William Edwin Robinson

The story and photographs are shared by the Trust with kind permission from William Jones, grandson of William Edwin Robinson.

William Edwin Robinson was born in Liverpool in 1913. His father, also William Robinson, was killed in action during the First World War. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Robinson was a railway worker in Liverpool, and also joined the Territorial Army in 1936.

Called up to the King’s Liverpool Regiment on the outbreak of war, he was reassigned to the 5th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, therefore not deploying to the Far East or to North Africa as his original regiment did.

Arriving in France on 26th June 1944, Robinson would show heroism that would eventually be rewarded with a Military Medal during his battalion’s first combat engagement in Galmanche, Normandy. Quoting from the battalion’s war diaries shows the extent of the fighting:

“The company advanced about 200 yards before it was opened up on by 6 or 8 machine guns firing from either flank - the fire from these MGs was held until such a time as the nearest MGs almost into the rear of the company, thereby hemming them in. The enemy MGs fire was so intense that it was impossible for the company to advance further…fierce fighting continued in the area of the buildings and adjoining orchard, until the enemy fire made it necessary for both the Pls to be withdrawn to the line of the hedgerow some 50 yards from the main buildings. Meantime the remainder of 16 Pl and Coy HQ were pinned to the ground by strong enemy fire from the left and from M.G.s sited in the upper rooms of the house. As it was by this time impossible to advance further, the only alternative was to remain under cover till dark, when it would be possible to withdraw the Coy. At approx. 2315 hrs the Coy was withdrawn, after having been more or less under continual heavy fire for almost 2 ½ hours.

During the clearing of the house excellent leadership was shown by 3770737 Pte (Private) Robinson, who after destroying an enemy M.G. continued to organise parties of men to try and clear the house. The Coy having been withdrawn, it was found that 5 men had been killed and 16 wounded, Lieut L.E. Hall, Comdr (Commander) 16 Pl had also been wounded.”

Robinson was both awarded the MM and promoted to Corporal for this action. The citation for his award reads:

“In the face of heavy enemy fire, Pte Robinson went forward alone with a Bren gun and destroyed one enemy post. He then re-organised his section and continued the attack. Throughout the attack his gallant actions and powers of leadership were an inspiration to his comrades.”

A month later, sadly, he was killed in action. At this time his battalion was fighting for the successive ridges that overlooked the town of Thury Harcourt in Normandy. He died during this action on 9th August 1944. He was survived by his wife, Anne Robinson, and 6 children.