Battledress blouse : Lieutenant General Sir H C H Robertson, Southern Command Accession Number: REL28463

Description

Khaki woollen Australian Army battledress blouse with two pleated patch breast pockets. The blouse is fastened down the centre by five concealed brown plastic buttons, and the belted waist is gathered and fastened by a blackened steel buckle. The collar has red staff officer's gorgets attached, and has a fold-over flap enabling it to be buttoned at the throat. There are concealed brown plastic buttons fastening the cuffs of the sleeves and the flaps of the pockets. Shoulder straps are secured by brown plastic buttons and are embroidered with the rank insignia of a lieutenant general. Below the shoulder strap on each sleeve is the machine embroidered cloth patch of Southern Command (the Southern Cross on a blue shield, surmounted by the Queen's Crown). The blouse is fully lined with olive green cotton, and has a pair of side opening internal pockets. The inside of the collar, cuffs, waist and placket are lined with khaki cotton drill. The fabric lining the rear waistband has three button holes for attachment to the battledress trousers. Above the right hand pocket are five rows of medal ribbons, representing: Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE), Distinguished Service Order (DSO), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-1920, Victory Medal, (with Mentioned in Despatches Oakleaf) 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, British War Medal 1939-1945, (with Mentioned in Despatches Oakleaf) Australia Service Medal, Korea Medal, United Nations Service Medal for Korea, George VI Coronation Medal, Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, Egyptian Order of the Nile, US Legion of Merit and Korean Order of Military Merit Taiguk.

Contextual Description

Sir Horace Clement Hugh ('Red Robbie') Robertson, born at Warrnambool, Victoria, in 1894, entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon as part of its second intake in 1912. The outbreak of the First World War meant that his class graduated early, and in November 1914, he was commissioned second lieutenant and posted to 10 Light Horse Regiment. Robertson served at Gallipoli and in the Middle East, reaching the rank of major. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Egyptian Order of the Nile, as well as being twice Mentioned in Despatches. As a member of the Permanent Army, he served in a number of staff positions post-war, and attended Staff College at Camberley in the United Kingdom during 1923-24, receiving an 'A' pass. Placed in command of 7 Military District he did much to develop the defences of the Northern Territory. After the outbreak of the Second World War, 'Red Robbie' was given command of 19 Brigade of the 6th Australian Division, and led it with considerable success in Libya during 1940-41. With the rank of major general, he returned to Australia after the commencement of hostilities with Japan, but it was 1945 before he received another active command, when he was posted to lead the 5th Division in New Britain. He ended the war in charge of the 6th Division in northern New Guinea, and in 1946 was promoted to command the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan as a lieutenant general. The commencement of hostilities in Korea saw Robertson receive the additional role of Commander-in-Chief, British Commonwealth Forces, Korea, although this was a non-operational post. He was knighted (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1950, and awarded the US Legion of Merit and the Korean Order of Military Merit Taiguk for his services in Japan and Korea. After returning to Australia, he became director-general of army recruiting, and was made head of Southern Command, but retired in 1954. Sir Horace died in Melbourne in 1960.

Details

People

• Lieutenant General Horace Clement Hugh Robertson KBE, DSO

Conflicts

• Period 1950-1959
• Korean War, 1950-1953

Places

• Victoria
• Australia

Units

• Southern Command

Tags

• Battledress blouses