Parua Boy Boy Got Water Through, But Gave Owe Life

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1941, Page 3

Parua Boy Boy Got Water Through, But Gave Owe Life

Returning from a task for which volunteers had been called, and which had been successfully executed, Sergeant A. (Ben) Robinson, of Parua Bay, was killed at Solium along with four other New Zealanders. When volunteers were called to take a number of barges laden with'water for the British Forces fighting somewhere in the desert, he was one of the volunteers, mid. as he held a master mariner's certificate, a requirement for the job. he. the only one able to fulfil that necessity, was placed in charge. With a c-vew rf four other New Zealanders, he took the water where it was required, and, despite continuous fire, had returned to Solium Harbour, when the ship, which on the return

journey had been laden with 200 Italian prisoners under the guard of the five intrepid meif from “down under,” struck a mine. There were only four survivors, all Italians. Adventurous Life This adventure, tragic in its result, was the culmination of an adventurous life. Born at Parua Bay, a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Robinson, of Parua Bay, Sergeant Robinson was educated at the Whangarei Heads School and Whangarei High School. Later he went to sea and for about nine years visited all parts of the globe, studying, and gaining his master’s certificate. Three times he was attached to South Pole expeditions, twice with Admiral Byre and once with Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth. Marrying about eight years ago, he turned to bridge-building, and was employed as a bridge engineer on the Mohaka Viaduct, one of the largest engineering ventures ever attempted in the Dominion. Volunteering for active service, he went away as a sergeant with the special engineering force.