Field Marshall Sir William (Wully) Robertson

"I have fought a good fight - I have kept the faith"

Brookwood Cemetery extends over a vast area of 450 acres of Woking Heath. It was opened in 1854, the same year as the Camp at Aldershot was established.

By the middle of the last century the problem of the burial of the dead in London had reached acute proportions, with half a dozen or so comparatively small sites being used over and over again. Graves of the not too recently deceased were disinterred and the remains scattered. Coffins were reused or sent for firewood, and piles of bones were shipped by the ton to the north of England where they were ground up for fertiliser. The stench was awful, and outbreaks of cholera far from rare. Yes, that was city life and death in the 1850s.

Something had to be done, and soon. So after several tenders for burial sites out of the city the authorities gave the go ahead to the London Necropolis Company. They purchased some 2000 acres from the estate of Lord Onslow, although all were not ultimately used, and proposed a unique service, bringing coffins down by train from Waterloo on the rapidly expanding railways, for burial at the London Necropolis, Brookwood. A site east of the Waterloo to Basingstoke line and south of Woking was developed for the cemetery. A private station was built at Waterloo exclusively for the deceased and their mourners, and the London and South Western Railway Company agreed to transport them. On reaching Brookwood the trains entered the cemetery along a branch line and proceeded to one or both of the two stations within the grounds. One was in the non-conformist section on one side of the Pirbright to Woking Road which splits the site, and one was in the Anglican section on the other side of the road. Each station was well appointed with mourners' waiting rooms, chaplains' rooms, toilets, caretaker's quarter and a refreshments room complete with bar. It used to be said that this was the only cemetery in the country where you could get a drop of the hard stuff!

Both stations were served by an excellent chapel building nearby, and there were other chapels situated throughout the grounds. The station on the main line at Brookwood was not built for a further 10 years, but the service was reasonably priced and popular, carrying up to 50 funerals a day, 7 days of the week.

Over the years demand for the service gradually diminished, probably due to the introduction of cremation, whilst the Necropolis was refused permission for a crematorium. Yet the funeral train continued to operate several days a week until 1941 when the Waterloo Necropolis Station was bombed and mostly destroyed. The imposing facade of the building remains to this day in Westminster Bridge Road, but the funeral train service was never resumed. The two stations in the cemetery served refreshments until the 1970s when they were demolished after nearly 120 years. Nothing now remains except the two grass covered platforms, but the complete three quarter mile length of the branch line can still be traced.

Almost a quarter of a million people are buried at Brookwood, among them many notable persons including artists, writers, engineers, academics, lawyers and even an Aussie test cricketer. Recently I discovered the graves of three Generals within few yards of each other, and I understand that eight holders of the Victoria cross are buried in the Anglican section.

The Brookwood Cemetery Society are a dedicated band of volunteers who give up their spare time to clear some of the most interesting graves, which are grossly overgrown from years of neglect. They organise the most fascinating and informative walks around the site conducted by John Clarke, who has written a guide to the cemetery with Mary Lucas and Arthur Storie. In this guide I read that Field Marshal Sir William Robertson was buried in Plot 28, and my interest was aroused because this man was someone special. He was the first and only man in the old British Army of the Empire and Raj to rise from Private to Field Marshall. Winston Churchill was the original British bulldog, then Wully Robertson was the roll model.

William Robertson was born in the small village of Welbourn about 20 miles south of Lincoln 29th Jan 1860, to Ann and Thomas Robertson. His father, of Scottish descent, was the village tailor and postmaster, with a shop opposite the village green. William had two older brothers and four sisters, most of whom he kept in touch with throughout his life. He attended the local Church foundation school where he war, a good scholar and avid reader, who liked maps, geography and drawing. Leaving in 1873 he become a garden boy at the rectory, when: the Reverend Frederick Melville encouraged him to take extra lessons with his daughters and he learned French. After moving to Parson King of Ashley-de-la-Laude, in 1875 he became footman to the Cardigan family at Deene Park, Northants. The Brudenalls were Earls of Cardigan, and James Brudenall, the 7th Earl who died in 1864, was late Colonel of the ilth Hussars, Inspector-General of Cavalry, and a hero of the charge of the Light Brigade. Will then moved to the Vernon family at Hanbury Hall near Droitwich Worcestershire.

Tiring of life as a servant, and seemingly influenced by the martial atmosphere and cavalry mementos at the Cardigan home, he volunteered for the Army and enlisted at Worcester 13th November 1877. Although not quite old enough to sign on, he was a tall lad for his age and the recruiting Sergeant added the necessary months and recorded him as born in September 1859, the date that remained on his Army records for all time. Four days later he joined the 16th Queens Lancers at West Cavalry Barracks Aldershot as trooper No.lS14 "G" Troop. The gates of the old West Cavalry Barracks can still be seen by the Red Church roundabout on the Farnborough Road. William's family were horrified at this move, and his mother wrote to him, "I would rather bury you than see you in a red coat". In those days the rank and file of the Army were generally regarded as the dregs of humanity, and the officer class, barely out of the bought commission era, concerned themselves mainly with their ponies, hunters and hounds. As Kipling's poem goes, "O its Tommy this" and "Tommy that", an "Tommy go away", But it's "Thank you Mr Atkins" when the band begins to play!

Into this red-coated world Will had thrust himself, up at the riding school where the rough-riders seemed more intent on how often they could get you to bite the dust than on teaching you to ride and use the sword, lance and musket. But he was a strong willed God fearing lad and soon became proficient with the various arms, winning contests for the lance, fencing and shooting, determined to better himself in his chosen profession. His troop commander at that time was Lieutenant Freddy Blair, who later on in 1918 was to become his military secretary at Eastern Command. Proving an excellent soldier, promotion soon followed, to LCpl February 1879 and Full Corporal April 1879. The Regiment made the four day march to Brighten, and then to York in 1881 where Will was promoted to Lance/Sgt. As a Sergeant in 1882 he took a signalling course in Aldershot with very good results and ideas of his own for improvements. Then to Dundalk in Ireland and the troubles in Dublin in 1888 saw him become Troop Sgt/Major. In April 1888 the regiment once more returned to Aldershot. Will had previously been encouraged by his senior officers to apply for a commission, but although this was a move that he would have loved, he had to decline owing to dire lack of funds for the position. However his mind was changed and he was accepted and on 27th June 1888 was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Dragoon Guards stationed in India. William had served 10 years and 225 days in the tanks. Canon Leslie Melville had originated the idea of going for a commission and Will had succeeded despite all the barriers of class and income.

He was able to scrape by on his pay in India only because the mess fees and cost of social life was much cheaper than a home station, but he could still not afford to drink in the mess, and only smoked a pipe, out of the mess. In one letter to his mother before embarking he refers to the clothes his father made for him and says that they compare very favourably with any here.

William worked diligently and efficiently, studied hard and became a very good linguist, passing examinations in six Indian languages, and was promoted to Lieutenant in March 1891. In later years he added German and French. He was yC regimental signallers, greatly improving their performance, and during 1890-91 went on the Black Mountain and Mirangai expeditions. In 1892 he moved to the Intelligence branch and in January 1893 was granted six months leave to return to England to study for promotion to Captain. Unfortunately his mother died shortly before he landed. On returning to India in July 1893 he went to Simla, and from there was sent to reconnoitre routes to Kashmir and Afghanistan and on one expedition to Dir was severely wounded by two treacherous guides, who he fought off killing one in the fight. William was subsequently mentioned in Despatches and awarded the DSO. He married in late 1894 Mildred, daughter of WGenerat Palin Bombay Staff Corps., and it proved a great match although at first other members of Willie's family were shocked as he was considered socially inferior. By 1895 William had recovered from his wounds and was promoted Captain in April.

Will and Mildred's first born Hugh died in infancy, and then in 1896 Brian was born, later to become General and Baron Oakridge, followed by Roseanne in 1901, Helen in 1905 and John in 1909. In December 1896 they returned to England with 5 months old Brian and William sat the examination for the Staff College. He passed and became the first ranker officer ever to enter the Staff College. In 1898 posted to the Intelligence Staff, War Office, he became Staff Captain Colonial Section. During the South African War he was sent for by C in C Field Marshal Lord Bobs Roberts to serve in his Intelligence Section, assisting in planning several victorious battles and the advance in Pretoria. Then it was back to the War Office where he was promoted to Major and then Lt/Col. and made head of the Foreign Intelligence Division.

After the Boer War, 'Wully", as he came to be known, took a house at Woking and travelled by train to the War Office daily. He had no car so walked or rode his bicycle to the station. The family had picnics at Wisley, did the rounds on foot or by bike, and took their annual holiday in Bognor or North Wales. They had their own pew in nearby Woodham Church.

In 1907 Wully once more returned to Aldershot, this time as Chief of Staff to General Smith-Dorrien, updating and improving training. On visits to Aldershot by King Edward VII he became firm friends with the future King George V. He was appointed Commandant of the Staff College in 1910 as Major General, where he insisted on more practical work and less theory. During his three years as Commandant he only dismissed two officers, one for refusing to wear a moustache, which was in those days contrary to regulations. Wully returned to the War Office in October 1913 as director of military training, and hoping to take charge of the 1st Division at Aldershot by summer 1914 he rented a house at Byfleet. But on the outbreak of War in August 1914 he found himself 10 days later in France as Quarter-Master General to the BEF. He worked wonders keeping the Army fed and supplied during the tough but glorious retreat by the "Old Contemptibles" from Mons. In Jan 1915 he became Chief of Staff at GHQ in France to Field Marshal French, where he was assisted by his son Brian as ADC. Wully was against the Dardanelles campaign, and with General Haig managed the removal of Lord French as C in C BEF after the Loos battle fiasco.

In December 1915 William was appointed Chief Imperial General Staff to assist the Secretary of War Lord Kitchener, and General Haig who had succeeded French. CIGS was a thankless job in which he was head of the Army and responsible for shaping strategy and the organisation of British forces on all fronts. As a full blown General this was the highlight of his career, however when Asquith resigned as Prime Minister in December 1916 and Lloyd-George took over, relations between Wully and the PM deteriorated as the War Council became more politically and less militarily orientated. Wully was a strong Western Front advocate, but Lloyd George first wanted an offensive in Italy and an attack on Turkey, and then a defensive policy in 1918. Things came to a head and Wully was removed after refusing to resign in February 1918. The German offensive and alarming advance in March 1918 proved Wully's~s policy right and he was made GOC Eastern Command. Then he became GOC Great Britain to April 1919, and GOC at BAOR in Germany until March 1920, and was not invited to the peace celebrations in London in July 1919. He left Germany looking for the Irish Command, but having no luck there, after 42 years his Army weer ended although Winston Churchill was influential in his promotion to Field Marshal. Wully was awarded a paltry 10,000 pension and a Baronetcy, whilst Haig was given 100,000 and an Earldom.

Wully and his wife retired to the Woking area and remained very good friends with King George V and Queen Mary. Wully was much in demand publicly, and dedicated the War memorials at Welboum and Witley in Surrey. In 1921, aged 61, he took to golf, fishing and shooting. Accepting several directorships he became a good businessman with a reasonable income, enjoying a contented family life and writing articles for newspapers and two books. His one regret was never having a command in the field. On Saturday 11th February 1933 he played 18 holes of golf and went to bed seeming well. He suffered a thrombosis at breakfast time next morning and fell dead aged 73. At his own request there was no military funeral, just a plain burial at Brookwood Necropolis followed by a memorial service on 16th February at Westminster Abbey, all attending in plain clothes, and even Lloyd-George coming to the short and simple service.

So ended the life and times of Field Marshal Sir William Robert Robertson 1st Baronet of Welbourn, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, DCL, LLD. This shrewd tough practical man had risen from humble private to the highest military rank in the Service of his country, and I presently discovered his grave, well overgrown with birch trees and brambles.

I contacted the CWGC for help, but back came the reply that due to Lack of resources they were unable to do so. Neither was the Brookwood Cemetery Society able to assist. So, if you want a thing done, do it yourself, and this I did. With not a few beads of sweat I cleared the site and scrubbed the memorial clean. This was the least I could do to the memory of the great man.

His memorial reads, "I have fought a good fight - I have kept the faith", and it shines like a beacon amongst the Surrey pines.