Driver James Robinson Heyworth MM
187274 Army Service Corps (MT) att 51st RGA
Lived at 222 Padiham Road

Burnleys Great War Centenary

Sponsored by: his Grandson James Heyworth

Brothers Albert Harold East Lancs & Morrison Scottish Rifles

James R. Heyworth M2/187274 enlisted at the Grove Park recruitment depot on the 8th December 1915, aged 21. Between then and June 1916 he remained in the UK as part of the Army Reserve, until he was called for active service. He was enlisted as a Private in the Army Service Corps (ASC) and arrived in France from Southampton on 4th July 1916.

Chronology of events.

21/08/1916 Posted to 363 MT (Motor transport) Company
29/08/1916 Posted to 717 MT Company
12/12/1917 Posted to 272 MT Company (from 593) MT Company
09/03/1918 Posted to 594 MT Company
14/03/1918 Posted to 614 MT Company (Military Medal won?)
28/05/1918 Posted to 272 MT Company
12/08/1918 Posted to 641 MT Company

Whilst in the Army Service Corps, James Robinson was attached to the 51st Brigade of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). These heavy artillery pieces relied on motorcycle despatch riders as a main means of communication between HQ, the batteries and front line units. Particularly as telephone wires were frequently destroyed by German shelling.

He was awarded the Military Medal for “Bravery in the Field” in 1918. This appears alongside other ASC soldiers and gunners from the RGA in the May 4th Army Orders, and was officially gazetted on 16th July 1918.

From the 06/08/1918 he was transferred for the “Benefit of the Service” from the Army Service Corps MT branch to the Royal Engineers as a “Motorcyclist/despatch rider” and attached to the 51st Brigade RGA.
The now Sapper Heyworth was finally demobilized on 15th March 1919.

However, James Robinson was a member of the “Fire Guard” during the Second World War, whose job it was to check buildings for fire risk and act as fire prevention officers in Burnley and Padiham.
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Born: Burnley 5th June 1894
Religion: Weslyan
Address: 222, Padiham Road, Burnley.
Occupation on enlistment: Butcher and motorcyclist (the latter looks to have been written in later)
Height: 5ft 9”
Weight: 130 l/bs

Medals.

Military Medal
Allied Victory Medal
British War Medal

The Fourth Army in 1918.

The 51st Brigade RGA was part of the British Fourth Army whilst on the Western Front, under the overall command of General Rawlinson. By looking at the activities of 4th Army and the 51st Brigade RGA it is possible to set James Robinson’s actions within the wider context of the war’s final year.

One of the batteries in the 51st Brigade RGA was 138, known as the “Hampstead Heavies”. They were equipped with the heavy 60 pounder guns and in March 1918 were attacked during the German offensive in the Remigny area. During the retreat the men and horses covered 40 km in just three days. By April they were in position near Amiens, holding a position for 2 weeks under heavy German shelling. After a refit in late April they rejoined the line in May 1918 ready for the 4th Army counterattack which finally took off in August. The Amiens offensive pushed the German forces back until the Armistice in November.

(Courtesy of his grandson James Heyworth)