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Archives provinciales du Nouveau-Brunswick

Les soldats de la Grande Guerre : Projet de biographies historiques sur les soldats de Fredericton

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Robinson, John Alexander

Private 444251
71st Regiment
55th, 14th, and 23rd Battalions

Background

John Alexander Robinson was born December 29, 1894 in Marysville, New Brunswick to John G. Robinson Sr. and Celia Fisher. Records suggest that he grew up in the Marysville area with six siblings named Roy, Ronald, Moreland, Mary, Helen, and Florence, although the family would later move to 225 Brunswick Street. While few details explain the professions of his parents, John worked as a common labourer and mill hand in the Marysville area as soon as he was of age, later gaining military experience with the 71st Regiment stationed in Fredericton. A few years before the war, John met a young woman from the Nashwaak area on the north side of Fredericton and together they married one another November 22, 1913. Similar to John, Beatrice Dunbar was Methodist and young at the time of their wedding. As well, records indicate that Beatrice was likely pregnant at the time. While their marriage certificate suggests that they were approximately twenty years old, newspapers reveal that John and Beatrice were only about sixteen. Given that Beatrice would give birth to their only son, Edward Morley Robinson, February 26th, 1914, she would have been approximately six months pregnant at the time of their wedding. At the time of his formal enlistment May 17, 1915 in Sussex, New Brunswick, Private Robinson stood five feet four inches tall, weighed 127 pounds, and had light brown hair, blue eyes, and a medium complexion. According to his service record, John was approximately eighteen years old with just under a year of military training with the local militia. Along with other Fredericton boys from the area, Private Robinson joined the 55th Battalion at Camp Sussex and left for Quebec for additional training before going overseas. It is unclear if he would see Beatrice and Edward again prior to leaving for England in the spring of 1915.

Wartime Experience

On June 19, 1915 Private Robinson embarked from Levis, Quebec aboard the S.S. Corsican for England, landing at Shorncliffe ten days later. Upon arrival John immediately transferred to the 12th Battalion before joining the 14th in a draft heading for France August 28, 1915. Over the fall and winter of 1915-1916, John sustained a series of injuries and illnesses that caused him to be in and out of hospital until he contracted German Measles in June of 1916, resulting in him being sent to England where he was put in isolation. Newspapers would also indicate that he would be badly gassed in attacks near Sanctuary Wood around this same time period, although his records do not indicate him ever being injured as a result of gas. Although his service record does not detail his movements over the course of 1917, Private Robinson’s series of illnesses, such as trench fever, migraines, and general fatigue, as well as various injuries, appears to have limited him to England for much of this time until arriving in France with the 23rd Battalion in 1918. By July, 1918, John was formally discharged from service as a result of continued medical complications and stayed in hospitals in England until the signing of the Armistice in November of that same year. In December, he left England to return home to Fredericton, arriving January 23, 1919. Although John hadn’t seen both Beatrice and Edward for over four years, time and distance must have taken its toll on their relationship. Records indicate that Beatrice had re-married a gentleman named Hilbert Anderson, also a soldier from the area, and John quickly moved out west where he found work as a surveyor in British Columbia and Alaska. In September of 1920, John began having heart trouble as result of injuries sustained during the war. He admitted himself for treatment at Shaughnessey Hospital in Vancouver over a period of approximately six months; however, on January 26, 1921, John passed away from heart failure without any family around him. The Daily Gleaner would report his death January 27, 1921, indicating that his remains would be brought home to Marysville. John was twenty-four years old.

Lest We Forget

Private John Alexander Robinson is buried in the Marysville Methodist Cemetery, located in Marysville, New Brunswick. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, John is the only burial from the First World War in this cemetery.

*This biography was researched and written by Emma McCray 8A, Evan Sterling 8C, and Grace Stewart 8E, Grade 8 students at George Street Middle School located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

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