Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Robinson, a railway goods guard, born in the January quarter of 1846 in Glen Parva, Leicestershire (son of Benjamin Robinson, 1818 – 1899 and Elizabeth Freer, 1814-1895) and his wife Sarah Robinson (nee Goode, married on the 18th June 1872 in All Saint’s Church, Peatling Magna, Leicestershire), born in the April quarter of 1849 in Peatling Magna and baptised on the 19th September 1849 in All Saint’s Church, Peatling Magna (daughter of William Goode, 1824 and Jane Willey, 1820). Shirley was born in the April quarter of 1891 in South Wigston, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Ellen, a draper’s assistant, born in the July quarter of 1874 in Normanton, Yorkshire, Kate, a boot trade fitter, born in the July quarter of 1881 and Ernest Goode, a shoe office boy, born on the 15th March 1888, the latter two siblings were both born in South Wigston, in March 1901 the family home was at 63, Glen Gate, Wigston Magna, Leicestershire. In April 1911 Shirley was employed as an elastic web trade warehouseman and was residing in the family home at 63, Glen Gate, Wigston Magna, together with his father, a railway goods guard, his mother and brother, Ernest, and elastic web trade clerk. Shirley’s father died on the 21st May 1912 in Leicester General Hospital, aged 66. Shirley also had the following older siblings, William, born in the April quarter of 1873 in Altofts, Yorkshire, Caroline, born in the January quarter of 1880 in South Wigston, and who died in the January quarter of 1880 in South Wigston, Edith, born in the January quarter of 1883 in South Wigston and who died in the January quarter of 1883 in South Wigston and Mabel Emily, born in the October quarter of 1884 in South Wigston and who died in the October quarter of 1889 in South Wigston, aged 5. The family latterly resided at “Ferndene,” Albion Street, South Wigston.
Shirley’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To the Army Ordnance Corps. Private. Date not known.
Allotted. Service number. 011011.
First entered the theatre of war in France on the 3rd November 1915.
Transferred. To 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. Private. Allotted service number 32660. Date not known.
Killed in action. 12th May 1917.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Shirley had nominated his mother, Sarah, as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 12 May-17 - BULLECOURT. The Battalion attacked the village of BULLECOURT. The following officer casualties occurred: - Killed in action, Lt. A. J. BELL, 2nd Lt. A. T. PENKETH. Wounded, Lt. (Acting Captain) H. A. CUNDALL, Lt. E. THOMPSTONE, 2nd Lt. G. H. H. BOX, 2nd Lt. T. S. HEWETSON, 2nd Lt. E. G. TEASDALE, 2nd Lt. G. W. BROWN. Casualties in other ranks were: - Killed 21. Wounded 61. Missing 26.
APPENDIX “B” OPERATIONS AGAINST BULLECOURT – MAY 12th - 15th 1917
[1] The Battalion was drawn up on the tape in accordance with the attached operational orders by 3.00am on the 12th May. The enemy kept up a steady bombardment during the forming up and caused some casualties.
[2] The advance commenced at 3.40am. The enemy immediately opened a very heavy barrage on the south east of the village and numerous machine guns and snipers opened fire from the RED PATCH. As a result, the attack on the left of the main road suffered heavy casualties, made but little progress and became very disorganised. On the right of the road the attack obtained a certain amount of cover and in spite of considerable casualties pushed on steadily through the village, in some places even passing the final objective and by 7.00am positions were firmly established on the north and north west of the village and touch was gained with the 2nd QUEENS ROYAL WEST SURREY REGT on the right. The position at this point is shown on map “A” attached.
[3] By this time I was convinced that the RED PATCH was very strongly held and would require a fresh attack in strength to reduce it. I therefore asked for reinforcements and in the meantime collected 2 officers and 50 men from my reserve Company. With these I decided to launch an attack along both sides of the road with the object of strengthening my position near the CRUCIFIX and if possible, cutting off the retreat of the RED PATCH garrison by joining hands with the 62nd Division who were reported to have made progress near the CRUCIFIX. This attack was launched at 2.00am but was met with very heavy machine gun fire from the RED PATCH. One officer was killed and as half of the party became casualties the remaining officer dug in under heavy fire in the centre of the village.
[4] At 12.00 noon three Companies of the 22nd MANCHESTER REGT were placed under my orders for the purpose of attacking the RED PATCH. By this time the enemy’s barrage and machine gun fire had become so fierce that it was impossible to deploy troops for an attack. I therefore put these Companies under such cover as was available and decided to attack again under cover of night.
[5] At 6.00pm the Brigadier held a conference at Battalion HQ. As a consequence, I was allotted one Company of the 22nd MANCHESTER REGT to strengthen my position and it was decided that the further operations against the RED PATCH were to be undertaken under Brigade arrangements.
[7] During the night of the 12th/13th May I used this Company of the 22nd MANCHESTER REGT to form three posts (marked blue on the map).
[8] During the night of the 12th/13th May my forward posts near the CRUCIFIX were the object of several heavy bombing attacks by the enemy. These were successfully driven off by the garrison splendidly led by 2nd Lt. T. N. WOOF.
[9] During the 13th May very heavy enemy barrages were kept up on the neighbourhood of Battalion HQ making communications very difficult.
[10] At 7.00pm on the 13th May I was ordered by Brigade HQ to carry out an attack against the enemy strong point at 27.b.8.2. with one Company of the 21st MANCHESTER REGT who were placed at my disposal for this purpose. The Company although greatly fatigued by a long march made a most gallant attack but the enemy put down a very heavy barrage and the strong point offered a very determined resistance, meeting the attack with showers of bombs. The attack was driven back to the starting point. During the night of the 13th/14th an attempt was made to relieve the Battalion by the HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY. The latter however were held up by a heavy barrage and arrived so late that it was impossible to carry out the relief on this night, and it was consequently postponed.
[11] During the 14th May the enemy again shelled very heavily particularly the south east corner of the village. Otherwise, the day passed quietly.
[12] The Battalion was relieved by the HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY on the night of the 14th/15th May under considerable shell fire. The relief was successfully completed by 3.00am on the 15th May with comparatively few casualties.
[13] As a result of these operations.
[a] The whole of the village except the RED PATCH was cleared.
[b] Very heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy by the posts at the north and north west of the village. These posts were commanded by 2nd Lt. T. N. WOOF and 2nd Lt. R. H. LIVINGSTONE, and Company Sergeant Major A. FLOWERS and in spite of inferiority in numbers and position, maintained a most aggressive attitude towards the enemy. Lewis guns, Bombers and Snipers were used continuously with excellent effect, the lines at several points only being from 60 to 40 yards apart, the enemy snipers took a somewhat heavy toll of our men in these posts, but on the whole, we maintained an undoubted superiority.
[c] Our casualties 10th – 15th May were: -
Officers, killed 2. Wounded 7.
Other ranks, killed 37. Wounded 107. Missing 27.
13/5/17 BULLECOURT. Operations continued. Casualties’ 2nd Lt. R. H. LIVINGSTONE wounded. Other ranks. Killed 9. Wounded 16. Missing 3.
14/5/17 BULLECOURT. The Battalion was relieved by the HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY on the night of the 14th/15th May under considerable shell fire. The relief was successfully completed by 3.00am on the 15th May. Casualties: - other ranks, killed 6. Wounded 15.