WAR LEDER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 456, 14 February 1933, Page 5

WAR LEDER

ilSH FIELD MARSHAL iVHO ROSE FROM RANKS ■1LIAM ROBERTSON DEAD

sn—By Telegraph— Copyright).

Rec. Feb. 13. London, February 12. ieath has occurred of Field • Sir William Robertson, one few remaining world war aRobert Robertson was born parents in Lincolnshire in ;d enlisted as a youth of 18 rate in the 16th Lancers. He 3 the ranks of that regiment when he won a commisiie 3rd Dragoon Guards, then ::ning, he eagerly studied his 1 -'in in all its branches and was icessful in learning the native r*tS. He was selected to be rail- : § officer in the. Miranzai and flountain operations in 1891, jthe following year he joined '4lligence Department at Simla. Hn its staff he carried out a 'iissance to the Pamirs and in rrved with the Ghitral Relief iieing wounded and receiving >.0. He passed through the Ullego in 1897-8, the first of>en from the ranks to do so. ' 3oer War he aecompanied Lord ■ i on his advance from Cape f into the Transvaal and was Sfd breve-t Lieutenant-Colonel service. pbilisation of the army for the yar, Sir William (he had heen pe K.C.V.O. in 1913) was neinei quartermaster-general of the Spionary Force. He filled that 4ment most successfully for fonths and then, in January, |e became chief of the general I) Sir John French. Ihe autumn of that year he was pd lieutenant-general for disped service and in the followecember took up tbe post of of the Imperial general staff. he immediately introduced hprovements in the office or[tion, and during tbe first year Hialf of his holding the appent he was successful in keep•o general control of operations ind lines. His services were re=ed by his being promoted genU916 and by his being given in 1917. He later suc1 Lord French as commander«f in Great Britain.

phe final distribution of honours |e war he was rewarded with a lotcy and grant of £10,000, and tated G.G.M.G. From April, tio Marcb, 1920, be commanded Pritish troops on the Rhine and pelinquishing that appointment P'omoted field-marshal. He held P's from Belgium, China, France [1 Japan, Russia, Serbia and the N States of America. r William in 1894 married Milp the daughter of Lieutenantjiral T. C. Palin. The heir to tbe fBetey is his son, Major Brian H. !frtson.