The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-30
Bahadur did not know, and no man in India with whom he could not talk.
WENT TO INDIA

After his 10 years service in the Six teenth Lancers, now known as King All fonso's Own" Robertson received his first commission as second lieutenant In the Third Dragoon Guards, and was sent 10 India. He chose the Indian service wisely. knowing that he could not live on his pay in crack regiments at home, and moreover, at that time India was the place for a young officer who Intended to work and make career It was III India that he saw his first fighting, in the Chitral campaign, and it was in th1s campaign that his career nearly came to an end. He was then Lieutenant Rob- ertson, and he was out on a reconna1s- sance Requiring a sketch of the en- emy's position, he handed his sword to native guide and craWled forward. sud denly the guide fired on him With double barrelled sporting rifle. the charge from one barrel passing through one sleeve of his tunic and the charge from the other barrel passing through the other sleeve but without scratching him. Robertson dashed for the man firing with his revolver, but the revolver damned and he threw it away and grappled with the traitor and choked him into insensl- bility, but not before he was cut over the head with his own sword. Two more native guides made a rush for him, but before they could reach him his ghurka
 
 He won the distinguished service order in this campaign and definitely attracted the attention of his superiors, chief among whom was the late Lord Roberts, who formed very high opinion of Rob- ertson's ability.
 IN SOUTH AFRICA
 When the South African war broke out it found Robertson captain but his ability as a linguist and strategist had been recognized by this time and he was made an intelligence officer at headduar- ters. He came out of that war colonel and then he did a most amazing thing for ranker officer, or indeed for any officer of his seniority. Ne secured per- mission to attend the staff college a Camberley, in order that he might obtain the magic letters, "P. s. C." Passed Staff college) after his name, and the right to wear the red collar tabs which indicate this distinction. Of course he passed brilliantly for there was little of the art of war that the staff college pro- fessors could teach him, and most sur prising thing of all he. a ranker, graduate of the village school was ap- pointed director of the Staf college in 191O While he was there he insisted on a close study of the various continental army systems, and there is little doubt that whatever success the British have achieved so far in this war, is due in large part to the educational system of staff officers instituted by his ex-private soldier at Britain's chief military train- ing school. By this time he was major general and in 1914 he became lieuten- ant general. He became a. full general last year and he is probably next on the list for promotion to the rank of field marshal. In his present position, however, his name is signed to the or ders which all the field marshals in the army, except Kitchener himself. must obey.
 GLUTTON FOR WORK
 Like most men of his type, Robertson is a glutton for work and hardly knows what fatigue means. He is also a mas ter of detail When he was quartermas- ter general to Sir John French at the Aldershot command, in the two or three years before the war began, he made him. self familiar with every detail of pro- visioning, clothing, and generally catering for the army. He introduced lot of re- forms, one being what is known as the iron ration,' the little package of con- densed food which each man must carry