ROBINSON, Horace Frederick
| Service Number: | 1312 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 August 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Chatham, Kent, England, 8 September 1896 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Gravesend Technical School, Kent, England |
| Occupation: | Railway Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Fromelles, France, 20 July 1916, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Remembered on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial at Fromelles. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1312, Depot Battalion , Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, Disembarked Suez, Egypt | |
| 16 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, Embarked Alexandria for B.E.F per H.M.T. "Hororata" | |
| 23 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, Disembarked Marseilles, France | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) | |
| 20 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1312, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), Killed In Action |
Help us honour Horace Frederick Robinson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Private Horace Frederick Robinson was one of three brothers who were killed during WW1. He was a 19-year-old clerk from “Roslyn”, Cowper Street Granville NSW. He was born in Kent, England, to John Robinson, and was the younger brother of Henry James Robinson. It seems that he only came out to Australia to join his brother Henry about 18 months before he enlisted. His father in England was a retired sergeant major. Horace enlisted during July 1915 and was assigned to 30 Infantry Battalion. The 30th Battalion's first major battle was at Fromelles on 19 July 1916. It was tasked with providing carrying parties for supplies and ammunition but was soon drawn into the heavy fighting. Horace was reported missing in France on 19 July 1916. His identification disc was eventually received from Germany. It was sent on to his father in England. No particulars afforded except that the soldier is deceased. From the 13 March 1917, he was to be reported killed in action, 20 July 1916.
German report, dated 27 September 1919, 'austr. Sold. Robinson, H. J. C. 30. Batt. Nr. 1312. am 19.7.16. in Gegend Fromelles gefallen.'
A note, in his Red Cross File No 2330708 states: 'The above name appeared on German death list dated 4-11-16.'
His remains were not among those found and reburied in the Pheasant Wood Cemetery at Fromelles but his name is remembered on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery.
His brother, 747 Pte. Henry James Robinson 30th Battalion AIF was killed in action in Belgium 1 December 1917, aged 32.
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
Horace Frederick ROBINSON (Service Number 1312) was born on 8th September 1895 at Chatham, Kent, England. From 5th January 1914 he worked as a junior clerk in the Traffic Branch of the Railways at Darling Harbour. This was the role from which he was granted leave on 1st August 1915 to join he Expeditionary Forces. He enlisted at Liverpool on 9th August, giving his father still living in Kent as his next of kin. Horace Frederick was less than 21 years of age when he sought to enlist, so his elder brother gave written consent to that process.
He was allotted to the 30th Australian Infantry Battalion. He embarked HMAT ‘Beltana’ at Sydney on 9th November 1915 and reached Suez on 11th December. After six months further training in Egypt he embarked HMAT ‘Honorata’ at Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front in France on 16th June and reached Marseilles on 23rd June 1916.
He was reported missing in action between 19th and 20th July at the infamous Battle of Fromelles. His body was never recovered, but it had apparently been found behind German lines and they had buried it, probably in a mass grave. The Germans did however collect identity discs and pass them through neutral agencies so that by March 1917 there was no doubt that Robinson was dead, rather than missing.
His remains were not located after the war and he is remembered on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial at Fromelles.
Horace Frederick Robinson was the brother of Henry James Robinson who was also a railwayman who died on active service in the Great War .
Both men gave their home address as ‘Roslyn’, Cowper Street, Granville.
- Based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney CentralStation Honour Board.
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