914-1918) military casualties were buried here in 1921. There are some 1,500 soldiers buried in the cemetery of which 1304 are currently identified.

William received the 1914-15 award which was issued to all those who served in a theatre of war between 5th August 1914 and 31st December 1915.

Citations & Commemorations :

  The Warrington Guardian published obituaries following his death, on both the 17 and 24 of August 1918 and they tell us little more about William; "he was a keen and ardent motorist". He had also captained the Warrington Cycling Club and that he left a widow and one child; sadly, we have not been able to trace a marriage or a birth, the administrators named both in his Army register of Soldiers Effects, and in the probate records are Leslie Dewing and William Rogers bank clerks their relationship to William is unknown.
His name is inscribed on the Cenotaph at Bridge Foot in Warrington and moreover his name and date of death are also recorded on his parent's gravestone in Warrington cemetery.

The inscription on his grave reads; 'Duty accomplished Honour defended'

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Lodge of Friendship No. 2963 E.C.West Lancashire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
3rd September 1911
2nd October 1911
4th December 1911
 

The Lodge minutes record that the lodge met at the Masonic Hall in Bold Street, also known as St. Austins Chambers. St Austin Chambers was previously the Officers Mess for the 4th Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster's Own Light Infantry) The Minutes also document that William was proposed on the 3 April 1911 by W Bro. Greenough and seconded by W. Bro. Lee. He was initiated on the 4 September 1911, by W.Bro. Greenough, passed 2 October 1911 and raised December 4 1911.

During the September 1918 meeting of the Lodge, the minute's record that both the Worshipful Master Bro J E Birtles and Past Master WBro H V Pigot commented on Bro Robinsons death;
"The WM made a feeling reference to the much-lamented death of Bro W. H. Robinson, who was killed whilst on active service & a very suitable tribute was paid to our late Brother by PM H V Pigot who stated whilst lamenting his untimely death, we must all be filled with admiration for his patriotism in having so readily volunteered his services & in having made the great sacrifice in the cause of King and Country."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2019-11-03 08:43:08