Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Albert Edward Robinson, 49461, was born on 7 July 1880 at Lyttelton, the second son of William and Ann Jane (known as Jane) Robinson. William, a sergeant born in Buckinghamshire, and Ann Jane, born in Ireland, were at the Milton Barracks, Milton near Gravesend, Kent, England, in 1871, with their two children both born at Milton – Charles William in 1866 and Adelaide in 1871. A third child was born at Milton in 1875 – Alice Maud. In 1976 the family emigrated to Canterbury, New Zealand by the “Duchess of Kintore”. Young Albert was educated at Lyttelton, Bromley and Woolston schools in the Christchurch area, leaving at the age of thirteen for work. In 1891 Mr Dass was recorded as his parent/guardian. Jane Robinson married William Dass in 1883. Had William Robinson died in 1881 at Lyttelton? Jane Robinson was charged at Lyttelton in January 1882 with having no lawful means of support and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment at Addington. Her children, Adelaide and Alice Robinson, were remanded on a charge of being neglected children, and “an infant in arms, a boy, was committed to Burnham for twelve months, the mother to have possession of him again upon proper application, and assurance that she was capable of taking care of him.” Surely Albert Edward Robinson. On 6 May 1884 an accident occurred to the four year old son of Mrs Dass, a Lyttelton resident. While playing on a grassy slope he fell over a high clay bank and received “a severe shaking”. Fortunately there was no serious injury. In late September 1886 at Lyttelton, Albert Robinson, about five years of age, was charged with throwing stones, “to the danger of private property – to wit, a horse . . .” The juvenile offender was dismissed after receiving a caution “as to the frightful possible results of throwing stones”. When Ann Jane Dass was charged with the larceny of a wooden rocking horse in June 1887, both her son Albert Dass and her daughter Alice Dass gave evidence in court. Albert Robinson (14) and two mates were charged at Christchurch in April 1895 with vagrancy – sleeping in a railway van. They pleaded guilty, the two mates who were larrikins and perfect nuisances, being sentenced. “Nothing was known against Robinson and he was handed over to the custody of his father.”

Albert Robinson married Maud Batten on 28 February 1910 at Dunedin. Their daughter, Elsie Alice Robinson, was born on 4 June 1910 at Dunedin. Nothing more is known of Maud and Elsie Alice.

Albert Robinson was medically examined on 2 May 1916. A cook at Makikihi when he enlisted, Albert Robinson gave as his address the Gridiron Hotel, Dunedin. He also gave his place of employment as Dardanelles Fish Shop, Taranaki Street, and his last place of residence as Care of Mrs Anderson, 7 Argyle Street, City. Mrs Anderson was his sister Adelaide who had married Arthur Herbert Anderson in 1895. He also gave his status as single. He was 5 feet 7½ inches tall, weighed 157 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 36½-39 inches. His complexion was medium, his eyes hazel and his hair brown. While his sight was reasonably good and his colour vision normal, he had very defective hearing, being deaf in the right ear and slightly deaf in the left ear. His limbs and chest were well formed, his heart and lungs normal. He was in good bodily and mental health, being free of diseases and vaccinated. Although he had two toes missing from his right foot, there was no cause for rejection. He was classified fit, but recommended for home service. Several tattooes marked his arms - flag, star, heart and cross on the left, heart and figure of a lady on the right.

He named his sister as next-of-kin – Mrs F. Day, Cornwall Road, Lyttelton. Alice Maud Robinson had married Frederick Thomas Day in 1896. A terrible tragedy befell the family in July 1901. Alice, who was expecting another baby, had left the three little children at their Lyttelton home when she went to get groceries and meat and something for the baby’s cold. As she was leaving a friend’s house on the way home, she was alerted to a fire at her own place. “Alice, your house is on fire.” “Oh, my God! My children.” Sadly, Alice’s daughter, five year old Evelyn May, and Alice and Frederick’s two children, four year old Frederick Thomas and two year old Dorothy Maud, were burnt to death, their little bodies burned beyond recognition. Three more sons were born to Alice and Frederick. Frederick Thomas Day enlisted for war service in 1916, as Thomas Day. He was then nearly 38 years old. Alice moved to 7 Argyle Street, Wellington, before she died at the Wellington Hospital in 1918.

Private Albert Edward Robinson embarked with the Otago Infantry Regiment of the 27th Reinforcements per the “Tahiti’ on 13 June 1917. He had been appointed cook on 12 June. Disembarking at Devonport, he marched into Sling on 16 August 1917. On 8 December 1917 he was classified Unfit, on account of deafness, and placed on the New Zealand Roll at London.

While at Sling in 1918, Albert Robinson incurred a few penalties for misdemeanours. He was confined to barracks for seven days and forfeited seven days full pay for being improperly dressed (riding breeches) on 7 July, and for giving a false number and name, and breaking custody, on 9 July. He was again confined to barracks for absence from 4th till 6th August, this time for 14 days, and the forfeiture of two days full pay. He lost five days gross pay on 3 November for absence without leave extending over nearly five days. On 10 December 1918 he was appointed cook at Larkhill. Back at Sling he was again appointed cook on 25 January 1919. Relinquishing that appointment at Larkhill on 18 February, he was reappointed the same day. It was 21 July 1919 when he finally relinquished the appointment as cook.

On 12 September 1919 he embarked at Plymouth for the return to New Zealand. Private A. E. Robinson arrived back in New Zealand by the “Remuera” on 28 October 1919. He had initially intended to go to Gapes Valley, Geraldine, Canterbury, then to 7 Argyle Street, Wellington, and finally to No. 8, Belfast, Christchurch. He was discharged on 28 November 1919, on the termination of his period of engagement.

Private Albert Edward Robinson, 49461, died after a long illness on 21 June 1921 at the Military Hospital (Sanatorium), Cashmere, Christchurch, aged 40 years. A soldier at death, he was buried in the servicemen’s section of Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch. His mother, Mrs William Dass, was living in Latter Street, Dunedin, when he died. His British War Medal was sent to his mother at Latter Street, Timaru, in 1922. On 21 December 1923 he was deemed eligible for the plaque and scroll.

Albert’s step-father – Mr Wm Dass, Gapes Valley, Geraldine - was to be advised of any notifications, especially after his sister’s death. His legal next-of-kin was his mother – Mrs A. J. Dass, Latter Street, Timaru, and later of 34 Harper Street, Timaru. In December 1918, William Dass, farmer, Gapes Valley, Geraldine, had written to the Quartermaster General, NZ Military Forces, Wellington, thus – “Re Sergeant C. E. H. Dass No. 1068 [10168] and Private Albert Robinson No. 49461, I beg to advise you that their allotments have been made payable to Mrs F. Day, who died in Wellington Hospital on Saturday, 30th November, who has been banking their money since they sailed from New Zealand, and as I am the father and step father respectively, I wish that no further payments be made to any of deceased family, whose father Mr T. Day is away also in France, so to protect the three soldiers, I trust that no money will be paid out until they return home. As I am the father of C. E. H. Dass and step father of a. Robinson, I should think that I am next of kin, and that is why I take the liberty to write to you, whom I trust will understand the position. Private T. Day went away with the 22nd Reinforcements but I don’t know his number, but as his wife is now deceased you will know how to treat the payments of the allotments.”

Ernest Dass (birth registered as Ernest Robinson), who died of wounds in 1917 in France, was a half-brother to Albert Edward Robinson. Another half-brother also served in World War One – James Eric Ward Dass (known as Eric). Clarence Everett Harold Dass (known as Harold), who was born Clarence Everett Robinson to Alice Robinson and raised by William and Ann Jane Dass, also served in World War One.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [17 February 2021]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ ref. AABK 18805 W5550 0098842) [21 February 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [17 February 2021]; School Admission records (Canterbury Branch NZSG) [18 February 2021]; Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch burial record (Christchurch City Council) [18 February 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [19, 20 & 21 February 2021]; Star, 23 January 1882, 7 May 1884, 17 June 1887, 12 July 1901, 17 December 1918, Lyttelton Times, 24 January 1882, 1 October 1886, 17 December 1918, Press, 7 May 1884, 27 April 1895, 17 December 1918, 23 June 1921 (Papers Past) [20 & 22 February 2021]; Assisted emigration to Canterbury, New Zealand, by “Countess of Kintore”, arrived 26 April 1876 (Family Search) [20/02/2021]; 1871 England census return (ancestry.com.au) [20 February 2021]; Extracts from personnel file of Thomas Day, 34645 (Archives NZ) [21 February 2021]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

TS