Pte 31174 James Robinson

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: V.C.30

James Edward Robinson was born in 1896 the son of John Instrell Robinson and his wife Martha (née Donnelly). His parents were married on 16th July 1895 at St Simon's Church, Liverpool. John was a 23 year old ship steward, his father Edward, whilst Martha was aged 19, her father James, both of 8 Caxton Building. 

James was baptised at St Nathaniel's Church on 29th April 1896, his father was a steward for the Dominican Line, his address at the time of the baptism was 68 Olive Street, off Oxford Street.

James had a younger brother, John, who was baptised in 1900. 

James's father died, aged 27, in August 1899 when he was aged 4 or 5. His father was buried on the 19th August at Walton. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 74 Oliver Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool. The family comprises, widowed Martha aged 24, a shirt seamstress, and her two sons James E. aged 5 and John 1. 

Martha remarried on 06th September 1903 at St Mary's Church, Edge Hill to Albert Schofield who had also been widowed. Albert was a 27 year old carter of Cardwell Street, father Henry a carter, whilst Martha was aged 26 also of Cardwell Street, father James a deceased ropemaker. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 56 Holden Street, Edge Hill, Liverpool. His mother Martha is aged 34, a house keeper, his step father, Albert, is aged 35, a carter and owns his own business. They advised that they had been married for 7 years and had five children, four of whom have survived. James by now 15 is employed as an assistant in a pawn brokers shop. He lives with his brother John and his step brothers Charles and Albert. 

James enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 31174. He was killed in action on 12/10/1916 at Le Transloy, aged 20. 

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

He was reported as Missing in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 30 December 1916 

James now rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

James earned his two medals. 

James is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 43

St Nathaniel's Church which is now situated at St Brides Church in Percy Street, Liverpool.

His mother died, aged 53, in the September quarter of 1930. 

We currently have no further information on James Robinson, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.