Clement Robertson

Clement Robertson
Victoria Cross Medal
Born	15 December 1890 Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Died	4 October 1917 (aged 27) Zonnebeke, Belgium
Buried at	Oxford Road Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment
Wars	World War I Western Front
Awards	VC

Clement Robertson VC (15 December 1890- 4 October 1917) was born at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and was a South African recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early Life

Clarence's father, a captain in the Royal Artillery, was serving in South Africa when Clement was born on 15 December 1890. The family was from Ireland and Clement grew up in Delgany, although he went to school at Haileybury before attending Trinity College, Dublin.

Military Career

He was 26 years old, and an acting Captain in The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment, British Army, Special Reserve, Tank Corps during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 4 October 1917 at Zonnebeke, Belgium, Captain Robertson led his tanks in attack under heavy shell, machine-gun and rifle fire over ground which had been ploughed by shell-fire. He and his batman had spent the previous three days and nights going back and forth over the ground, reconnoitering and taping routes, and, knowing the risk of the tanks missing the way, he now led them on foot, guiding them carefully towards their objective, although he must have known that this action would almost certainly cost him his life. He was killed after the objective had been reached, but his skilful leading had already ensured success.^{[citation needed]}

He was buried at Oxford Road Cemetery, Belgium, 2 miles north-east of Ypres, in Plot II, Row F, Grave 7.

Robertson is also commemorated:

• in his parish church at Delgany, County Wicklow^[1]
• in Delgany Golf Club, of which he was a founder member, where his name is the first on the President's Cup.
• on one of the panels on the walls of the entrance hall of the 1937 Reading Room, Front Square, Trinity College.^[2]

Photo by Terry Macdonald

References

1. ^ "Robertson Memorial, Delgany, Christ Church," Irish War Memorials.
2. ^ "Welcome to the Irish War Memorials Project," Irish War Memorials.

• Find a grave
• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)

Persondata
Name	Robertson, Clement
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1890
Place of birth
Date of death	1917
Place of death