m FREDERICK SLEIGH ROBERTS imn" --
Page 9
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Earl of Kandahar and Waterford
ElARL ROBERTS was born in India and educated at Eton and Sandhurst. He joined the Indian Army, fought through the Mutiny, being present at the second siege of Lucknow and its recapture, the battle of Cawnpore, and won the V.C. for gallantry at Khudaganj.
His reputation as a general was made in the Afghan wars which began in 1878. He fought a remarkable campaign which led to the recapture of Kabul, broke up a powerful force of Afghan rebels at Sherpur and carried out the relief of Kandahar. Roberts' force covered 313 miles in 22 days, a rate which was only possible at that time and under those conditions because of Roberts' innovation of a special transport corps.
After British disasters at Magersfontein, Stormberg and Colenso, Roberts took command in the South African War. He raised the sieges of Kimberley and Ladysmith, defeated and captured Cronje, the Boer commander, with a large force at Paardeberg, relieved Mafeking, and occupied Pretoria. Then Roberts handed over to Kitchener. Roberts was a man of great courage and popular with the rank and file of the Army. He was a methodical general and had a firm grasp of the problems of supply and transport gained during 22 years in the Quartermaster-General's staff in India.
After retiring he campaigned for compulsory military training for national defence ; but his ideas were in advance of political opinions. He died of pneumonia contracted while visiting the trenches to meet the first Indian troops to arrive in France during the Great War.