ROBINS Charles Richard

Charles Robins was born in 1883 and was living with his parents at 55 High Street, Wollaston, in 1901. He attended Wollaston Church of England School from 1892 to 1898 and left to become an iron pipe moulder. He emigrated to Canada some time before 1914 and was among the early volunteers to serve in the Great War. He joined the 10th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment) and was probably in the original Expeditionary Force. He was certainly present at Second Ypres in their first main action in April 1915. They faced the full force of the German attack on the north of the Ypres salient and casualties were heavy. They included Private Charles Robins who was killed in action.

Charles Richard Robins enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 23rd September 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec, Canada. On his attestation paper he gave his date of birth as 22nd December 1887 in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, his occupation as an anvil maker and his next of kin as Mrs Joseph Robins, 13 F***stand St, Wollaston, Stourbridge, Worcestershire. Charles was 5 feet 4¼ inches tall with a medium complexion, brown eyes and light brown hair.

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8319 – 5

The Canadian Graves Registry records the following information on Private Charles Robins:
For official purposes presumed dead.

The birth of Charles Richard Robbins is registered in the March Quarter 1884 under the Dudley Registration District. This would be consistent with Charles being born in late December 1883 and would suggest that the date on Charles’ attestation paper is either a clerical error or the date Charles chose to use. On all census records from 1891 to 1911 the family surname is spelt as Robins.

1901 Census:
55 High St, Wollaston, Stourbridge
Joseph Robins, head, age 54
Charlotte Robins, wife, age 54
Arthur S. Robins, son, age 28
Joseph W. Robins, son, age 25
Sarah A. Robins, daughter, age 21
Charles R. Robins, son, age 17
Harry F. Robins, son, age 14

Charles Robins has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial.