Photo: Dorothy Hall
Duhallow Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Duhallow Cemetery: Pauline Priano
In St. Saviour's churchyard is a family headstone reads:
In loving memory of
Thomas Hall
Of Haswell Moor
Who died Feb. 28th 1922
Aged 71 years
Also Margaret Ann Hall
Sister of the above
Who died May 24th 1943
Aged 82 years
also of
L/Bomb. Thomas Robson
the dearly beloved son of
Thomas and J. Ann Robson
of Co-op Terrace, Shotton Colliery
who was killed March 29th 1918
aged 23 years
Interred at Duhallow Cemetery Ypres
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Robson was the eldest of 3 sons, the offspring of Thomas Robson Snr born 1868 at Sherburn Hill and Jane Ann Cummings born 1870 native of Sherburn House both in County Durham. The couple were married at Shadforth, in the district of Durham, January 20th 1895. Thomas was born at Sherburn Hill in 1895, Jonathan Hall in 1903 and Mary Jane 1904, both at Shotton Colliery, County Durham.
In 1901 they were living at 2, Front Street, Sherburn Hill, Thomas Snr was employed as a grocer’s assistant.
By 1911 they had moved into 5 rooms at Coop Terrace, Shotten Colliery, where Thomas Snr was manager at the Cooperative Store, Thomas Jnr (16) also worked there as a grocer’s assistant.
After the declaration of war in 1914 Thomas Robson enlisted, November 3rd 1915, at West Hartlepool, five days later he was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery Depot and Training School, at Plymouth, assigned as Gunner 6098 to the 2nd/3rd Coy. He transferred to 1st/1st Coy at Derby, April 29th 1916, and posted to the Anti Aircraft section at Darlington, May 3rd 1916. He joined the 23rd A.A. Coy, (attached to the 23rd Division), July 27th 1916 and on the to A.A. Training Depot, December 15th 1916 where he remained for 2 months. He was posted to the Siege Battery Artillery at Stowlangtoft, Suffolk, February 16th 1917 where he trained with the 313th and 350th Siege Battery until April 17th 1917.
Gunner Robson departed for the front, May 12th 1917, via Southampton disembarking at Le Havre, joining the 350th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery in the field as Gunner 132566. Gunner Robson was appointed Acting Bombardier in the field, September 22nd 1917 and later paid Lance Bombardier but reverted to Gunner at his own request, October 16th 1917, before being promoted again to Lance Bombardier, November 5th 1917.
The 350th Siege Battery was in Belgium where it participated during the Battle of Passchendaele, July 31st-November 10th 1917, remaining on the Ypres salient during the winter of 1917 and spring 1918.
Lance Bombardier 132566 Thomas Robson died of wound sustained in action, March 29th 1918, and was transported by No.1 Field Ambulance for burial within Duhallow A.D.S. Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. He is at rest grave IV. D. 31 and was 23 years of age and single.
Having nominated his mother Jane Ann as sole beneficiary she received all monies due to him from the Army, his personal items, July 3rd 1918, consisting of ; disc, photos, pipe, pocket book, Religious book, cig, case, 2 razors, leather wallet, canvas wallet, 2 diaries, small diary, brooch with photo, medal ribbon, 3 metal watches, 2 metal chains, 9 carat gold ring, metal locket, tobacco pouch, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, November 17th 1921, and a pension, amount unspecified, from the time of allocation until last entry January 28th 1931.
His father Thomas Robson Snr of 1, Cooperative Terrace, Shotton Colliery, County Durham, commissioned at a cost of approximately 15 shillings 4 pence (53), an additional inscription to be added to his son’s military headstone, it reads, “Greater Love Hath No Man Than To Lay Down HIs Life For His Friends.”
Thomas's mother Jane Ann Robson nee Cummings may have died during the 4th Quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1930 aged 61 years, district of Easington, County Durham. Thomas Robson died aged 73 years in 1941, registered at Durham Eastern.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Robson is remembered at Shotton Colliery on S125.01 and S125.02
