Private C ROBSHAW
33220, 16th West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of
Wales Own)
Who died
On 27th February 1917
Remembered with honour
OWL TRENCH CEMETERY, HEBUTERNE, Pas de Calais, France.
also at BARWICK-in-ELMET, WAR MEMORIAL.
Son of William and Jane Robshaw of Potterton Grange, Barwick-
in-Elm et. His death was announced in the Yorkshire Evening Post
on Tuesday 20th March 1917.
"Private Charles Robshaw aged 31 was Killed in Action on February
27th leaves a widow Elizabeth Ann and four children, two sons George
and Fred and daughters Jane and Hilda who resided at Church View,
Barwick-in-Elmet. He was formerly employed at a munition factory".
Given its proximity to Barwick, it is likely that the munition factory
mentioned in the piece was Barnbow factory.
The extract from "The West Yorkshire in the War 1914-1918" by
Everard Wyrall gives this account of the action in which Charles was
killed ... "On the night of the 26th/27th the 16th West Yorkshires
marched back again into the front line, i.e., the Hebuterne sector. The
battalion had been detailed to carry an attack on Rossignol Wood at
6.30am on the 27th.
The attack was carried out on a two-company front with two remaining
companies in support. The leading companies, as ordered, were clear
of the line of posts which had been formed along the Gommecourt-
Puisieux road. By 6.30am the right company reached the southern edge
and entered by the trenches. A desperate struggle now ensued. The
wood was a maze of trenches, in fact a very strong system which
stretched from Puisieux to Gommecourt. The trenches which the right
company had entered were subjected to a very heavy enfilade machine
-gun fire and very soon the whole of three platoons were killed or
wounded. The fourth platoon, however, took cover in shell-holes
just west of the wood, where it remained all day, rejoining its battalion
at night. The Company Commander and the Second in Command
were both missing, the platoon commanders were wounded, and one
managed to crawl out of the wood when darkness had fallen and
reported at Battalion Headquarters at 10 p.m.
Meanwhile, the left company had met with better luck. Having cleared
the old German third line about 5.20am, it deployed in No Man's Land
and preceded by scouts well in advance, reached the Puisieux-
Gommecourt road without incurring heavy casualties. The Company
Commander then sent one platoon up towards Pioneer Graben to
occupy the high ground in the neighbourhood. But on reaching the
trench the platoon was counter attacked and driven back towards the
Crucifix. A bombing party was then sent forward and succeeded in
killing one and wounding several of the Germans, driving the
remainder back 150 yards. The bombers then established blocks in
Moltke Graben and Pioneer Graben and a bombing post at the
junction of these two trenches. The remainder of the left company then
advanced, several men entering Rossigno/ Wood, but the majority dug
themselves in Stump Alley and Pioneer Graben, south-west of the
Crucifix. Two platoons from the reserve companies of the battalion
were then sent forward and these assisted in consolidating the position
won.
The left company was shelled all day (it had indeed been under
continuous fire from about 6am) but gallantly hung on its position until
relieved at night.
That was Charles' last battle.
What a waste of all those young men's lives, we shall remember them.
My husband and I have visited his grave several times when we have
visited France and the cemetery is in the corner of a corn field so
peaceful one cannot believe that it was a battle ground where so many
lives were lost.
VALERIE KEMP
(Granddaughter)
Other sources:
Hilda Robshaw (My Mother), Elizabeth Robshaw (My Grandmother) who was the wife of Charles.