Name
Frederick Alfred Robinson
2 May 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16566
Essex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 10 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford, All Saints Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Little Hallingbury Memorial, Essex
Pre War
Frederick Alfred Robinson was born in Bishops Stortford on 2 May 1895 (baptised 12 Dec 1895 at Holy Trinity, Bishop's Stortford) to Alfred Robinson, labourer, and Fanny (nee Bradford). His parents had married on 3rd Jul 1894 in Bishop’s Stortford.
On the 1901 Census Frederick was five years old, the family of parents, Frederick, Walter (born 1897), and Annie E (born 1899) were living at 114 New Town Road.. Alfred’s occupation was a maltmaker. By the 1911 Census the family had moved to Wrights Green, Little Hallingbury. Alfred and Fanny were living with Frederick, Walter, Annie, Charles (born 1902), James (born 1904) and Albert (born 1907) Alfred was a labourer, working for the Urban District Council on the roads. Frederick was a farm labourer. Walter, Annie, Charles and James were attending school. The family must have moved to Wrights Green after 1907, as Albert was born in Bishop’s Stortford in that year. (a further son Harry was born in 1912).
Wartime Service
No Service record was found for Frederick. Frederick enlisted at Warley, Essex in early 1915 as Private 16866 (16638 was issued on 29 Dec 1914) and served in the 11th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment going to France on 30 Sep 1915 to join his Battalion, who had deployed on 30 Aug 15 as part of 71 Brigade, 24 Division. The Battalion transferred to 18 Brigade, 6 Division on 27 Oct 1915. By 1916 6th Division were in the Somme Sector and took part on 15 Sep 1916 in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15 Sep- 23 Sep 1916) attacking a German defensive position known as the Quadrilateral, following behind the only tank that was available to the Division, they were soon held up by enemy fire and took considerable casualties. Frederick was reported killed during this action. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
According to the Little Hallingbury Memorial Book: ‘Frederick Robinson enlisted in Dorking and was at the front from January 1916, serving with the 11th battalion, Essex Regiment. His regiment was engaged in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which started on 15th September as part of the Battle of the Somme. The first ever tanks used in combat were unleashed onto the battlefield during the battle of Flers-Courcelette on 15th September. Only forty-eight tanks were available, and of these only just over a dozen were able to join the attack, as the others had just simply broken down. It must be presumed that Frederick Robinson died in this battle. His death was reported in the Essex Newsman on 4th Nov 1916. The report stated that Frederick Robinson died on his 22nd Birthday. It should have read that he died on his 20th birthday.’
Additional Information
Brother to Walter Robinson, 19238, Essex Regiment who died on 14 Apr 1917 and who is also named on Holy Trinity Church and Town memorials, Bishop's Stortford, and on the Little Hallingbury memorial, Essex. Frederick’s father received a War Gratuity of £7 10s and arrears of £1 11s 1d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Philip Hays
