POW shot on "Death March" April 1945 - L/Sgt Hoodless Robinson 7th NF

Hi, very many thanks for this information, I am slowly building up a picture of his service and events leading to his death. I have also written to the CWGC about getting him a headstone in the cemetery.
Cheers,

Rick

 

Thank you, Rick. I am going back through handwritten letters that Hoodless wrote to his family (several of them to my grandmother) while he was a POW. My mother had saved these letters in a cabinet and I'm planning to have them imaged. If I find anything in them that may be helpful to you, I will be sure to reach out. Thank you for your efforts with the CWGC.
Best regards,
Gavin

 

Gavin, great to see you have found this thread and joined the forum. I can confirm that Hoodless was no where near Dunkirk but was with the rest of his battalion attached to the 51st Highland Division who were captured at St Valery En Caux. He obvious spent some time evading the Germans before eventual capture. I have set up a Facebook page for the 7th Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers here https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035437976372

if that doesn't work just search 7th Battalion royal Northumberland Fusiliers St Valery 1940. Ill post your info you have given on the page. Do you have a photo of Hoodless?

 

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I haven’t reread the whole of the topic but the attached picture is of a young RA Lieutenant rather than a much older RNF soldier.

Steve

EDIT TO ADD

Having now reread the posts I noticed the sadly missed Tricky Dicky posted these details some years ago.

This would appear to be the youthful RA officer -

MCINTYRE, HOODLESS ROBINSON, Lieutenant. Service Number 186410. Died 26/09/1944. Aged 23.
35 Bty., 12 (11th Bn. The London Regt.) Lt. A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery attd. 6th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
Son of John and Elizabeth McIntyre, of Bradford, Yorkshire.
INSCRIPTION: IN LOVING MEMORY OF HOODLESS, ONLY SON OF J. AND E. McINTYRE,
CHOPPINGTON, NORTHUMBERLAND. "REST IN PEACE"

 

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Thanks.

Are you still saying you believe the picture is the L/Sgt Robinson subject of this topic?

If so my comment about the photo being a youthful RA Lieutenant still stands and it is unlikely it is the much older L/Sgt Robinson.

Perhaps the signed photo was sent to L/Sgt Robinson with a greeting by the person in the photograph?

Steve

 

Gavin,

This was one of our best threads, which describes in detail the research taken and aided by several members.

Long March POW Casualty 1945: John Antony Ronald Coulthard, Stalag XXA, Thorn

Files containing contemporary accounts are in several series at Kew, WO 311 has some files, for example WO 311/299: although this may not relate.

There is also this from Kew created in April this year.

The Long March to Freedom 1944–1945

John

 

Thank you, John. I appreciate you sharing these links.

 

Hello Gavin,
Hoodless Robinson’s sister was Elizabeth Robinson. She married John McIntyre in 1920 and their son, Hoodless Robinson McIntyre was born soon after. Thus L/Sgt Robinson is Lt McIntyre’s uncle.
Richard

 

So perhaps the CWGC notice and the signed photo are connections to a close relation after all?

BTW Where did I (or anyone else) assert that you had pulled the photographs off the internet?

 

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Hi,

To my eyes Hoodless looks a younger man in the first photo you posted? I think the “crossed swords” above his Sgt chevron’s indicate he was a Physical Training Instructor.

It looks to be a WW1 era photo rather than 1930’s - by that time khaki webbing belts had replaced the WW1 leather belts. In peacetime photo the uniform and boots would've been alot smarter.

For uniform comparison - my avatar photo is my father on active service in Palestine in 1939 with 3rd CG.

His father certainly looks older in my eyes in the 2nd photo? The chap in uniform is the second photo is a serving soldier in the Coldstream Guards.

You might glean some more information about Hoodless pre NF Territorial service from the CG enlistment register on findmypast.

From his CG army service number - 2649264 - I’d say he had joined the regiment during late WW1 or early post war and was still serving when 7 figure army service numbers were introduced in mid 1920.

Find My Past

The Coldstream were allocated a block of seven figure numbers, beginning with 2646001. About 3500 soldiers had Regimental Numbers and then got Army Numbers as well so initial allocation of army service numbers to serving soldiers (including those on the reserve) would go as high as circa 2649350. The block lasted until the end of the Second World War, by which time about 11,500 numbers had been issued, before a new system was adopted.

I had a gu who had joined CG in 1909 and still had a year of reserve service left in 1920 so his CG army service number was quite low in the new system - in the 26462** range.

Steve

 

I’ve just noticed that this OP returned to this topic around midnight UK time to delete 5 out of his 8 posts and images meaning that follow up replies to his posts now lack context - slightly mitigated as I and others quoted his posts in replies.

The helpful follow up post by Richard Lewis “connecting the dots” is now left hanging without context

Whilst it’s an individual members choice whether to let their posts and images remain on the forum it’s usually polite to explain any deletions.

I shan’t be posting any more in response should he return to post further.