Robinson, William (Willie)
Private
No. S/5413, 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
Killed in action on Sunday 25 April 1915 (aged 22)
Buried:
Seaforth Cemetery, Cheddar Villa, Belgium (Grave B. 1. Headstone ‘A’. 12)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
The death of William (Willie) Robinson was reported in the 28 May 1915 edition of the County Down Spectator under the headline Killed in Action. The report stated that Willie Robinson was a son of Mr and Mrs William Robinson of 61 Dawson Street, Parkhead, Glasgow and that he had been killed in action in April (aged 22). Willie Robinson enlisted in August 1914, served with the Seaforth Highlanders and, after a short spell of training at Fort George, was posted to France.
The report stated that Willie Robinson was a pastry baker by trade and that he was ‘well known and highly esteemed and popular in Donaghadee and district’ from the time that he was employed in Stanner’s Bakery.
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that this soldier was born in Barony, Lanarkshire and enlisted in Glasgow.
Private William Robinson (No. S/5413) was born on 7 September 1892 at Camlachie, Glasgow, and he was a son of William and Annie Robinson (nee Willison) who were married on 14 July 1892 in Glasgow. They had at least seven children:
William (born 7 September 1892 at Camlachie, Glasgow)
Margaret (Maggie, born around 1894)
Catherine (born around 1896 at Camlachie, Glasgow)
James (born around 1899 at Camlachie, Glasgow)
John (born around 1901 at Camlachie, Glasgow)
Annie (born around 1904 at Camlachie, Glasgow)
Thomas (born around 1907 at Camlachie, Glasgow)
In the 1901 census William was living at 61 Dawson Street, Parkhead, Glasgow with his parents, William and Annie Robinson, together with his sisters Maggie (aged 6) and Catherine (aged 4) and his brother James (aged 2).
Private William Robinson (No. S/5413) went to France 25 March 1915 and he was killed in action one month later, on 25 April 1915.
In Army papers, as well as 61 Dawson Street, Parkhead, Glasgow, the family address is recorded as 61 Dunbar Street, Glasgow.