Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The three enlisted children of Robert and Mary Ann (née Duncan) Robinson of Rous, New South Wales:-

7764A Pte. Victor John Robinson (/explore/people/279420) - returned to Australia;

7042 L/Cpl. William Hardy Robinson (/explore/people/163649) - killed in action;

1927 Pte. Walter Harvey Robinson - returned to Australia.

'MOURNED FOR AS DEAD.

'Mr. C. R. Laidman, of Alstonville, has received the following interesting letter from Private W. H. Robinson, of Rous, from Wareham, Dorset, England, dated 31st March last. After leaving old "Ausie" on the 12th April, 1916, on board a liner, we had a splendid trip over to Egypt, calling in at the following places: Hobart, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle, Colombo, Aden, and Port Suez. We were in Colombo about four days, and up in the town on two different afternoons, and enjoyed ourselves very much. It is a very pretty place. From here we went by train to Tebel Kebbin, where Lord Kitchener fought one of his victories in 1882. Westayed there three weeks, and did practically nothing; had no leave at all. From there we boarded the train from Alexandria, arriving there in the morning. We boarded the "---" the same day and sailed for ---, the trip taking eight days. We arrived early in the morning. The next day we entrained for Etaples (17 miles from Boulogne), the trip taking three days. We passed throughsome of the prettiest places I ever saw. I was at Etaples for nearly seven weeks, and had the misfortune to be sent to hospitalwith dengue fever. I had a good time there, so it did not matter. I was in the hospital for six days. Here we were introduced to the "Bull Ring", which is the name given to the training ground. Each man on arrival there has to go through a course of training for ten days, and I think one is introduced to everything but artillery. The march out, which is about 4½ miles, is pretty solid, as one has his full pack and rifle up. 

Through going to the hospital I missed one of the parades out of the ten, so had to go through it all again; it hurt very much. After a stay of about seven weeks we were warned for the firing line, and then we realised we were getting very close to what we came so far for. We went by train, then to a place called Valda Maison. There we were told that our battalion would meet us, and we were told to erect tents for them, so we got to work and soon had our job finished. After we were nicely in bed, orders came around to be ready in five minutes' notice to move off. As these orders did not arrive till next morning, we left for Albert, about 17 miles. We left at 9 a.m., and after a very tiresome march arrived there at 5 p.m. There we were in touch with our own big guns, which started firing behind us. We could see plainly the big shells going over our heads. Next morning we joined our battalion on Tara Hill, close to La Boiselle, where the big push began. We got our baptism of fire next morning, and of course it gives one a creepy feeling down the back, but one soon gets used to it, and can tell whether a shell is coming close or not. We stayed in a little over a week, but I was lucky enough in getting no closer to Fritz than Pozieres. 

We went out for a spell for a week to a village called Semlis, and were there when the French brought in a large number of prisoners. We went back in again for a fortnight, and had a rather lively time of it, but yours truly escaped all the iron foundries thrown around us by Fritz. Our Company, "13", won the D.S.O. for our colonel, by doing a job the Engineers and 2nd Pioneers could not do, so we had swelled heads for a time. We left there for Belgium early in September, marched a good deal of the way, and then entrained from Doulleus to Proven, in Belgium. Our Company did nearly all the trench work up there. We were between Hill 60 and St. Eloi, and I can assure you one had to be careful there, as the snipers were very busy, and the machine guns never used to be quite at night time. 

On October 13th I was sent to the hospital with a "crook" heart the quack reckoned, but there was nothing wrong with it at all, so I have been told by a good authority over here. It was only that I was run down and had a slight shell shock. I met Moses Gray and Chester Kenyon in Belgium; they were both well and seemed to be enjoying themselves as far as possible. I left my battalion on 13th October, and was in Liverpool Hospital on the 15th, so I had a quick passage. I had a fairly good time in Liverpool, but was feeling anyhow after being there five weeks. I was then sent to Dartford, stayed there three weeks, and then to Weymouth for seven weeks, when I went on furlough. I spent it in Dundee with relatives, and I had a splendid time. I like Scotland well, and it is better than England, I think. I had three weeks there and returned to Wareham on 23rd January last, where I have been ever since. I have run through my experiences briefly, and it will give you are forming a new division, and at present I am in the 61st Battalion, and I think I will stay. My brother Hardies is at Lark Hill and I have claimed him, so I expect him down here any time now. He mourned me dead for six weeks. When we arrived in England he enquired at headquarters for me, and they sent him a card saying I was killed in action on 10th December 1916, so you can guess he got a bit of a surprise when he received my letter. I am pleased to say I am very much alive and enjoying splendid health. 

We expect to be in France some time next month, and hope to be there when the knock-out blow is delivered, which will not be long I hope. I met Tom Ferris and Henry Hughes in this camp the other night; they are both well. I have my mate Duncan McDonald, of Wyrallah, here with me. The last I heard of Stan Thorburn, he was in Abbeville Hospitalin France, with septic poisoning.' from Northern Star 11 Jun 1917 (nla.gov.au)