Sherwood Foresters to Labour Corps

[Jan O'Brien]

My grandfather's was 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters  regiment number 20894. At some point he was transfered to Labour corps regiment number 511783. William Robinson. 

Can anyone give me any help regarding when or why he was transfered.

I have his Medal Card, medal roll card entries, reading the war diary.

Would be most grateful of any help or advice I am visiting Ypres in March and would like to know how long he continued with the Sherwood Foresters.

[mark holden]

Jan,

 

In broad terms a transfer to the Labour Corps from the Infantry meant the soldier was no longer up to the rigours of front line combat. This could be due to age, sickness or wounds which left the man fit for the Labour Corps but not the Infantry. It is extremely difficult to find individual soldiers in Battalion War Diaries unless they won an award. Some Territorial  Battalions did mention individuals at the start of the war but as casualties mounted it became extremely difficult for Adjutants to keep up. Unless his service record survives the exact date of transfer may be lost to time.

 

regards

 

Mark

Edited 27 January , 2018 by mark holden

[Jan O'Brien]

Thank you.

[kenf48]

4 hours ago, Jan O'Brien said:

My grandfather's was 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters  regiment number 20894. At some point he was transfered to Labour corps regiment number 511783. William Robinson. 

Can anyone give me any help regarding when or why he was transfered.

I have his Medal Card, medal roll card entries, reading the war diary.

Would be most grateful of any help or advice I am visiting Ypres in March and would like to know how long he continued with the Sherwood Foresters.

 

As you are probably aware he volunteered and enlisted on the 21st December 1914, almost certainly in Derby.  He was posted to a home service unit for training and on the 18th August 1915 was posted to the BEF.  He would usually  have spent up to two weeks at the Infantry Base Depot in France before being posted to an active duty Battalion in the field, apparently the 2nd Battalion.

Most casualties, though by no means all, in the 208** Number series are in the 10th Battalion, they went to France in July.

 

His actual transfer to the Labour Corps occurred on or around the 24th January 1918.

 

However a great deal of caution needs to be applied in attempting to fill the gaps as to what happened to him between those dates.  

 

He could have been wounded and repatriated anytime between those dates, and could have been attached to a home service unit prior to the posting to the Labour Corps.  

 

A better indicator may be in the casualty record if you can find him.

 

Ken

[Jan O'Brien]

Thank you so much for this information Ken.  It's a relevation.   I haven't any of the information you have posted.I will try and be precise in my reply. Getting to the chase so to speak.

I am now concerned I may be researching the wrong William Robinson.

For 20 years I was  informed he was in the South staffs.  I  searched a lot!!! A photo was unearthed by a relative in his uniform. It was then confirmed to me it's was Sherwood Foresters. 

I then found rather a large number of William  Robinsons, Sherwood Foresters, I have spent a lot of time researching all of them and eliminating them, through, KIA, Hospital records, second names, everything I could think of. 

So... I came down to this William. But I have no positive proof he is mine. Except it all fits. But that is not good enough.

My William came from Bilston, Staffordshire, he was gassed, family chat, but no pension ever mentioned. He was not wounded, from family chat. 

I have given up on finding him and his War a hundred times.. But still I go on..

I am reading war diaries but perhaps wrong ones. 2nd Battalion.

Have done general searches on Ancestry, Find my Past, and many other online sites to many to mention. 

Thank you again for your input I am very grateful.

[kenf48]

I notice there have been a few folk searching for the Bilston Absent Voters List but it appears without success.

 

Some basic biographical information often helps.  When was he born? Was he married?  Is he the lorry driver b. 1899 living at 24 Bickley Street, wife Clara, son James?

 

Don't give up!

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

[Jan O'Brien]

Thank you Mark and Ken for your help and advice.

I am not giving up, having spent the morning reassessing all the info I have and your input I am on the case again.

The Medal Card Rolls confirm he was 2nd Battalion and then Labour corps. He was awarded medals under the Labour Corp 1919.

Have not found Attestation records or Casualty records. Have found very little except Medal Card and Medal Card Rolls.

Ken... Where and how did you find the information him enlisting and his posting. It's an amazing find for me.

I do have all his personal info, he was not the lorry driver born 1899. I can post it up if it helps.

Mark... I am only reading the war Diary for 2nd Battalion to find out  where they went so I can visit the places when I go Ypres in March. Just to get an idea of what his life was like. 

There is so much to learn and I could not have got this far without the knowledge, enthusiasm, and guidance from gentlemen like you.

[kenf48]

6 hours ago, Jan O'Brien said:

 

The Medal Card Rolls confirm he was 2nd Battalion and then Labour corps. He was awarded medals under the Labour Corp 1919.

Have not found Attestation records or Casualty records. Have found very little except Medal Card and Medal Card Rolls.

Ken... Where and how did you find the information him enlisting and his posting. It's an amazing find for me.

I do have all his personal info, he was not the lorry driver born 1899. I can post it up if it helps.

 

 

Medals were named to the first unit he served with and their issue administered by the Records Office for his final unit.  Unfortunately what happened in between especially with the Labour Corps Rolls was irrelevant for the issue of medals.  So we know from the 14-15 Star Roll the date he entered a theatre of war (1 = France) and we know he was posted to the 2nd Battalion.  This was a regular Battalion and went to France much earlier, so we know he was a reinforcement.

Near Number sampling for the Sherwood Foresters shows that in the surviving records there are numbers that bracket his and both enlisted Derby on the 21st October.  They were local men which mitigates a little against your man, but is by no means conclusive.

 

Near Number sampling of men close to him on the BWM and VM Rolls for the Labour Corps show they were transferred into the Labour Corps on the date given above.  However, they were not straightforward and included attachments before final posting hence the cautionary note.

 

I can’t find an Absent Voter List for Bilston, I suggest you contact the Staffordshire Record Office they have published a pdf but I can’t fathom it, your local knowledge might help

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/leisure/archives/services/publications/ERguideWebversionApr2010.pdf

If you can find him on an AVL this often gives unit and regimental number.

Similarly  his age might offer a clue to enlistment date, and any marriage/children’s birth certificates may give his unit.

 

Ken

[Jan O'Brien]

Thanks again Ken, your knowledge is encyclopedic...I also think the signing up at Derby  does not seem to tie in with a man from Bilston, Staffordshire. 

I thought about absent voters but  could find nothing on Staffordshire County  R.O  on line Archives relevant. I am going to phone them to see what they do have.

Have tried entering all William Robinsons personal details into Ancestry and Find my Past search engines without success. All I've ever had is his photo with Sherwood Foresters Cap Badge, and a lot of other William Robinsons that I have eliminated, by age, wounds, KIA, etc. 

He was also in Home Guard, at Coseley, Bilston, WW2 and wouldn't you know there Is no info regarding him.!!

 Only a group photo I've found...

William Robinson  

born 31/1/1889 Bilston  Staffordshire 

Marr  23/31/1913  ditto 

Died 9/9 /1952.    Ditto 

Child Beatrice Robinson 23/8/1913

No other children until 1920... 

Basically I have found nothing that confirms this William Robinson medal card to be my grandfather. Except dates fit. 

I am happy to know he was Sherwood  Foresters, so when I travel to Flanders anything regarding this regiment will be personal.

Thanks again 

 

 

 

 

[rob elliott]

Jan,

A couple of things,

Firstly being in Derby, or rather enlisting there and coming from Bilston is nothing unusual. There is a common connection between south Yorkshire, Nottingham & Derbyshire......Coalmines. There are dozens of Black Country men served in Notts & Derby and York & Lancs who had moved North before the war. The area around Bilston was badly hit workwise so many decided to go where the work was. 

 

So do you know your William's trade.

Second thing is, it won't be Staffs records office that has Bilston Absent Voters List it will be Wolverhampton records Office....if it still exists.

All records for Bilston were originally kept at Bilston library/museum until in its wisdom Wton council decided to move everything to their records office then promptly lost things.

However with the new records office up by Wolves football ground they may have everything that they have now catalogued. It may even be on line.

I also believe Wolverhampton Council did a dinner for returning soldiers but its probable they didn't include Bilston as the town was an independent Borough with its own Mayor.

 

However, you say he served in Coseley Home Guard. There is a possibility he could come under either Sedgley Staffs or Dudley Worcs as Coseley is in a bit of an odd place. Parts classed as Bilston and other bits as Sedgley so if this is where he was from look a bit further out.

The other place could be Church rolls although not many left I don't think in our area that could help.

Have you tried putting a letter in the Black Country Bugle [not being sure where you are based you may know this as a local history paper, has lots of WW1 features].

 

Rob

[rob elliott]

Jan,

I take it that is William on the Bilston Home Guard web site with the Coseley contingent in his WW1 uniform.

By his address he would be under the Bilston part of Coseley so Wton records may be able to help. But did Coseley's records go to Dudley with the boundary changes?

Rob

[Jan O'Brien]

Thank you Rob Elliot for your interest, I guess you are "local"! to me, Coseley, Bilston, Bradley, Sedgley area and know the problems with record offices Dudley , Wolverhampton, parish bounderies, County boundaries, It's difficult area when researching. Will reply in more detail, tomorrow as just picked up this post. 

Thanks again just when I think this search for grandad is to difficult or to tricky someone comes along and gives me some inspiration...I keep getting it in spade fulls on here after slogging  along,on my own for so long. 

 

[Jan O'Brien]

That is my grandfather William Robinson pictured on the Bilston Home Guard site. 

My grandfather lived Gozzard St Bilston.  Cross St ,Bradley after marriage in 1913. Later Coseley, Norton Crescent. He worked at Bilston Steelworks as a Puddler.

Home Guard service with Coseley unit, there appeared to be 2 units. Did a lot of research trying to find any history of William that would give details of his WW1  service. 

Nothing found at Dudley Archives. Your right, Coseleys Council records went to Dudley, visited there nothing on Home Guard... Wolverhampton have a very good site "Wolverhamptons War". No results  from online search, though I am thinking of a visit.

Searched Staffordshire Archives  on line, no results there.

It's all very frustrating....but what is great is getting help and advice. 

[rob elliott]

Jan,

 

Crikey, I wonder if your grandfather knew mine, he was from Free Street/Hare Street, a couple of hundred yards along Oxford Street.

My grandfather left Hare Street to work in Rotherham Main Colliery in about 1911 & joined the 10th York & Lancs there in 1914, being badly wounded in 1916 he lost his leg. Came back home with my nan, who was from Rotherham to live in Free Street.

He served with lots of lads from Tipton & Bilston.

My parents were married at St Mary's which sides onto Gozzard Street and were both buried from there.

 

One of the problems regarding the Absent Voters Lists are a lot of the Staff at the records offices don't actually know what they are. I did visit the Wton records years ago when it was above the Netto shop but I had to explain what it was & they said lots of records were mixed up.

Does the medal index card for William say when he was discharged. I was thinking, there are actually 1919 Absent Voters Lists too which although not containing many still has soldiers who served on after the ceasefire as the army wound down. Always thought it odd how fast they discharged the majority of the forces considering it was a ceasefire and not a surrender.

Being in the Labour Corps at the end they may have kept him working in clearing the battlefields so didn't get home until mid 1919.

 

There are a couple of things you can try a bit outside the box and they have worked ok for me.

On the basis that he was perhaps working away when he joined up he may have gone to the east Midlands with others from the Black Country & like my grandfather came home when wounded. I did a check on all the soldiers who had similar numbers either side of my grandfather and that's when I started coming across Black Country lads, firstly the ones killed as there is more detail. I then checked rarer names to find the families were still around, which turned out to be quite common over Tipton way.

I did a similar thing with my Irish grandfather and from that source found a large photo he was on and he can be seen very clearly. the print blows up that well that his face is in sharp focus when the size of a 10p [the photo is about 3 ft long]

I only ever subscribed to ancestry but one day tried Findmypast, as they have other odd records. Strangely I found my Bilston grandfather had joined the cavalry for 2 weeks in about 1900.

After being told his WW1 army service record had gone [still have the letter] a file was posted to my home & it was about 20 pages from his pension record.

Most interesting was a little card saying that he had been a member of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion South Staffs, the forerunner of the Territorials which as you may know was based in the Robin Bilston, where the Home Guard were. I went to London and got the South Staffs VB lists out and found his name, unfortunately no other details than his company, H if I recall right.

The VBs used to wear the red [Zulu] style jackets and there are two photos of them coming through Wton about 1900 and one at the Bratch Wombourne where they had summer camp so he should be on those but they are like pin head scale. I think most of the lads would join the Volunteers as you got free hols to the country [Wombourne??].

So was this William's South Staffs family lore?

 

I am wondering though if Ken has something, could William have joined the 10th Sherwood Forresters, been wounded lightly so he was out for a time but then been sent back to the regular 2nd Btn, before being wounded again or sickness put him in the LC.

You'd be surprised some of the wounds don't get a pension....one of grandfathers Officers shot through lung, lots of letters requesting pension & reviews but they said he was ok to work.

Interestingly there was a Sherwood Forrester who lived until 1994 who something similar happened with being moved between battalions, think he ended up in the 2nd. You weren't always sent back to your old unit.

 

Did William marry or have children while serving? My grandfather had a child that died, the records office in Wton were chasing him for the 5 shilling death cert, having wrote to his CO. The death cert has my grandfathers regimental number and battalion number on it.

My Irish grandfather has his name & army number on my first uncles birth certificate too. It was this detail that confirmed to me which one of 3 men he was.

 

Bilston newspapers will be at Wton records now I think, not sure if they record any wounded men from the town. Early in the war, 1915, the Times listed nearly all the casualties, killed and wounded. The incident where my grandfather lost his leg the men are all named as being wounded that day except him!!! 

 

Although from Bilston I live in Tettenhall now.

 

Rob

 

 

 

[rob elliott]

Jan,

 

Just looking on the Wolverhampton's war website there are a handful of Wton Sherwood Forresters although what may be a factor is the majority seem to have numbers starting 73...even though they serve with various units. There is a story of one who survived the war and was in the 2nd Btn.

But what is interesting is 2 or 3 of the little stories of the men mention a newspaper....The Midlands Counties Express which must be around somewhere as extracts have been lifted from them.

Have you tried searching the British Newspaper Archives.

Rob

Edited 31 January , 2018 by rob elliott
additional info

[Jan O'Brien]

Rob Elliot... Kenf48, Mark Holden 

WOW... Thank you for your post Rob Elliot...., I have so much to digest,  research... It goes on....thankfully 

By the way I am Bilston now Bridgnorth... A throw back of how Bilston used to be.!!!

I have immediately so much to comment on but must wait and get it all together.

Have just booked our trip to Ypres in March to follow and pay respect to Sherwood Foresters all  Battalions. 

I find it amazing that our grandfathers  may have actually known each other.. Bilston was a small place in those days.

After  a long time researching  and ready to give up finding my Grandfather's war you have all inspired me to carry on.

Thanks.

 

 

 

[Jan O'Brien]

I am thinking I am defeated. Your honest opinions please gentleman, is it worth paying for a specialist researcher.???  I don't mind throwing a bit of money at one last go and then that would be it. 

I can do family history research, but this Army research is to complicated and very specialist. I can do  Ancestry,  Find my Past,  War Records, fill out the forms and see what comes back but....I am floundering about really. 

Since my last post I have followed up suggestions you have made.

Wolverhampton Archives,...Absent Voters...only numbers not names etc. Newspapers not indexed... So to many to plough thru, photographs, Wolverhamptons War...British Newspaper Archives I have searched, I have a paid subscription....but nothing that covers Wolverhampton. Black Country Bugle, really interesting... "We Will Remember Them" collection.

Staffordshire, No absent voters seem to have survived. For relevant years. Searched their on line catalogue. Don't appear to have a lot relevant.

Really all I know is William Robinson, Sherwood Foresters, this week I have also gone back to the beginning and checked all the William Robinsons in The Sherwood  Foresters, and I am fairly confident with all my eliminations, but.....

As I have said in previous post I am happy to know who he served with and he was in Flanders and when we go to Ypres I know that many Sherwood Foresters fought there including him.

Thank you for help and encouragement 

[Jan O'Brien]

On 31/01/2018 at 20:09, rob elliott said:

Jan,

 

Just looking on the Wolverhampton's war website there are a handful of Wton Sherwood Forresters although what may be a factor is the majority seem to have numbers starting 73...even though they serve with various units. There is a story of one who survived the war and was in the 2nd Btn.

But what is interesting is 2 or 3 of the little stories of the men mention a newspaper....The Midlands Counties Express which must be around somewhere as extracts have been lifted from them.

Have you tried searching the British Newspaper Archives.

Rob

Hello Rob, thanks for all your input,  just something off message, are you aware of " History of Bradley and Bilston"  Facebook site.?  

[rob elliott]

Jan,

Sorry for delay replying, been away. No don't give up. You have checked the sources we mentioned and it hasn't bore fruit so now we need to think a little more outside the box.

A professional researcher familiar with the PRO may be useful to advise what odd sources are still available. I am not too familiar myself with what is about now but I believe random samples of casualty hospital lists were kept and there are knocking about things like the original enrolment lists. I have come across a 10th Inniskillings [grandmothers brother] Sgt's roll book for his section with the names of his men & trivial things like their boot sizes & rifle numbers. Found grandmothers brother on another Sgt's hand written note from when they were sorting who went into what platoon. Now he was hard to find as he has no medal card at all.

Where is Sherwood Forresters museum, its surprising what the museums hold but don't display, photos, private letters etc.

Ask if you can visit and view their closed documents. Went to Inniskillings museum once, had boxes full of letters & photos, same at York & Lancs museum. Most curators don't have finances to allow good records to be kept.

Officers, kept good records, many had private diaries, so tracking those down could be useful.

Its a long slog but like family tree can be very rewarding.

Unfortunately [?] don't do facebook, although am familiar with the B&B page.

WW1 affected Bilston massively, my mom used to say about the number of disabled men around the town.  My grandfather lost his one leg and he used to buy a pair of shoes with a guy off Darlaston Lane in the Lunt who had lost the opposite leg.

My mom was born in the 'Hutments' at Millfields. These were German POW huts split into two after the war and given to ex-servicemen.

Mom was born in 1926 so that's how long after the war the men were still waiting for a decent house. He got one eventually in the Lunt, brand new.

How about Bilston British Legion, wonder if they have any original membership records.

Would Derby have the equivalent of the the Bugle, to ask about recruitment of Black Country lads. Must be plenty of connections still up there.

I have a photo [somewhere] would be of interest to you, its Bilston war memorial remembrance service sometime in the 1930s.

 

Have you ever seen the photo of the Liberal candidate before WW1 [about 1903 I think] giving a talk outdoors at Oxford Street, right by Gozzard Street I think.

 

Just thinking. A London researcher, it may be worth them checking the 3rd South Staffs Volunteer Battalion Rolls for the Bilston Company's just to see if William was with them. I was always curious to know where the little 3rd VB card came from in my Grandfathers service file, its like a business card size.

 

Rob

[Jan O'Brien]

On 21/02/2018 at 12:33, rob elliott said:

Jan,

Sorry for delay replying, been away. No don't give up. You have checked the sources we mentioned and it hasn't bore fruit so now we need to think a little more outside the box.

A professional researcher familiar with the PRO may be useful to advise what odd sources are still available. I am not too familiar myself with what is about now but I believe random samples of casualty hospital lists were kept and there are knocking about things like the original enrolment lists. I have come across a 10th Inniskillings [grandmothers brother] Sgt's roll book for his section with the names of his men & trivial things like their boot sizes & rifle numbers. Found grandmothers brother on another Sgt's hand written note from when they were sorting who went into what platoon. Now he was hard to find as he has no medal card at all.

Where is Sherwood Forresters museum, its surprising what the museums hold but don't display, photos, private letters etc.

Ask if you can visit and view their closed documents. Went to Inniskillings museum once, had boxes full of letters & photos, same at York & Lancs museum. Most curators don't have finances to allow good records to be kept.

Officers, kept good records, many had private diaries, so tracking those down could be useful.

Its a long slog but like family tree can be very rewarding.

Unfortunately [?] don't do facebook, although am familiar with the B&B page.

WW1 affected Bilston massively, my mom used to say about the number of disabled men around the town.  My grandfather lost his one leg and he used to buy a pair of shoes with a guy off Darlaston Lane in the Lunt who had lost the opposite leg.

My mom was born in the 'Hutments' at Millfields. These were German POW huts split into two after the war and given to ex-servicemen.

Mom was born in 1926 so that's how long after the war the men were still waiting for a decent house. He got one eventually in the Lunt, brand new.

How about Bilston British Legion, wonder if they have any original membership records.

Would Derby have the equivalent of the the Bugle, to ask about recruitment of Black Country lads. Must be plenty of connections still up there.

I have a photo [somewhere] would be of interest to you, its Bilston war memorial remembrance service sometime in the 1930s.

 

Have you ever seen the photo of the Liberal candidate before WW1 [about 1903 I think] giving a talk outdoors at Oxford Street, right by Gozzard Street I think.

 

Just thinking. A London researcher, it may be worth them checking the 3rd South Staffs Volunteer Battalion Rolls for the Bilston Company's just to see if William was with them. I was always curious to know where the little 3rd VB card came from in my Grandfathers service file, its like a business card size.

 

Rob

 

[Jan O'Brien]

I think I've pressed " a key in error" and reposted Rob Elliot reply to me with a reply!!!.. Apologies if I have,  got a temperature at the moment due to a winter bug, thankfully not the flu, leaves you a bit incapable of doing anything properly. 

 

 

[Jan O'Brien]

Hi Rob... 

Thank you for very encouraging reply, I am encouraged again. I am going to find the right researcher to have a last bash at William Robinson.  I do realise I don't have the knowledge to do much more myself.  I have 5 lines of Family History going back to the beginning of Parish Registers, and one before then. I started before anything was "online" and you actually handled the paper/parchment documents....feel really old now mentioning that!!!

However I realise the value of an expert in their particular field because I was one once upon a time, but with the war history I am a novice apart from anything I can find on Ancestry etc. 

Sherwood Foresters have two Museums, Nottingham castle, and Derby. First port of call I think. I shall enquire with them about researchers, they will probably have an accredited list. I am sure there is a lot more out there in archives that are not listed on the Web as you have mentioned. 

Off topic... Bradley & Bilston, there are some fantastic photos I can send you of Free Street, The Lunt, and many more, and a link to a fabulous film about Bilston, actually I think it was the year your mother was born 1926. I would be interested to see any photos etc you have. 

 

 

Thanks again. Jan.

Edited 23 February , 2018 by Jan O'Brien

[kenf48]

It’s generally not considered a good idea to post your private email on this open forum.  You can always use the forum’s private message facility.

 

There are a number of researchers who may be able to help you, not least Chris Baker, fourteen-eighteen research, author of LLT and founder of this forum. Chris has posted on this thread

 

a forum search reveals similar posts an requests.

 

However, with respect to other posts, it seems to me you have yet to confirm 20894 is the William Robertson who was your grandfather.  There are many unanswered questions.  Why did you think he was in the South Staffs  for twenty years?  Have you eliminated that Regiment? Who identified the man, and the Regiment in the photograph? Without a service record only active service overseas will be on the Medal Records, are you sure he served overseas with the Sherwood Foresters?  It is quite clear from the surviving records 20894 first went overseas with the 2nd Battalion as a reinforcement.  Therefore he had to be at least aged 19 (if he was complying with the age regulations).  Significant registration events e.g. marriage or children often have the unit on the certificate.

 

one final point, while not conclusive,  where the records survive nearly all 1914 enlistments were local Derby and Notts.

 

Ken

[Jan O'Brien]

Ken,  thanks for your input. It is very much valued.

What I definitely know.

From family chat.... When I was not particularly interested and not paying much attention.

My mother and grandmother both mentioned he William Robinson served in France...

It was mentioned very often that He was gassed and suffered from the effects for the rest of his life. He died quite young 62 yrs. Always had "chest problems". 

It was never mentioned he was wounded, I think that would definitely have been mentioned.

It was never mentioned he had a pension this would also have been mentioned......gratefully on their behalf I think , because he worked the rest of his life in a steel mill.

When I first started to enquire about him the only surviving person was an older cousin born before WW2  who had vague memories. He stated William was South Staffs. I think because all the family and most men from our area joined South Staffs. He then found an old photo which I had copied and asked some photo experts about the cap badge, someone said London Regiment and someone else Sherwood Foresters. Posted it on a Sherwood Foresters site and everyone agreed it was Sherwood  Foresters. Wow a big break through....William also served in the home Guard, which was Bilston, Staffs, and I think my cousins recollections are confused with that.

William was born 1889. He married 1913, his first child was born 1913 and  no other children until 1920 onwards and 3 more followed, which tells me he wasn't around..... So nothing on birth/ marriage documents.

What I don't know....

I have eliminated many William Robinsons, Sherwood  Foresters, thru medal cards, Hospital records, pension records, local archives.Anything I've found on line and information given me thru post posted requests for info. I am however minded not to accepted that this particular William Robinson is mine. I am not claiming him absolutely, I would prefer to disprove he is mine which is what I've been doing. I have a spreadsheet with all Williams Robinsons and  reasons for their elimination...

I can send it to you with other documents I have if you would like, but I am mindful that you   are on this site helping and advising many people with their enquiries and it is not fair to bombard or monopolise someone with your expertise and understanding.

Hey thanks again for your input..Jan