Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"Robert Mackay Stodart (1879-1956), soldier and businessman, was born on 14 September 1879 in Brisbane. From Brisbane Grammar School, he entered business. In October 1897 he enlisted in the Queensland Mounted Infantry. Promoted lieutenant in 1898, he served in the South African War and was awarded the Queen's medal with three clasps. Robert was a captain in the 13th Light Horse Regiment from 1903 and military adjutant in 1907-11; promoted major in 1908, he commanded the 13th L.H.R. from April 1912. Transferred to the 2nd L.H.R. in July, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1913 and continued to command this regiment until 1921.

During World War I Stodart had served at Gallipoli from May to September 1915 in charge of the 2nd L.H.R. Although wounded on 6 June, he remained on duty until evacuated on 15 September. From Egypt on 3 March 1916 he embarked for home medically unfit. He commanded troops on sea transports until 15 April 1917 when his appointment in the Australian Imperial Force was terminated.

On the retired list of the Australian Military Forces with the rank of honorary colonel from April 1921, Stodart commanded the 1st Cavalry Brigade in Brisbane and became a full colonel in 1935. He was aide-de-camp to the governors-general Sir Isaac Isaacs and Lord Gowrie in 1935-40. Appointed an honorary brigadier on 1 May 1940, Stodart became Queensland member of the Joint State Council, Voluntary Aid Detachments, and chairman of the Compensation Board, Northern Command. During his military career he was appointed chevalier of the Order of Vasa and commander brother of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.

In the inter-war years Stodart had taken over his father's business and was much involved in public affairs. On 4 July 1912 he had married Adele Madelene Abercrombie at the Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin, Brisbane. Survived by three daughters, Stodart died at his Coorparoo home on 29 June 1956 and was cremated." - SOURCE (adb.anu.edu.au)

Robert Mackay Stodart was born on the 14th September 1879 in Brisbane, the eldest of 4 children born to his parents James and Elizabeth Stodart.  Robert had 3 younger siblings, James and twins Charles and Georgina.

Robert was educated at “Mr Marks’ School”, otherwise known as Bowen House Preparatory Boys School, and later at Brisbane Grammar School where his military career began as a Cadet in 1894, promoted to Sergeant 1895 and then to Cadet Under Officer 1896.  His school report noted “Manly and earnest showing qualities as officer of cadets, which promise well”. 

Upon completing his education he entered his father’s merchant business in Brisbane.  His father was a prominent member of the Brisbane community and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for 24 years.

On the 11th October 1897 Robert enlisted in the Queensland Mounted Infantry aged 18.  He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 26th November 1898.  When the Boer War broke out he served with this unit of 10 Officers and 144 other ranks.  He’s described as being 5ft 8ins tall with brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion.  He embarked from Brisbane for South Africa on the ship Maori King on the 13th January 1900.  He disembarked at Cape Town on the 24th January and proceeded to Maitland Camp.  Four days later he and his unit entrained for Modder River and arrived there on the 3rd March joining Lord Roberts’ Field Force.  He was involved in action at Saw action at Osfontein, Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Vet and Zand Rivers, Diamond Hill, Riet Vlei, Johannesburg, Zilikat’s Nek & Middleburg.  From the 12th to 18th February 1901 Robert was attached Lord Kitchener’s Column.  He embarked from Cape Town on SS Tongariro on the 31st March 1901 and arrived in Sydney Australia on the 29th April.  He entrained from Sydney for Brisbane on the 1st May and arrived there on the 3rd May.  For his service in the Boer War he was awarded the Queen's Medal with three clasps.   

In 1902 Robert was selected to command the Queensland Contingent of 16 men to the Coronation of King Edward VII in London.  He remained serving with the Queensland Mounted Infantry and in January 1903 he was appointed Field Aide-de-camp.  In September that year he was appointed to command No. 1 Squadron of the 13th Light Horse Regiment.  He was promoted to Captain on 7th November 1903 and Military Adjutant from 1903-1911.  On 5th October 1908 Robert was promoted to Major and commanded the 13th Light Horse Regiment from April 1912.

Robert married Adele Madelene Abercrombie at the Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin in Brisbane on 4th July 1912.  They had 3 daughters...Margaret, Adele and Cecil, known as Sheena.  The family home was at “Boonburgh” Chatsworth Road, Coorparoo.

In July 1912 Robert transferred to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1913 and continued to command this regiment until 1916.  In 1914 Robert was instrumental in gaining approval from the Prime Minister for the wearing of emu feathers in the Light Horse headdress – a custom derived from the practice originating in the Queensland shearers’ strike of 1891.  In May 1914 Robert was appointed Vice-Consul for Sweden in Queensland serving with his father who was Consul at the time. 

When WW1 broke out Robert enlisted in the AIF on 18th August 1914 aged 35.  His rank was Lieutenant Colonel and he was appointed as the first Commanding Officer of the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment.  This was part of the 1st Light Horse Brigade which was part of the 1st Contingent.  The unit trained at Enoggera Camp then embarked from Brisbane on 24th September 1914 on HMAT Star of England.  Upon arrival in Egypt they proceeded to Maadi Camp. 

On 5th May 1915 the unit embarked from Alexandria Egypt for Gallipoli on HMHS Devanha.  They disembarked at Anzac Cove 2 days later under fire.  On 6th June Robert was wounded in the nose by a sniper’s bullet at Monash Gully but he remained on duty.  During the offensive across The Nek, Quinn’s Post and Pope’s Hill, on 6th August Robert decided to not commit his Regiment in view of the slaughter being experienced.  He was censured for this decision but exonerated in later years.

On 15th September 1915 Robert was evacuated from Gallipoli on HMHS Nevasa suffering from a hernia.  He was admitted to 19th General Hospital at Alexandria 5 days later but refused to be operated on.  He was transferred to 1st Australian General Hospital (AGH) at Heliopolis in Cairo in early October.  He was readmitted with jaundice in late November and again in late December was admitted to Helouan Hospital.  He was discharged on 31st January 1916.  After being admitted to 1st AGH in late February and once again refusing to have the operation on his hernia, the medical board deemed him unfit for active service and that he be returned to Australia.  He embarked from Suez on HMAT Argyllshire on 3rd March and disembarked at Melbourne on the 30th March 1916.  He proceeded to Brisbane where he was admitted to the 6th AGH for hernia surgery in early April.  His appointment was terminated on the 31st August 1916.  After convalescing from his operation Robert continued to serve in WW1 but in different way.  He commanded troops on sea transports with his first voyage embarking from Sydney in November 1916 on HMAT Beltana and his last voyage embarking from Plymouth UK in February 1917 on HMAT Ulysses.  He arrived home in Brisbane on the 12th April 1917 and was discharged 3 days later. 

On 7th August 1918 at Albert Square in Brisbane, the Governor-General Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, presented Robert with the VD Medal (Volunteer Officers’ Decoration) for long and meritorious service by an Officer of the United Kingdom Volunteer Force. 

In May 1919 Robert was appointed as the Queensland representative of a movement for erecting an ANZAC Memorial on the banks of the Suez Canal.  The memorial stood in the gardens of the Casino Palace Hotel and was unveiled on 23rd November 1932, however, it was destroyed at the climax of the Suez Crisis on 24th December 1956.  A replica was made of the memorial and unveiled on 11th October 1964 and now stands at Mount St Clarence in Albany WA.  It became known as the ‘Desert Mounted Corps Memorial’.  A second memorial replica unveiled in 1968 now stands at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra ACT.

In April 1921 Robert was placed on the retired list of the Australian Military Forces and on 1st August that year he was given the rank of Honorary Colonel.  That same year he was appointed as the Consul for Sweden in Queensland for which he was appointed Commander of the Order of Vasa. This was a Swedish order of chivalry awarded for service to state and society in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce.  He served in this role till 1956.

From July 1931 Robert was re-activated and given command of the 1st Cavalry Brigade in Brisbane.  He was promoted to Temporary Colonel on 11th July 1931 and then to Colonel on 1st July 1935.  From 1935-1940 he was Aide-de-camp to Governors-General Sir Isaac Isaacs and Lord Gowrie.  On He was promoted to Temporary Brigadier on 1st July 1938 and then promoted to Honorary Brigadier on 1st May 1940.  He was appointed as a  Queensland member of the Joint State Council of Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD) and chairman of the Compensation Board Northern Command.  His last active service with the 1st Cavalry Brigade, the largest cavalry brigade in Australia, was to control the highly successful 3 months training period which finished in late April 1940 after a long trek from Beaudesert to Caboolture. 

In the inter-war years Robert had taken over his father's business and was very involved in public affairs.  He served on a number of company boards including National Mutual Life Association, City of Brisbane Building Society, Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade (for 30 years including a term as President), Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (including a term as President).  He also served on a number of community and charitable entities...Trustee of the War Nurses Fund, Trustee of the Brisbane General Cemetery, Brisbane Chamber of Commerce, National Parks Association and the Coorparoo Rifle Club.

In 1953 Robert was appointed a Commander of the Order of St John of Jerusalem for long service to the St John’s Ambulance Association having joined the Club in 1898 on commissioning at age 19.  This decoration was awarded for actions taken in such a manner as to strengthen the spirit of mankind and to encourage and promote humanitarian and charitable work aiding those in sickness, suffering and danger.

Robert died at his Coorparoo home on 29 June 1956 aged 76 and was privately cremated.

Robert is commemorated on the Brisbane Grammar School Boer War Honour Board and the Coorparoo School of Arts and Memorial Hall WW1 Honour Board which was unveiled by his father, James Stodart Esquire M.L.A. on 24th June 1916.  The name of Robert’s brother Charles is also on this Honour Board.  In 1916 he was both Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Military Cross.              

For service across 3 wars Robert Mackay Stodart was awarded the following medals:

BOER WAR - Queen’s Medal with 3 clasps

WORLD WAR 1 - 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, the Anzac Commemorative Medallion

WORLD WAR 2 - 1939-1945 War Medal.

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 29th March 2022.         

SOURCES

https://www.unitedserviceclub.com.au/application/files/2516/1543/7539/HIG_Biography_-_STODART_v1.1__L.pdf