Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The medal riband bar worn by Lieutenant-Colonel W. Robertson, V.C., C.B.E., Gordon Highlanders

The recipient’s riband bar, with the ribands for the Victoria Cross, complete with miniature emblem; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, 2nd type; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902; King’s South Africa 1901-02; Coronation 1911; Coronation 1937; Special Constabulary Long Service Medal; Defence Medal; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour; together with the recipient’s Army Temperance Association Award of Merit, silver, the reverse impressed ‘Swrgt. Mjr. W. Robertson 2nd. Gdn. Hlds. 1898’, with integral top riband bar; a Grand Lodge of India Medal, unnamed, with top ‘South Africa 1901-2’ riband bar; and a Boer War tribute medal, silver and enamel, the reverse impressed ‘South African Campaign 1899/1902 for Steadfastness’ and engraved ‘Bro. Lieutenant Robertson, V.C.’, good condition £400-£500

Spink, November 1994.

V.C. London Gazette 20 July 1900:
‘At the Battle of Elandslaagte, on the 21st October, 1899, during the final advance on the enemy's position, this Warrant Officer led each successive rush, exposing himself fearlessly to the enemy’s artillery and rifle fire to encourage the men. After the main position had been captured, he led a small party to seize the Boer camp. Though exposed to a deadly cross-fire from the enemy’s rifles, he gallantly held on to the position captured, and continued to encourage the men until he was dangerously wounded in two places.’

C.B.E. (Civil) London Gazette 13 June 1946: Lieutenant-Colonel William Robertson, V.C., O.B.E., J.P., Honorary Treasurer, British Legion, Scotland.

O.B.E. London Gazette 7 January 1918: Lieutenant-Colonel William Robertson, V.C., Recruiting Staff Officer, Scotland:
‘For services in connection with the War.’

William Robertson was born in Dumfries on 27 February 1865, and served as a Sergeant-Major with the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, in South Africa during the Boer War, being awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry at the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899. Appointed Quartermaster, with the rank of Lieutenant, the following year, he served during the Great War as Senior Recruiting Officer, Scottish Command, for which services he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and awarded the French Legion of Honour. He retired with the Honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 1 March 1920, and later served as Honorary Treasurer, British Legion, Scotland, for which services he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1946. He died in Edinburgh on 6 December 1949.

Note: Following the institution of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire on 27 December 1918, Robertson’s O.B.E. was transferred to the Military Division. Technically, he would also have been entitled to wear the riband of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire in relation to his C.B.E., but he may have been unaware that he was entitled to wear the ribands of both Divisions.