Lewis Robertson


Captain Lewis Robertson was a Scottish rugby union player. He played for London Scottish FC and was capped nine times for between 1908 and 1913. He also played for the Army from 1904 to 1914, and several other clubs.
After leaving school, he attended RMC Sandhurst and, passing out with honours, he joined the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1903. He was killed in World War I from wounds received in action at Ypres. He is buried at the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.

Early life

Lewis Robertson was born on 4 August 1883, the third son of James, a wine merchant, and Agnes Rae Robertson of Edinburgh. His siblings were Agnes, William, James, Katherine, Jessie, and Frances. He attended Cargilfield Preparatory School, and Fettes College, and then went on to RMC Sandhurst.

Rugby career

Robertson played rugby for Fettesian-Lorettonian, London Scottish, Monkstown, Edinburgh Wanderers, and United Services. He also represented RMC Sandhurst against RMA Sandhurst in 1902, and the Army in the annual match against the Navy from 1909 to 1914. In the last year, he was captain of the Army XV but he voluntarily offered to relinquish his position because he deemed himself out of form and unworthy of it, according to an article published after his death in Windsor Magazine.
He earned nine caps for between 1908 and 1913. The first was against in March 1908, and three years passed before he was selected a second time, for the match against in February 1911. The following year, 1912, he played in every game for Scotland, including the one against the South African side on tour of the Home Nations and France. In 1913, he played in the three matches against the Home Nations, his last against England in a close-fought match at Twickenham, which the home side won by one try to nil.

International appearances

OppositionScoreResultDateVenue
16–10Win21 March 1908Inverleith
10–32Lost4 February 1911Inverleith
21–6Lost3 February 1912Swansea
10–8Lost24 February 1912Lansdowne Road
8–3Won16 March 1912Inverleith
0–16Lost23 November 1912Inverleith
0–8Lost1 February 1913Inverleith
29–14Won22 February 1913Inverleith
3–0Lost15 March 1913Twickenham

Military service

Robertson passed out of RMC Sandhurst with honours, and joined the 1st Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders as Second Lieutenant on 22 April 1903. His regiment transferred to Dublin in 1905. He was promoted to Lieutenant effective 11 March 1909. In January 1911, he was appointed an Assistant Superintendent of Gymnasia. At the outbreak of the First World War, Robertson was recalled to the depot in Inverness, and was then briefly at Aldershot before his regiment crossed to France in September 1914 to fight on the Aisne. On 2 November 1914, Robertson was in the trenches at Ypres, when he was wounded in the arm. After having the wound dressed, he returned to his company and was wounded a second time, more seriously, and he died the following day.
He is buried at the Ypres Reservoir Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery.