Alfred William Robin Major General Sir Alfred William Robin KCMG , CB ( 12 August 1860 – 2 June 1935 ) was a New Zealand military leader . Commander of the First New Zealand contingent during the Second Boer War in South Africa in 1899 , Robin later served as General Officer Commanding New Zealand Military Forces from 1914 to 1919 . For service during the First World War he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George , and was one of only 14 members of the New Zealand Military Forces to receive the French Legion of Honour decoration during the war . Early life . Alfred William Robin was born on 12 August 1860 in Riddells Creek , Victoria , Australia , to a baker and his wife . His family immigrated to New Zealand sometime in 1861 and settled in Dunedin , in the South Island , where his father set up a coach building business . In 1873 , after completing a year of high school , Robin started working for his father and eventually became a partner in the business . Military career . Robin had a keen interest in the military ; while at school he participated in the cadet program and in 1878 joined the New Zealand Regiment of Volunteer Artillery . He later served with the Southland Hussars and the Dunedin Cavalry Volunteers , and rose to the rank of sergeant major . In 1886 , the Dunedin Cavalry Volunteers became the Otago Hussars and three years later he was commissioned as a lieutenant . He was promoted to captain in 1891 and took over command of his unit . He was a highly regarded officer and his unit was one of the most efficient in the Volunteer Corps . In 1897 , he was selected to lead the New Zealand contingent to Queen Victoria ’ s Diamond Jubilee . His last command in the Volunteer Corps was as a commander of a newly formed mounted rifle battalion . In 1899 , Robin joined the New Zealand Permanent Forces as a professional soldier . He had resigned his partnership in the family business the previous year . His first posting was as an instructor to the South Island mounted rifle units and he established a tactical training school for officers . Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War , he led the first contingent of New Zealand volunteers , which numbered 215 men and their horses , to South Africa in November 1899 . Further contingents would follow . While there he commanded the 1st New Zealand Regiment , which was a combined formation of the first three contingents from New Zealand . Well regarded by the British officers that he served under in South Africa , he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and mentioned in dispatches three times and on his return to New Zealand in May 1901 he became a national celebrity . Robin was promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the Otago Military District and in 1906 he became Chief of General Staff of the New Zealand Permanent Forces ( soon to be reorganised as the New Zealand Military Forces ) and a member of the newly formed Council of Defence . The council recognised the need to implement compulsory military training to improve the state of New Zealand ' s armed forces and Robin worked to achieve this . In 1910 , following the dissolution of the Council of Defence , Robin became Adjutant and Quarter - master General . In this role he worked under Major General Alexander Godley , newly appointed as commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces . In 1912 he served overseas as New Zealand ' s representative in the War Office in London on the Imperial General Staff . He was also appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George the same year . Returning to New Zealand in 1913 , Robin resumed duties as Quarter - master General . Following the outbreak of the First World War , he played a key role in preparing the New Zealand Expeditionary Force ( NZEF ) for service overseas . An offer to serve overseas was rebuffed as the New Zealand government felt he was better employed in New Zealand . While Godley commanded the NZEF in the Middle East and France , Robin was commander of the New Zealand Military Forces at home . He worked to ensure that the NZEF were well maintained with reinforcements and supplies , and his work in this regard was recognised by Godley who recommended that Robin be appropriately rewarded . Promoted to brigadier general in 1915 , the following year he was promoted to major general and appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George . His service as commandant ended in late 1919 . In recognition of his wartime service , Robin was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d ’ honneur by the French President in March 1922 . This French award is uncommon to New Zealanders with fewer than 100 awards made , and Robin was one of only 14 members of the New Zealand Military Forces to be decorated with the Legion of Honour during the war . Later life . Robin served as the acting administrator of Western Samoa from 1920 to 1921 , retiring from the military in January 1921 . In his retirement he supported a number of charitable organisations including the Boy Scouts ' Association and the St John Ambulance Brigade . He was president of First New Zealand Mounted Rifles ' Association and was also involved with the South African War Veterans ' Association of New Zealand . He died in Wellington in June 1935 . Having never married , he had no children . He declined a military funeral .