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Arthur ‘Robbie’ Robinson
Peter Duckworth
DCM, BEM, PJI
4/1/28 – 10/10/12
Peter Duckworth, who died on 26

December 2012, was the most
Mr I Robinson and US Army Ranger inluential member of the MPAGB
Association
during the 1950s and 1960s. His
contribution to Modern Pentathlon

was formidable.
Born on the 4 January 1928 in
Clowne, Derbyshire, at the age of 12 He was fourth man in the Great Britain
he joined the local Army Cadet Unit – team at the 1948 London Olympics,

Notts & Derbys. Worked at two local became British Champion the
pits – Oxcroft and Creswell.
following year and placed 9th in the
irst World Championships in Stockholm that year. His sporting
Arthur enlisted into the British Army career was cut short by a serious shrapnel wound when ighting
aged 17yrs and completed basic in the Korean War in 1951. He went on to become the central

training at Winchester – Rile Brigade. igure in the MPAGB, managing our National teams at the 1959
On completion of Basic Training World Championships and the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. His
he became a Gunner Mechanic energy and resourcefulness were key factors in driving the sport
in the RAC. Once he became an forward in Great Britain. He believed everyone should be involved

NCO, he was selected to attend the in strategies for raising money and for more effective training. Most
Assistant PTI course at the Northern of all, he always took time to write to young pentathletes coming
School of Physical Training. He was into the sport with words of encouragement. Many pentathletes at
recommended for the Advanced all levels had cause to remember this infectious encouragement

Course of Physical Training at with affection and respect. The fact that there are a number of
Aldershot.
such letters still stored away today is testimony to how importantly
his encouragement was regarded. In one such letter to a young
In 1947 as a qualiied Sgt PTI his irst posting was to take up naval oficer, Michael Egan, Duckworth touched on one of the

the position of supervisor at the Chatham Detention Barracks. great advantages of the sport. He wrote:
During this period he was posted to Egypt. On his return to Civilian
life – he undertook several occupations – Site work, Gardening, ‘To my mind the great thing about this game is that you and I can
Fireman but his heart was with the Army so he re-enlisted in 1950 indulge our taste for competition in ive events in which, outside
joining the Sherwood Foresters, later to be posted to Arborield the framework of the Modern Pentathlon, we couldn’t begin to

Apprentice College. Whilst there he heard the Australian Army or would not dare to. Because of this we can ind umpteen other
were recruiting and continued as a PTI in the Australian Army sportsmen of similar mind with whom, regardless of our standard
which went from strength to strength.
in this event or that, we can do battle.’

Arthur “Robbie” Robinson was a remarkable soldier in his day, Though immobilised and ultimately bed-ridden after a stroke
with a span of service from the end of WWII in the British Army robbed him of his daily itness regime, Peter Duckworth, cared
and then, from 1950, in the Australian Army until 1976 where he for constantly by his devoted wife, Ann, remained full of lively
was proud to qualify at PTS (then School of Land Air Warfare) conversation about Modern Pentathlon. He will be fondly

in 1953 as a Basic Parachutist and later as PJI on the irst PJI remembered and sorely missed.
course held in Australia. He went on to serve in the Australian
Army Team – Vietnam where he was awarded the Distinguished
Conduct Medal in 1968 and was also recognised for his gallantry

by the Americans with the Silver Star and the South Vietnamese
with the Cross of Gallantry – each of these being among several
other awards. He was inducted as an honorary member of the US
Army Ranger Hall of fame in 1999, the only foreign soldier to have
achieved this honour at that time.

Having met his wife Valda they married in Gundagi on the 24th Feb
1954. In the following year their daughter Vicki was born and in
Dec 1956 their son Kane was born. All the Robinson family have

many happy memories, Robbie thankfully during his retirement
years was able to attend Reunions and the 150th Anniversary of
the RAPTC.

Peter Duckworth (far left) pictured with the rest of the 1948 Olympic
team – Geoffrey Brooke, Michael Lumsden and Andy Martin.