Peter Robinson was born on 27 May 1915 and started at Barling School on 4 September 1922. He was the son of another Peter Robinson, a fisherman from Southend, and Annie, nee Smith. After working on local farms he joined the Grenadier Guards. During the Second World War, Sergeant Peter Robinson, serving in the Second Battalion, Grenadier Guards, was involved in the heroic capture of the bridge over the River Waal at Nijmegen in Holland. On 20 September 1944, he stormed the bridge in his Sherman tank, thereby preventing it from being blown up by German soldiers. The film ‘A Bridge Too Far’ gives an Americanised version of these events. For his bravery, Peter was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and a grateful city granted him the Freedom of Nijmegen. After the War, he and his family lived in Coronation Close, Great Wakering. His daughter Irene, now Irene Wright, still does. His son, also Peter, lives in Little Wakering Road.

 

We are indebted to Irene Wright, nee Robinson, for these photos and this information about her father and his family.

 

Many websites tell the story of Peter’s immense bravery, such as this one:

http://members.chello.nl/~h.w.a.schutte2/websitepics/story.htm