Hassell Ernest Robinson
- Family History
- Military History
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Hassall Ernest was born on 25th September 1898 at Carnaby near Bridlington, and was the son of Hassall Poad Robinson a farmer and his wife Florence Mary Robinson (nee Osbourne.) of 12 Wellington Street, Newark. Hassall senior was 17 years older than his wife Florence and they had 4 children in total, sadly three of them died in infancy leaving Hassall junior as their only child. In the 1891 census Hassall Poad Robinson 38 years is living at Carnaby House , Carnaby he is a farmer and is living with his wife Florence Mary 21 years and their son George Henry 8 years of age. The family are employing 5 people as servants and help on the farm. Hassall senior , died on 19th December 1922 however in the next two census he is not living with his family. In the 1901 census , Florence Mary head of the family 30 years of age and living on her own means is living at Carnaby Chalet, Hilderthorpe, near Bridlington , she is living there with her son Hassall Ernest , now 6 years of age, she has a boarder William Burley 25 years an estate agent living with her and has a servant Mary Scotter 18 years also at the address. By the 1911 census the family are living at 78 Harcourt Street, Newark , Hassell 16 years , still single and employed a draughtsman is living with his mother Florence Mary at the home of his grandparents, James Scott Osbourne 74 years a retired traveller and his wife Elizabeth Francis. His probate was proven in London on 13th December 1912 , he was shown as Hassell Ernest Robinson of 12 Wellington Road, Newark upon Trent, who died on 13th July 1916 in France, his effects of £2 8 shillings were left to William Fisher , retired draper.
Hassell enlisted on 17th November 1915 at Newark , he attested for the duration of the war. He gave his place of birth as Carnaby, Yorkshire, and that he was residing at 78 Harcourt Street, Newark, he gave his age as 21 years and 22 days. He stated he was a draughtsman and his religion was Church of England. His next of kin was given as his mother Florence of 78 Harcourt Street, Newark. He was placed into the reserves on 18th November 1915. He was mobilised on 13th January 1916 and posted to the Royal West Kent Regiment on 19th January 1916. He was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal on 14th April 1916. He went to the Western Front on 22nd June 1916 joining the British expeditionary Force. On 13th July 1916 his regiment was engaged in an attack on the German lines at Trones Wood and it was during the attack that Hassell was posted missing. It was to take a further eleven months before he was official recorded as being presumed killed on that date. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
The following is an extract from Magnus School, Newark , diary of the 'Great War' :- Thursday 13 July 1916 was a fatally unlucky day – though it was eleven months before one Newark mother had the sad fact confirmed. The drama began for widow Mrs Florence Mary Robinson of 78 Harcourt Street when the 7th Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment attacked Trones Wood, lost direction and came under fierce enemy fire. Yet 150 men still reached the eastern edge of the wood and struggled on to an unlikely victory. By Wednesday 23 August Mrs Robinson was desperate for news of her only son, Hassell Ernest Robinson, 21, who was reported wounded and missing. The Old Magnusian had worked in the drawing office at Ransome’s and had gained practical experience at Simpson’s in expectation of a career as a draughtsman – joining his mates in local football and cricket teams – before enlisting in January 1916 and going to the battlefront on 22 June 1916. On 6 August 1916, Mrs Robinson was told by the War Office that he was wounded and missing; no effort had been spared to discover more news. The West Kents’ Chaplain wrote that Hassell went over the parapet with the bombers and feared he was mortally wounded during the bayonet charge. Yet this morning Mrs Robinson had a letter from the Commanding Officer regretting he had no more news and imploring her to hope for the best. Earnestly though she hoped, it was eventually confirmed in June 1917 that Lance Corporal G/11707 Robinson had indeed been killed on 13 July 1916. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
