ROBINSON, Henry James
| Service Number: | 747 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 July 1915, An original of C Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Aldershot, Hampshire, England, 22 June 1885 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Locomotive fireman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 1 December 1917, aged 32 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bethleem Farm West Cemetery Row F, Grave No. 9 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Granville War Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 747, 30th Infantry Battalion, An original of C Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 747, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 747, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Henry James Robinson was born in England and one of three brothers who were killed during WW1.
Henry was the 2nd oldest of the four Robinson sons and he served with Horace in the 30th Battalion, AIF. His father, John Robinson, had been a career soldier with the Royal Engineers Corp in England attaining the rank of sergeant major. Henry came out to Australia in 1910 and he was married in 1912. His younger brother Horace Frederick Robinson came out to Australia soon after and they all lived in Granville NSW.
Private Henry Robinson was killed in Belgium on 1st December 1917 and buried in the Bethleem Farm West Military Cemetery in Flanders.
Henry left behind a small family in Granville - his widow, Catherine Mary Robinson nee Treacy and two children, Kathleen Mary and John Henry. They all received pensions soon after his death.
Baby John was born 26 June 1916 around the time his father and uncle were disembarking in France preparing for the trenches of the Western Front. John Henry Robinson also served in the AIF during the second World War.
His brother 1312 Pte. Horace Frederick Robinson 30th Battalion AIF, was killed in action at Fromelles 20 July, 1916, aged 20.
Another older brother, Lance Corporal William Francis Robinson 23rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action only a few weeks before the armistice on 30 September 1918.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Henry James ROBINSON, (Service Number 747) was born on 22nd June 1885 at Aldershot, Hampshire, England. He was the brother of Horace Frederick Robinson who was also a NSW railwayman and who served and died on active service in the Great War. Henry Robinson began his railway career as a cleaner, the first step in the career path to driver, at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot on 16th September 1913. By December he had progressed to fireman and a year later relocated to Clyde Depot in the same role. It was from Clyde that he was granted leave on 12th July 1915 to join the Expeditionary Forces. Henry was the older brother and the first of the two to enlist. He enlisted at Liverpool on 20th July. He was married to Catherine Mary (or May) Robinson, of ‘Roslyn’. Cowper Street, Granville, and she was nominated as his next of kin. Horace Robinson’s address on enlistment was the same, so he evidently lived with his brother and sister-in-law. As he was underage, his elder brother gave consent for Horace to enlist..
Although Horace did not enlist until September, both brothers were allotted to the 30th Australian Infantry Battalion. They left Australia from Sydney on the same ship – HMAT ‘Beltana’ – on 9th November, 1915 reaching Suez on 11 December. The brothers stayed together through further training in Egypt and the passage to France through Alexandria and Marseilles (in June 1916).
Henry Robinson was hospitalised with boils on 17th July 1916 and admitted to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station. Later in the month he needed dental work and had sore hands.
He was in hospital again, at the 8th Field Ambulance, in September with Influenza and did not re-join his unit until 10th October. 1916 On 17th November he was in the 8th Field Ambulance once again with axillary lymphadomitis and this led to the 1st New Zealand Stationary Hospital, the Hospital Ship ‘Formosa’, the Military Hospital at Bethnal Green, England, the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, furlough, the Australian Base at Perham Downs and a diagnosis of I.C.T. – inflammation of the connective tissues is his armpit.
He was classified as ‘B1a’, which is a designation of fitness less than capable of service in the front line. While at Perham Downs he was Absent Without Leave for three days in February 1917 and for this offence was admonished and forfeited four days’ pay. He finally re-joined the 30th Battalion on 26th October 1917.
He was killed in action on 1st December 1917 and buried in Bethleem Farm West Military Cemetery, just SE of Messines.
Pensions were awarded to his widow, Catherine Mary (£2 per fortnight), and their children, Kathleen Mary (£1 per fortnight), and John Henry (15/- per fortnight).
(His younger brother Horace had not been seen since the night of the Battle on Fromelles on 19th-20th July 1916. His identity disc was passed from the Germans who had found and buried his body.)
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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