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.