Serving under the rank of Staff Serjeant, Robert entered the war with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force on 19 October 1915. On 27th July 1916 he was transferred to serve on HM Hospital Ship 'Goorkha', and was promoted to Acting Sergeant Major six days later, on the 2nd August 1916. On 10th October 1917 HMHS 'Goorkha' was mined off Malta while carrying 362 casualties and orders were given to abandon ship, the medical staff managed to clear all the casualties without any loss of life, and for his actions during this event, Robert was awarded an 'A' Class Mention in Dispatches, the citation reading as follows: "For valuable services rendered on the occasion of the sinking or damage by enemy action of Hospital Ships, Transports and Store Ships." After a brief period of leave and HMHS 'Goorkha' was repaired, Robert continued his service and remained with the ship until the end of hostilities. He returned to the UK at Southamption on 9 February 1919 and was attached to 48 Coy. On 1st August 1919 he was awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal. His service papers indicate that he was an expert in the rehabilitation of the patients, and his services, it appears, were widely requested. There is a letter from an R.A.M.C. Major-General, D.D.M.S. Scottish Command (also approved by the Director of Army Medical Services) to his employer, Archibald Young and Son of Edinburgh, requesting if he could be retained with the R.A.M.C. as a specialist reservist. However, in their reply, Archibald Young and Son requested that he be released from the Army immediately due to them being short staffed, and that his services were required by them to work with Colonel Sir N.J. Styles R.A.M.C. at Bangour War Hospital in Scotland, to help fit patients with artificial limbs and make visits to them in hospital and at their homes. In the letter they say that they were being hard pressed by the Army Director of Supply to increase their output considerably, and that Sgt Major Robertson would be of “great assistance in this work which is of national importance”. The R.A.M.C. reluctantly let Robert go and he was disembodied on 8th March 1919, with his address on discharge being given as 35 Marchmont Gardens, Edinburgh. Robert was the son of Mrs Veitch of 28 Melville Terrace, Edinburgh. [Information researched and kindly provided by Michael W Cook (photograph also courtesy of Michael)]