Roberts, Frederick Sleigh "Bobs"

Date of birth:: September 30th, 1832 (Cawnpore/North-Western Provinces, British India)
Date of death:: November 14th, 1914 (St. Omer/Pas-de-Calais, France)
Buried on:: Crypt St. Paul’s Cathedral
Nationality:: British

Biography

Promotions:

12 December 1851: 2nd Lieutenant
31 May 1857: Lieutenant
12 November 1860: 2nd Captain
13 November 1860: Brever Major
15 August 1868: Brevet Lt. Col.
18 November 1868: Captain
5 juli 1872: Major
30 January 1875: Brevet Colonel
31 December 1878: Major General
11 November 1879: Lt. General (local)
26 July 1883: Lt. General
28 November 1890: General (supernumerary)
31 December 1891: General
25 May 1895: Field Marshal

Field Marshal Frederick Roberst died of pneumonia, while visiting Indian troops stationed at St Omer.

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Victoria Cross (VC)

Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: Bengal Artillery, Bengal Army
Awarded on:: December 24th, 1858

Lieutenant Roberts' gallantry has on every occasion been most marked.

On following the retreating enemy on 2 January 1858, at Khodagunge, he saw in the distance two Sepoys going away with a standard. Lieutenant Roberts put spurs to his horse, and overtook them just as they were about to enter a village. They immediately turned round, and presented their muskets at him, and one of the men pulled the trigger, but fortunately the caps snapped, and the standard-bearer was cut down by this gallant young officer, and the standard taken possession of by him. He also, on the same day, cut down another Sepoy who was standing at bay, with musket and bayonet, keeping off a Sowar. Lieutenant Roberts rode to the assistance of the horseman, and, rushing at the Sepoy, with one blow of his sword cut him across the face, killing him on the spot.

Mentioned in Dispatches

Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: Bengal Artillery, Bengal Army
Awarded on:: May 25th, 1858

"Lieutenant Roberts was most useful to me as Deputy - Assistant Quartermaster General."
- J. HOPE GRANT, Brigadier-General, Commanding Cavalry Division.

Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB, Military Division)

Rank:: Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit:: Bengal Artillery, Bengal Army
Awarded on:: September 10th, 1872

Commander of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (KCB/DCB, military division)

Rank:: Major-General
Unit:: Kurram Field Force, Bengal Army
Awarded on:: July 25th, 1879

Grand Cross of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (GCB, military division)

Rank:: Major-General
Unit:: Kabul Field Force, Bengal Army
Awarded on:: September 21st, 1880

Companion of the Indian Empire (CIE)

Rank:: Major-General
Unit:: Kabul Field Force, Bengal Army
Awarded on:: 1880

Commander of the Indian Empire (KCIE)

Rank:: Lieutenant-general
Unit:: Commander-in-Chief in India
Awarded on:: February 15th, 1887

Grand Commander of the Indian Empire (GCIE)

Rank:: Lieutenant-general
Unit:: Commander-in-Chief in India
Awarded on:: June 21st, 1887

Grand Commander of the Star of India (GCSI)

Rank:: General
Unit:: Commander-in-Chief in India
Awarded on:: June 3rd, 1893

Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick

Rank:: Field Marshal
Unit:: Commander-in-Chief of British forces
Awarded on:: 1897

Order of the Garter

Period:: Second Boer War (1899-1902)
Rank:: Field Marshal
Awarded on:: January 24th, 1901

THE King, as Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, hath been graciously pleased, by Letters Patent under His Royal Sign Manual and the Great Seal of the Order, bearing date this day, to dispense with all the Statutes and Regulations usually observed in regard to Installation, and to grant unto Field-Marshal Frederick Sleigh, Lord Roberta of Kandahar (since created Viscount St. Pierre and Earl Roberts of Kandahar in Afghanistan, and Pretoria in the Transvaal Colony, and of the City of Waterf ord), Knight of the said Most Noble Order, and duly invested with the Ensigns thereof, full power and authority
to exercise all rights and privileges belonging to a Knight Companion of the aforesaid Most Noble Order of the Garter, in as full and ample a manner as if his Lordship had been formally installed; any decree, rule, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.