Edward Robins

Died : 28 February 1917

From cavalry to infantry was the change Private 23398 Edward Robins made when he transferred out of the 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars. He swapped a sword for a rifle and received the new number 35515 when he joined ‘D’ Company of the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (O.B.L.I). Despite originally enlisting in November 1915 he did not go to France until well into 1916. As such he earned the British War & Victory Medals only.
Edward was born on 21st January 1891 at Warbleton, Sussex. He is shown as one of eight children of James and Fanny Robins by the time of the 1901 Census, in which his father is described as a 'carter' at Lodge Farm, Ringmer. The family lived on the farm, which was and still is, located on Half-Mile Drove. Edward was educated at Ringmer School from 9th January 1899 until 2nd May 1902 and again from 1st April 1903 until he was finally exempted by age on 1st February 1904. It is likely the interim period was spent back in Warbleton where James Robins (snr.) was to ultimately farm at Liberty Island in that parish. Edward's siblings are named as: James (jnr.), Robert, Ellen, George, Lily, Horace and Elsie. They were born at regular intervals between 1882 and 1900. We know that both Robert and Horace also served in the Great War, and that they luckily survived the conflict. A close cousin, George Robins from Warbleton, was however, not so fortunate. He was in the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment and killed on 27th March 1918 whilst serving with the 73rd Brigade Light Trench Mortar Battery.
On the night of 27th February 1917, the 2nd O.B.L.I. relieved the 2nd Highland Light Infantry from their front line duties near Warlencourt Village on the Somme. The change over was not completed until 3am on 28th, owing to an excessively dark night. ‘D’ Company was in support in Grundy Trench just behind the front line. The dawn was misty. Our front and support line trenches were shelled by the enemy. And then they were shelled again, this time by our own artillery; the result of a ghastly error. This bombardment was in a forlorn attempt to cut the wire in front of nearby German lines. It seems possible Edward may have died as a result of one of those tragic accidents which invariably happen in the confusion of war.

There is no known grave to visit for Edward Robins and instead he is commemorated on the largest and most impressive of all the memorials. It was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens and is situated at Thiepval on the site of an old chateau. On its panels of stone are inscribed the names of 73,412 men who died in this region in 1916-17 and have no known grave. The village of Thiepval was totally destroyed in the fighting during the Battles of the Somme and uniquely of all such villages, was never rebuilt.

Adapted from Valiant Hearts of Ringmer by Geoff Bridger: Ammonite Press, 1993