Henry Whitwell Lampton ROBINSON 1880-1917

26/572 Private Henry Whitwell Lampton Robinson 21st [Tyneside Scottish] Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds 18 October 1917 aged 37.  He is buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium [1] and commemorated on Burnopfield War Memorial, County Durham.

Family Details

Henry W. L. Robinson was born c.1880 [2] at Lands Bank, the son of Thomas and Jane Robinson.  There were at least 7 children:[3]

• George bc.1868 at Millfield Grange [Cockfield]
• John bc.1870 at Etherley
• Thomas bc.1873 at Cockfield
• Joseph bc.1874 at Lands Bank
• Robert bc.1878 at Lands Bank
• Henry bc.1880 at Lands Bank
• Charles bc. 1893 at Lands Bank

In 1881, the family lived at East Butterknowle and Thomas worked as a coal miner.  East Butterknowle colliery was a drift mine located to the north east of Cockfield Fell, to the north of the river Gaunless near Low Lands.  By 1891, the family lived at the Square, St. Helen Auckland and Thomas, John, Thomas junior and Joseph were all recorded as coal miners.  Henry was recorded as a scholar.  By 1901, the family still lived at the Square, St. Helen’s and Thomas, Robert and Henry were recorded as coal miners and Charles as an apprentice blacksmith.

In 1906, Henry Robinson married Mary Ann Shotton.[4] By 1911, 33 years old Henry lived at Burnopfield with his wife Mary Ann and 3 children, all born at St. Helen’s.  A fourth child was born later:

• Margaret bc.1907
• Ethel bc.1909
• Mary bc.1910
• Joseph Henry [5]

Henry worked as a coal miner.[6]

Service Details

The service details of Private Henry Robinson have not been researched.  He enlisted into the 26th Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers and was transferred to the 19th then finally the 21st Battalion, retaining the same service number 26/572.[7]  He did not serve in France and Belgium until after the 31 December 1915 since he was not awarded the 1914-15 Star.[8]

The 26th [Service] Battalion [3rd Tyneside Irish] was formed at Newcastle in November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and the city.  From June 1915 it came under the orders of 103rd Brigade, 34th Division and landed in France in January 1916.  The Tyneside Irish and Tyneside Scottish are forever associated with the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916 when the 34th Division suffered the highest number of casualties, 6,380.[9]  Private Robinson’s battalion, 26/NF [3/Tyneside Irish] accompanied 102 Brigade and 21/NF and 22/NF [2 & 3 Tyneside Scottish] to pass south of La Boisselle and north of the Lochnagar mine.  Machine gun fire from La Boisselle caused heavy casualties. [10]  Later research records that 26/NF lost 8 officers and 162 other ranks between 1 and 3 July, killed in action or died of wounds.[11]

We do not know whether he was there or with the 19/NF [2nd Tyneside Pioneers] which was attached as Divisional Troops to 35th Division and did not take part on the first day.

Private Robinson was transferred to 21/NF [2/Tyneside Scottish], 102 Brigade, 34 Division and served with them at the time of his death, 18 October 1917.  At this time, the Division saw action during the Third Battle of Ypres particularly fighting for Broenbeek between 12 and 23 October 1917.[12] Later research confirms that the battalion lost 41 other ranks between 12 and 25 October and 7 other ranks killed in action or died of wounds on 18 October 1917.[13]

Private Robinson was awarded the Victory and British War medals.[14]

Burial [15]

Private H W L Robinson is buried at grave reference X.G.17, Dozinghem Military Cemetery which is north west of Poperinghe, Belgium.  In readiness for the forthcoming offensive, casualty clearing stations were set up and called by the troops, Mendinghem, Dozinghem and Bandaghem.  The 4th 47th and 61st CCS were posted to Dozinghem and the military cemetery was used until early 1918.  There are 3,174 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Photos courtesy of Neil Milburn

REFERENCES

[1] Commonwealth War Graves Commission

[2] England & Wales Birth Index 1837-1915 Vol.10a p.234 1880 Q1 Auckland

[3] 1881, 1891 & 1901 census

[4] England & Wales Marriage Index 1837-1915 Vol.10a p.304 1906 Q1 Auckland

[5] WW1 Pension Ledgers & Index Cards 1914-1923

[6] 1911 census

[7] Roll of Individuals entitled to the Victory Medal and the British War Medal

[8] Medal Roll card index

[9] “The First Day on the Somme” Martin Middlebrook 1971 p.305

[10] “The Somme: The Day by Day Account” Chris McCarthy 1993 p.25

[11] Officers Died in the Great War and Solders Died in the Great War

[12] https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/34th-division/

[13] ODGW & SDGW

[14] Medal Roll card index

[15] CWGC