Personal info
- Name: Eric Gascoigne ROBINSON
- D.O.B: 16th May, 1882
- D.O.A: 26th Feb, 1915
- D.O.D: 20th Aug, 1965
- Award: Victoria Cross
- Occupation at time of action: Lieutenant Commander, HMS Vengeance, Royal Navy
- Book: The Complete History - Volume 2
Near Kum Kale, Turkey 26 February 1915
26 February 1915
The First World War The Dardanelles and Gallipoli, Turkey 1914-1918
The original plan was that the Dardanelles would be secured by an Anglo-French naval force. On 19 February 1915 the naval bombardment of Turkish forts at the mouth of the Straits began and a week later it was decided that landing parties should complete the demolition of the damaged Turkish batteries. On 26 February Lieutenant Commander E G Robinson, Royal Navy, led a force ashore at Kum Kale at the southern entrance to the Straits to complete the demolition of the damaged Turkish batteries there and at Orkanieh along the coast to the south. He was also able to destroy two anti-aircraft guns at ‘Achilles’ Tomb’. In the event, however, the naval phase of the Dardanelles campaign was a failure. The loss of three battleships and the crippling of three others in an attempt on 18 March 1915 to push through the Narrows around Chanak effectively signalled its end.
Citation
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant-Commander (now Commander) Eric Gascoigne Robinson, R.N., for the conspicuous act of bravery specified below. Lieutenant-Commander Robinson on the 26th February advanced alone, under heavy fire, into an enemy’s gun position, which might well have been occupied, and destroying a fourinch gun, returned to his party for another charge with which the second gun was destroyed. Lieutenant-Commander Robinson would not allow members of his demolition party to accompany him, as their white uniforms rendered them very conspicuous. Lieutenant-Commander Robinson took part in four attacks on the mine fields - always under heavy fire.