Name
Ernest Robbins
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/08/1918
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
37128
Somerset Light Infantry
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. VENANT-ROBECQ ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY, ROBECQ
IV. B. 18.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE FOUGHT THE FIGHT THE VICTORY WON AND ENTERED INTO REST
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary's Church Memorial, Apsley End,
Hempstead Town Memorial,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Nash Mills
Pre War
Ernest Robbins was born in 1882 Leighton Buzzard, the son of George and Ruth Robbins and one of eight children. When he was born the family were living at Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard.
By the 1891 Census the family had moved to Gammons Farm Cottage, Leavesden Lane, Watford, where his father was working as a Shepherd.
His mother died in early 1901 and on the Census he was living with his widowed father and sister Caroline at Shafford Bottom, Nash Mills, Abbots Langley, where he was working as a Paper Maker's Assistant, having left school in 1895 to work for John Dickinson & Co Ltd, paper manufacturers, at Nash Mills.
His father died in 1913 aged 71 and Ernest was said to be living at 7 Garfield Street, Watford on enlistment.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted in Watford in September 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment (reg. no. 15555). He was sent for basic training and was promoted to Sergeant in 1915 before being posted to the 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment prior to being sent overseas.
He sailed with the battalion in October 1915, landing in Egypt in November before moving on to Salonika on 1 December. He fought in the Balkans for more than two years and was then transferred to the 12th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry as Sergeant in Ismailia, Egypt and left on 30 April 1918 from Alexandria, landing at Marseilles on 7 May.
In July 1918, the Battalion went into the line for the first time and towards the end of the month were taking part in reconnaissance patrols to ascertain enemy positions and strength. In August they relieved the 16th Devonshire Yeomanry in the front line and fought to gain German held objectives. They were then relieved and withdrawn to reserve trenches. On 12 August the Battalion war diaries recorded casualties in a working party of five killed and four wounded.
Ernest was one of those killed in action on 12 August 1918, age 37 and is buried in St Genant-Robecq Road British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
Mr L Robbins, Selham House, Petworth, Sussex., ordered his headstone inscription: "HE FOUGHT THE FIGHT THE VICTORY WON AND ENTERED INTO REST".
A war gratuity of £22 was paid to his brother Levi Robbins and pay owing of £31 1s 6d was divided between Levi and sisters Elizabeth, Caroline, Clara, Hannah and Sarah.
Probate of his estate was granted in London on 9 April 1919 to his brother Levi Robbins, chauffeur, with effects of £203 2s 5d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild. www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
