HAROLD ROWLAND ROBINSON

Born: 5th February 1878, Kirton, Suffolk.

Died: 17th November 1919, age: 42; at Ipswich. Served 27 years loyal service.

Enlistment Location: Chatham; Occupation: Milk Boy; Date: 10th February 1893 – signed up for 12 years. Height: 5ft 2 1/2ins, fresh complexion, grey/blue eyes & brown hair. Two moles on left arm.

Service:

Impregnable – Boy 2^nd Class – 10^th February 1893 – 15^th February 1893

Ganges – Boy 2^nd Class – 6^th February 1893

Ganges – Boy 1^st Class – 15^th February 1894 – 9^th March 1894

Impregnable – Boy 1^st Class – 10^th March 1894 – 18^th March 1894

Boscawen – Boy 1^st Class – 19^th March 1894 – 20^th September 1894

Pembroke – Boy 1^st Class – 21^st September 1894 – 2^nd May 1895

Mersey – Boy 1^st Class – 3^rd May 1895 – 28^th August 1895

Pembroke I – Boy 1^st Class – 29^th August 1895 – 30^th September 1895

Rodney – Boy 1^st Class – 1^st October 1895

Rodney – Ordinary Seaman – 5^th February 1896

Rodney – Able Seaman – 9^th December 1896 – 21^st September 1897

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 22^nd September 1897 – 2^nd February 1898

Wildfire I – Able Seaman – 3^rd February 1898 – 27^th August 1898

Vernon – Able Seaman – 28^th August 1898 – 20^th May 1899

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 21^st May 1899 – 30^th June 1899

Diadem – Able Seaman – 1^st July 1899

Diadem – Leading Seaman – 1^st October 1899

Diadem – Petty Officer 2^nd Class – 21^st June 1900 – 11^th January 1901

Pembroke – Petty Officer 2^nd Class – 12^th January 1901 – 21^st January 1901

Vernon – Petty Officer 2^nd Class – 22^nd January 1901

Vernon – Petty Officer 1st Class – 7^th January 1902 – 18^th January 1902

Pembroke – Petty Officer 1st Class – 19^th January 1902 – 20^th March 1902

Amphitrite – Petty Officer 1st Class – 21^st March 1902 – 11^th August 1905

Vernon – Petty Officer 1st Class – 12^th August 1905 – 3^rd March 1906

Pembroke I – Petty Officer 1st Class – 4^th March 1906 – 19^th April 1906

Pembroke II – Petty Officer 1st Class – 20^th April 1906 – 27^th May 1906

Sapphire II – Petty Officer 1st Class – 28^th May 1906 – 29^th October 1906

Leander – Petty Officer 1st Class – 30^th October 1906 – 26^th June 1907

Blake – Petty Officer 1st Class – 27^th June 1907 – 7^th October 1907

Blenheim – Petty Officer 1st Class – 8^th October 1907 – 4^th November 1907

Blake II – Petty Officer 1st Class – 5^th November 1907 – 18^th January 1909

Blenheim – Petty Officer 1st Class – 19^th January 1909 – 17^th September 1909

Pembroke – Petty Officer 1st Class – 18^th September 1909 – 1^st October 1909

Vernon – Petty Officer 1st Class – 2^nd October 1909 – 10^th December 1909

Pembroke I – Petty Officer 1st Class – 11^th December 1909 – 18^th February 1910

Actaeon – Petty Officer 1st Class – 19^th February 1910 – 28^th February 1910

Trafalgar – Petty Officer 1st Class – 1^st March 1910 – 5^th September 1910

Glory – Petty Officer 1^st Class – 6^th September 1910 – 3^rd January 1911

Pembroke I – Petty Officer 1st Class – 4^th January 1911 – 14^th January 1911

Orontes – Petty Officer 1^st Class – 15^th January 1911

Orontes – Petty Officer – 16^th August 1911 – 30^th June 1912

Egmont – Petty Officer – 1^st July 1912

Egmont – acting Chief Petty Officer – 1^st October 1912 – 31^st May 1913

Pembroke – acting Chief Petty Officer – 1^st June 1913 – 15^th August 1913

Vernon – acting Chief Petty Officer – 16^th August 1913

Vernon – Chief Petty Officer – 1^st October 1913 – 21^st November 1913

Pembroke – Chief Petty Officer – 22^nd November 1913 – 20^th May 1914

Goliath – Chief Petty Officer – 21^st May 1914 – 28^th July 1914

Magnificent – Chief Petty Officer – 29^th July 1914 – 1^st February 1915

Royal Artillery – Chief Petty Officer – 2^nd February 1915 – 20^th March 1918

Pembroke II – Chief Petty Officer – 21^st March 1918 – 16^th April 1918

Pactolus – Chief Petty Officer – 17^th April 1918 – 30^th June 1918

Gunner – Chief Petty Officer – 1^st July 1918 – 19^th November 1918

Ganges – Chief Petty Officer – 20^th November 1918 – 31^st March 1918

Ganges – Chief Petty Officer – 1^st April 1919 – 31^st May 1919 – Demobilised.

Rank: Chief Petty Officer; Service Number: 171760

Regiment: Royal Navy.

Demobilised – Granges – 31st May 1919.

Grave Reference:

Waldringfield Baptist Chapel,

Newbourne Road,

Waldringfield,

Suffolk.

CENSUS

1881   Splash Farm, Kirton, Suffolk.

Harold was 3 years old and living with his parents, siblings & cousin.

Samuel Robinson, 34, a Farm Baliff, born Martlesham, Suffolk.

Emma Robinson (nee Brown), 27, born Bucklesham, Suffolk.

Griselda Elizabeth Robinson, 6, born Ipswich.

Octaria Katie Robinson, 5, born Kirton.

James Neal Robinson, 1, born Kirton.

Gertrude Emma Brown, 2 months, born Ipswich.

1901   Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire.

Harold was 24 years old, a Petty Officer 2nd Class, on board ‘Vernon’ a First Class Torpedo School. Commanding Officer – Charles Grey Robinson.

1911   No. 2. Dock, Malta Dockyard, Mediterranean.

Harold was 33 years old, a Petty Officer on board ‘Ardent’ a Torpedo Boat Destroyer. Commanding Officer – Berwick Curtis.

Harold’s father, Samuel Robinson, Sub-Postmaster died November 1915, Martlesham, Suffolk.

Harold was a Freemason at the United Service Lodge, Hong Kong. He was 25 years old, ranked a Chief Petty Officer on his initiation date – 8^th October 1902.

In 1916, Suffolk, Harold married Mabel Drucilla Wicks, born September 1886, Hemley, Suffolk.

They had 1 son:

Harold Lewis Robinson, born May 1918, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

During the Second World War Harold, a Private, 5828093, of the Suffolk Regiment, 4^th Battalion, 54^th Brigade HQ, was a Japanese prisoner of war. Captured 15^th February 1942, at Malaya – he was sent to Nagoya Camp, Japan. Harold was a metal tester, of 22, All Saint’s Road, Ipswich.