The Search for J Robinson

Memorial Listing and Regimental Records

J Robinson is listed on the chapel memorial as Lieutenant J Robinson of the West Yorkshire Regiment. However, according to the regimental archivist of The Royal Yorkshire Regiment—which absorbed the West Yorkshire Regiment in 2006—there is no record of any officer named J Robinson who was killed in action during the First World War. This discrepancy prompts questions regarding Robinson's actual service details.

Possible Explanations and Expanded Search Parameters

Given this lack of evidence, it must be considered that Robinson may have served as an officer in another regiment or perhaps as a soldier, rather than an officer, in the West Yorkshire Regiment, or any other regiment for that matter. This significantly broadened the range of possible individuals to investigate.

College Archives and Documentary Evidence

The college archives prior to 1920 are incomplete, yielding only a single individual named J Robinson—identified as most likely John Robinson (Hanover 1910-15)—along with a reference to his membership in the Senior Debating Society in 1913. It remains unclear whether 'John' was his sole Christian name, as not all pupils are listed with full initials in the records, and in some cases, initials are recorded in reverse order.

College Magazine “Roll of Honour” Mentions

The Easter Term 1916 edition of the college magazine, in the “Roll of Honour” section, is the first to mention J Robinson, without specifying rank or regiment. His name continues to appear in the Summer and Christmas editions of the same year, again without further detail. Robinson is first listed as a casualty in the Christmas Term 1917 edition, which does include his rank and regiment. It is unknown whether he appeared as a casualty in earlier 1917 editions, as those copies have not survived.

Establishing Likely Dates and Age

Based on the available evidence, Robinson likely left school in 1915 and was killed by the end of 1917. Allowing for a period of military training, his death presumably occurred in 1916 or 1917. This would place him in his early twenties at the time of his death, further refining the search parameters.

Casualty Records Analysis

During the entirety of the First World War, 257 casualties were recorded with the surname 'Robinson' and a first or sole initial 'J'. Limiting the search to 1916 and 1917 reduces this number to 76. Further excluding those who do not match the likely age profile or who were Dominion nationals narrows the field to 25 potential candidates.

Conclusion

Despite considerable research, it has not been possible to positively identify J Robinson. The lack of surviving records and the commonality of the name have hampered efforts to narrow the list of candidates further. As a result, the true identity of J Robinson remains unresolved and may never be conclusively determined.

Robinson would have qualified for the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Any information that would assist in the identification of John Robinson would be welcome. E-mail propatria@wrekincollege.com

Revised: Jan 2026