Robb was commissioned into the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) in August 1880.[4][5]
He became adjutant of his regiment in 1890 before going on to be a brigade major at Aldershot in 1892.[4] Appointed a staff captain in the intelligence division at army headquarters in 1895, he became Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at Army Headquarters in 1896.[4]
Robb took part in the Nile expedition in 1898, and was then placed on half-pay[6] and promoted to lieutenant colonel on 16 November 1898. In early 1902 he became Assistant Adjutant General at Army Headquarters, with the substantive rank of colonel dated 1 January 1902.[7] For his service in organizing troops during the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, he was invested as a Member (fourth class) of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) two days after the ceremony, on 11 August 1902.[8][9] He was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general and appointed commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade,[10] as well as the Colchester Garrison, and was placed in charge of Administration at Aldershot Command in February 1910, taking ovrr from Major General Henry Merrick Lawson.[11] He became Assistant Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1914.[4]
Robb served in World War I, was promoted to temporary lieutenant general on 5 August 1914,[12] and, after being made military secretary to the secretary of state for war as well as secretary of the selection board in October,[13] was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in February 1915.[14] He served as Military Secretary and was then placed in charge of Administration at Eastern Command in 1916,[4] in succession to Major-General Richard M. Ruck.[15] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in June 1919[16] retired that year.[4]
Robb was also colonel of the Durham Light Infantry from January 1923[17] to 1928.[4]
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
British Army
British Army