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Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 801, 5 November 1915, Page 7

A soldier who has been accomplishing big quantities of work with so little fuss that the outside world has scarcely heard of bim, is Sir William Robertson, K.C.V.0., K.C.8., D.5.0., with many other decorative letters of the alphabet strung after his name. He is General Sir John French's Chief of Staff, and his nosition, in relation to that of our Field Marshal in France, is rather neatly likened to that of general manager of a big commercial business to that of its chairman of directors. To the British Army itself, however, Sir William is well known for -his remarkable rise from the ranks to his present elevated post.

_ Sirt William's career makes good reading. A powerfully-built country boy, he went to London at the age of nineteen and enlisted in the Ninth Lancers. Promotion from the ranks is not frequent. But the door is kept open for a .private of good education and character. By passing a stiff examination he may obtain a commission. Young Robertson had 'had only an elementary education, but he set out to make up for the deficiency by study. He invested his shilling a day. which is the pay of a British private, in books. Not until he had served ten years did he. pass his examination, which- gave him a commission in the Third Dragoon Guards: He was then twenty-nine, and the average second lieutenant' had about eight years the start of him on the army list. In the course of lineal promotion 1 he could never hope to be more than, a major. Special promotion could come only by distinguishing 'himself.

Macdonald, who won fame by his charge at Omdurman, and other eminent British commanders who had risen from the ranks, had won their way as natural leaders of men in the field. Sir William Robertson's career is the more striking, because it is due to excellence in organisation. In India he won admiration for climbing up the military tree by sheer perseverance without any influence to leg him up. It was while in India that .he gained the D.S.O. He was on the staff in the South African war, and gained praise from both Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener. He went to France with the first British Expeditionary Force as quartermaster-gen-eral, in which capacity he was responsible for keeping the army overseas supplied. His success led to his appointment as chief of staff. All branches of the army's activities _ are under his direction, and it is his business to coordinate all and to amalgamate the forces of the new armies with, the old. It is mainly due to him that throughout the big retreat from Mons to the Aisne the British army never went short of food.