217612 Sgt. Arthur Robins MM.British Army 89th Field Coy Royal Engineers from:Chatham, later North Shields (d.14th Oct 1918) In memory of a brave man.
Sgt. Arthur Robins was the son of George & Emily Robins of Chatham, Kent, & the husband of Mary Elizabeth Robins of Mill Hill, North Shields.
On the outbreak of war, he enlisted as a Sapper into the Royal Engineers at North Shields, being posted to the 89th Field Company, R.E, initially part of 23rd Division, but 14th (Light) Division from January 1915.
He arrived in France in late May 1915, & soon saw his first action at Hooge where the German army first used Flame throwers. He later fought (I use that term, as the R.E were just as busy as the infantry) on the Somme at Delville Wood & Flers-Courcelette in 1916, at Arras & Passchendaele in 1917, & the fighting of the German offensive in March 1918. By this time he had been promoted to Corporal. Casualties had been so heavy that the 14th Division returned briefly to England between 17th June - 2nd July 1918 to re-equip. Back on the Western front, the tide was turning and Acting Serjeant Robins was back in the dreaded Ypres Salient, near the village of Wulverghem (Messines area).
The Battle of Ypres began and Robins & his section of 89th Field Company went forward, in the attack on Germans positions east of Wulverghem. During the bitter fighting, he must have done a very brave deed to be brought to official notice. It also cost him his life.
During the performance of this, he was killed in action on 14th October 1919 aged 29.
In the London Gazette of 19th May 1919, the following appeared:
'For Bravery in the field' - The award of the Military Medal to:-
Royal Engineers
12812 Cpl. (A/Sgt.) Robins. A., 89th Fd. Coy. (North Shields).
His Military Medal is named 12812 CPL-A-SGT. A. Robins R.E.
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