Robert Blair
Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) attchd to 9th Lancers
- Register No.
- 97 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) attchd to 9th Lancers all 2nd Dragoon Guards VCs →
- Date of action
- 28 September 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 18th June 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Born
- 13th March 1834 at Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland
- Died
- 28th March 1859 at Cawnpore, India
- Memorial / grave
- not known
- Medal held by
- the Queen's Dragoon Guards,
Digest of citation
On 28 per September 1857 at Bolandshahr, India, Lieutenant Blair was ordered to take a party of one sergeant and 12 men and bring in a deserted ammunition wagon. As they approached, 50 or 60 of the enemy on horseback attacked them, but without hesitation Lieutenant Blair formed up his men and gallantly led them through the rebels. He made good his retreat without losing a man, but leaving 9 of the enemy dead on the field. He himself was severely wounded in this action
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
BLAIR, Robert. (Reg No. 97).
Lieutenant 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) attchd to 9th Lancers. (Queen's Royal).
London Gazetted on 18th June 1858.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Queen's Dragoon Guards, Born on 13th March 1834 at Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland.
Died on 28th March 1859 at Cawnpore, India.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: On 28 per September 1857 at Bolandshahr, India, Lieutenant Blair was ordered to take a party of one sergeant and 12 men and bring in a deserted ammunition wagon. As they approached, 50 or 60 of the enemy on horseback attacked them, but without hesitation Lieutenant Blair formed up his men and gallantly led them through the rebels. He made good his retreat without losing a man, but leaving 9 of the enemy dead on the field. He himself was severely wounded in this action.
Additional information: he was the cousin of Captain James Blair
Additional information
he was the cousin of Captain James Blair
(Queen's Royal).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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