William Balmer Robinson

Born 1885 - Died 23 Oct 1915

Service number: WWI 3/624 AWMM
Also known as: Bill AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Private AWMM New Zealand Medical Corps AWMM
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

William Balmer Robinson — Postcard, photograph postcard in Neil McDougall's memorabilia . The text penciled on the back : This photo contains some of the survivors and missing of the torpedoed transport Marquette. Hospital staff receiving N.Z. gifts from left , Captain Quartermaster Isaacs, Captain Frazer Hurst in front with fly whisk, C.V. Rhodes on top, W.B. Robinson on left of cask marked (W.B.), R. Benjamin (pointing) and Sergeant A.H. Remmett at right of matron and sister. - No known copyright restrictions No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

William Robinson was the son of James and Eleanor Robinson, of Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand, and the brother of Frank (Francis); Madge (Margaret), Eileen and Mona

He was educated in Auckland and qualified as pharmacist. He volunteered early for war and because of his medical training was assigned to No 1 Stationary Hospital.

He was among the twenty-nine crew and 182 troops lost on the torpedoed Marquette 23 October 1915.

His brother, Francis Logan Robinson (70414), also served in World War 1

Ship name "Marama" from The Evening Post, May 23, 1915 listing the nurses and officers on the passenger list. Embarked from NZ on the Marama then transferred to the Moldavia for Suez. The Marquette was a British Merchant ship of 7,057 tons. It sank when a torpedo launched from a submarine hit it 36 miles south of Salonika Bay. Twenty nine crew and 182 troops were lost. Ten of those who died were New Zealand nurses who had been working at No.1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital in Port Said in October 1915 when they were ordered to prepare to go to Lemnos. The hospital was to be set up there to care for casualties being brought back from the Dardanelles. The Marquette took on board officers and men of the New Zealand Medical Corps, 36 New Zealand Army Nursing Staff, 610 officers and men of 29th Divisional Ammunition Column , 541 mules and some ammunition in mid October sailed for Salonika. The French torpedo destroyer Tirailleur joined the convoy on 22 October which gave credence to the idea that there was a real danger of being attacked by German submarines in the Mediterranean. The torpedo destroyer left the convoy on 22 October and at 9.15 am on 23 October the Marquette was hit by a torpedo on the starboard side and began to list. Within about 15 minutes she had sunk.

Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps Museum, Burnham Camp, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Annotated research notes about the sinking of the Marquette on W.B. Robinson file.

Next of Kin: Mr J. Robinson, Park Ave, Auckland (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 2)) AWMM

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William Balmer Robinson