Private Angus Robinson aged 18

Private Angus Robinson aged 18.

Angus was born in Hull in 1899 to Angus and Sarah Ann.
By 1911 they had moved to 22 Thorney Lane, Midgley. He was then at school and his father was a Wool Comber. His three older siblings were also in Worsted. He also worked for Murgatroyd’s before he was conscripted into the Duke of Wellington’s in August 1917.

By April 1918 he had transferred to the 11th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment and was based in Northern France near the Belgian border. The battalion diaries report that on 12th April 1918 (the day he was recorded as missing in Action):

“Heavy fighting commenced about 10 am. The 93rd Brigade reported that they were heavily engaged, it was evident that an attack on a very large scale was developing and that the flanks were exposed. Orders were given to withdraw and later since touch with flank units could not be established to withdraw further. The enemy pressed closely and though not successful in disorganising the operation, succeeded in cutting off one or two parties to such an extent that their only escape was to a flank where they eventually attached themselves to other units.” 

he remnants withdrew to a line east of the village of Merris and the next day gained support from the 1st Australian division.

Angus is commemorated on the Ploegsteert-memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainault, Belgium. This memorial commemorates more than 11,000 UK and South African forces who have no known grave. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere

He is named on the Luddenden & Midgley war memorial and a relative has identified that a number of Angus’s family are in the photo taken at the unveiling of the memorial in April 1923. These include his father and mother and three siblings.

He is also commemorated on the Ebenezer Roll of Honour (Halifax Lane).