William Robertson (British Army Officer) - Boer War and Staff College

Boer War and Staff College

With the start of the Second Boer War, Robertson was appointed as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General to Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, the British Commander-in-Chief South Africa, on 15 January 1900. He was present at the Battle of Paardeberg (17–26 February 1900), the Battle of Poplar Grove (7 March 1900) and other battles in March and May. Robertson was promoted to major on 10 March 1900 and was mentioned in despatches on 2 April 1901.

He returned to the War Office in October 1900 and was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel (29 November 1900). On 1 October 1901 he was appointed Assistant Quartermaster-General with specific responsibility for the Foreign Military Intelligence section, recommended by General Sir Henry Brackenbury, an Intelligence expert. He worked closely with William Nicholson (then Director of Military Operations) and was promoted to brevet colonel on 29 November 1903. Having been one of the oldest lieutenants in the army, he was now one of the youngest colonels, heading a staff of nine officers (divided into Imperial, Foreign and Special sections). In the later words of a contemporary he “became rated as a superman, and only key appointments were considered good enough for him”. He assessed Germany as Britain’s main threat. He was made Assistant Director of Military Operations and appointed CB on 30 June 1905.

When that job expired in January 1907 Robertson went onto half pay, spending his time translating German and Austro-Hungarian military manuals into English. He became Assistant Quartermaster-General at Headquarters Aldershot Command on 21 May 1907 and then Brigadier on the General Staff at Headquarters Aldershot Command on 29 November 1907.

Robertsons's patron Nicholson, now Chief of the Imperial General Staff, appointed him Commandant at Staff College, effective 1 August 1910. He was a practical lecturer at Camberley whose teaching included withdrawals as well as advances. Edmonds, who had been Robertson's classmate in the 1890s, said he was a better lecturer even than Henderson.

He was appointed CVO on 16 July 1910 and promoted to major-general on 26 December 1910. He was advanced to KCVO on 26 September 1913, and appointed Director of Military Training at the War Office on 9 October 1913. Robertson contemplated resigning during the Curragh incident, which led to hatred between senior officers and Liberal politicians, but ended the affair without any blot on his reputation.