ROBINS, William John
| Service Number: | 3915 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Redfern, New South Wales, Australia, 10 September 1882 |
| Home Town: | Redfern, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Driver |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 25 August 1916, aged 33 years |
| Cemetery: |
Puchevillers British Cemetery, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3915, 17th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3915, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney | |
| 24 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3915, 17th Infantry Battalion, Admitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station with multiple shrapnel wounds. He died there the next day (25th August 1916). |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
William John ROBINS (Service Number 3915) was born on 10th September 1882 at Redfern. His first work with the NSW Tramways was at the Randwick Workshops where he was a cleaner in the Locomotive Branch from 6th July 1900. With the phasing-out of steam trams he moved to the Tramway Traffic Branch, still at Randwick and still as a cleaner, in 1902. Later that year he relocated to North Sydney electric tram depot as a motor cleaner and in this role he alternated between there and Randwick until 1905. He then became a conductor in Sydney. Here he progressed to become a driver of electric trams in 1908. It was from this role that he was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces on 28th October 1915.
As is commonly the case, Robins had already enlisted a month earlier at Sydney. He was married to Agnes and she was nominated as his next of kin.
He was allotted to the 9th Reinforcements to the 17th Battalio. Robins embarked HMAT ‘Runic’ at Sydney on 20th January 1916 and reached Alexandria on 26th February. After only a month in Egypt he re-embarked and proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front through Marseilles which he reached on 3rd April. He was taken on the strength of the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot the next day, and the 17th Battalion on 15 thApril.
Robins was wounded in action four months later on 24th August. He was dmitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station with multiple shrapnel wounds. He died there the next day, 25th August 1916.
He was buried a Puchvilliers Military Cemetery, 7½ miles SSE of Woullens.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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