Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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6984687   Fusilier Joseph Robinson
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 15/03/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 6th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Died: 07/04/1943 (Killed in Action)
Age: 19
Summary      
Joseph Robinson was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Robinson. He was born about 1924. Fusilier Joseph Robinson was serving with the 6th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in the assault on Djebel el Mahdi in Tunisia on 7th April 1943.
Further Information
Joseph Robinson was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Robinson. He was born about 1924.
Fusilier Joseph Robinson was serving with the 6th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in the assault on Djebel el Mahdi in Tunisia on 7th April 1943.
In April 1943, the allies were on their final thrust eastwards against Tunis. They had to capture an area of high ground some 20 miles short of Tunis. The capture of a 1,400 foot high feature, called Jebel al Mahdi, on the left of the Division's front, was tasked to 38 (Irish) Brigade. The approach included a difficult wadi as well as wire and mines.
On Wednesday 7th April 1943, the 6th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers moved by night to their start positions. The 6th Skins seized their objectives half way up the feature by a night attack in the early hours of the morning. The 1st Faughs passed through and by 1400 hours were on the summit. Before nightfall, the 1st Faughs had consolidated its position and succeeded in capturing or killing 120 enemy at a cost of 50 casualties. The CO of the Skins, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Allen, was killed during the fighting. He had moved forward to personally support one of his companies that had become pinned down by machine-gun fire when attempting to cross one of the wadis. For their actions that day there were two Military Crosses, one Distinguished Conduct Medal and three Military Medals awarded to members of the two Battalions.
Fusilier Joseph Robinson is buried in Oued Zarga War Cemetery in Tunisia.
Fusilier Joseph Robinson is commemorated locally on Clogher War Memorial.
The CWGC record Fusilier Joseph Robinson as the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Robinson of Ballygawley, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
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Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Ballygawley Ballygawley CWGC lists parents in Ballygawley 54.463278 -7.030914
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 FindAGrave.com Photo of Fusilier Joseph Robinson's gravestone
2 The capture of Jebel al Mahdi Details of the action on 7th April 1943
3 Tunisia 1942-1943 Roll of Honour Killed in the assault on Djebel el Mahdi
4 War Graves Photographic Project Photo of Fusilier Joseph Robinson's gravestone can be purchased here
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023