DEATH OF SIR ALFRED ROBIN

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 210, 3 June 1935, Page 10

DEATH OF SIR ALFRED ROBIN

New Zealand Military Leader OUTSTANDING RECORD OF SERVICE The death occurred after an illness of several months at his home in Wellington, yesterday morning of Major-General Sir Alfred Robin, K.C.M.G., C.B. He was 75 years of age. Sir Alfred Robin was the only son of the late Mr. James Robin of Dunedin. He was born in 1860, and was educated at the Otago Boys’ High School. After leaving school he entered the coach and carriage building business, which had been conducted by his father for several years, and as he grew up and learned the technique of the industry, became a working partner in the business. But carriage-building and coachpainting far from occupied, the whole of his time as a young man. He was attached to volunteering, and, from the days when he was a member of the Otago Boys’ High School Cadets, he took a serious interest in soldiering. He studied earnestly, and soon gained a commission, later becoming captain of that crack volunteer mounted regiment, the Otago Hussars, which was the pride of Dunedin for many years. He was selected to command the contingent of mounted troops which were sent to England to represent New Zealand at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations held in commemoration of the sixtieth year of the reign of Queen Victoria. The men for that contingent were picked for their physique, character, general appearance, horsemanship, etc., and when on parade at Home created a most favourable impression. On his return to New Zealand Captain Robin was promoted major, with the command of the Otago Mounted Rifles, in which position he did such conspicuously good work that he was made a staff officer and became, m 1898, mounted infantry instructor for New Zealand.

He was thus engaged when the South African War broke out. Colonial troops who could ride were in demand by the British Government. The New Zealand Government answered the call

immediately, and .Major Robin was ap>pointed to the command of the First Contingent, which left Wellington for South Africa in 1599. In that campaign, during which he came into contact with the leaders of the British forces, Major Robin was mentioned in dispatches three times, and gained the Queen’s medal with five clasps. In 1900 he gained the decoration of C. 8., and given field rank as Lieut.-Colonel. After South Africa. In 190'' Lieutenant-Colonel Robin was given the brevet rank of colonel. On his return from the South African campaign he was appointed to command the Otago district. He was Chief of the General Staff and first military member of the New Zealand Council of Defence in 1907. Later he went to England to enter the War Office, and on his return was appointed General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces. In 1910 he was succeeded in that position by Major-General Alex. J. Godley (now Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Godley) ami was appointed Adjutant and Quartermaster-General. In March. 1912, he was appointed Dominion representative on the Imperial General Staff at the War Office (London), and in .Time of that year received bis commission as colonel in the Imperial Forces. He attended the Army manoeuvres in England in 1912 and 1913. and the grand manoeuvres in France in 1913, He returned to New Zealand early in 1914, and in February of that year was reappointed Quarter-master-General to the New Zealand Forces. On receipt of advice from Sir lan Hamilton in June, 1914, he commenced to reorganise the administrative side of the New Zealand headquarters and forces, and when General Godley left for Egypt early in the war, he became acting-commander of the New Zealand Forces within the Dominion. with Colonel Gibbons as his chief of staff. Two years after the Great War ended, he served a term as Acting-Administrator of the mandated territory of Western Samoa. He then held the rank of major-general. Order of Silver Wolf. The late Major-General Sir Alfred Robin was in April. 1933. awarded the highest order in the scout movement, the Order of the Silver Wolf. The honour was given him in recognition of the services he had rendered to the Boy Scout movelnent duriu" the previous ten years. Sir Alfred was honoured by his Majesty with the C.M.G. decoration in 1912. and four years later he was created K.C.M.G. He retired from military life in 1920. and. with {lie exception of his term as Acting-Administratoi at Samoa, lie has resided in Wellington. Sir Alfred was unmarried. He leaves a sister. Miss Margaret Robin, who has always kept house for him hi Wellington. At the request of Sir Alfred the funeral is to lie strictly private. There are to be no flowers and it is requested that no flowers be sent. The funeral will take place to-mor-row, leaving the residence at 2 o’clock.