Name
Raymond Cecil Robinson
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/10/1918
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Garrison Artillery
270th Siege Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VADENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY, MAISSEMY
II. C. 27.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
He was the third son of Mr and Mrs William Robinson of Benslow Lane, Hitchin. He had been a member of the office staff of Messrs P.R Barker & Son., timber merchants and joiners, of Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Raymond joined the army in 1915 and was in the 270th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. He was promoted quickly through the ranks and went to France in April 1918.
The Battery was equipped with 6" howitzers and for the Battle of the Selle formed part of the 98th Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery of 9 Corps in the 4th Army. The battle commenced on the 17th October 1918 which was wet and misty. A tremendous barrage was let loose with great belts of fire leap-frogging forward to assist the infantry attacks.
Nine Corps started roughly halfway between Peronne and Bohain in the area where Ray was to be buried a few days later. By the evening of the 19th October, 9 Corps had reached the line of the Sambre Canal with the German defence in a state of near collapse. He was almost certainly killed in one of the constant duels between the British and German Artillery units.
He is buried in Plot 2 Row C Grave 27 in the Vadencourt Military Cemetery, Maissemy in France.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
