MacRobert baronets

Coat of Arms of MacRobert.

The MacRobert Baronetcy, of Douneside in the County of Aberdeen, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 5 April 1922 for Alexander MacRobert, a self-made millionaire. He was succeeded by his eldest son Alasdair in June of that year. Tragedy struck the family again when Alasdair was killed in a flying accident in 1938, and the title passed to his younger brother Roderic. In May 1941 Roderic was killed in action whilst flying a Hawker Hurricane fighter in the Middle East,[1] and just over a month later on 30 June 1941, the title became extinct when the youngest brother Iain, was also killed in action whilst serving with the Royal Air Force.[2] Their mother, Rachel, Lady MacRobert (1884–1954), gave £25,000 to purchase a Short Stirling bomber, the aircraft was named "MacRobert's Reply" in memory of her three sons. Lady MacRobert believed that her sons had lived up to the family motto Virtutis Gloria Merces – translated as Honour is the Reward of Bravery.[3] The MacRobert Award, which has been presented every year since 1969 by the Royal Academy of Engineering, is named in honour of Lady MacRobert.[4]

The Flight Of The Eaglets

Pipe Major W. Ross composed the slow march (or lament) in memory of Lady MacRobert's three sons in 1944. It is in the Scots Guards Standard Settings Of Pipe Music 1954, page 70. Also played by Angus Grant, the Lochaber Fiddler.

MacRobert's Reply

After the deaths of the three Macrobert brothers in RAF service, their mother, Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert, wanted to honour and commemorate them. She donated £25,000 to buy a Short Stirling bomber, which was named 'MacRobert's Reply'.

The plane had serial number N6086 and had the MacRobert coat of arms painted on its nose. The plane was handed over to her crew at RAF Wyton on October 10, 1941, with Lady MacRobert attending the naming ceremony. She was assigned to No. 15 Squadron and was given the code "LS-F" ("LS", the squadron code for No. 15 Squadron, and "F for Freddie"). (Some later aircraft of 15 Squadron were named 'MacRobert's Reply', always with code LS-F). The aircraft flew twelve missions, from October 1941 through January 1942. On 7 February 1942, the plane veered off during take-off at RAF Peterhead, and collided with a damaged Spitfire.

After this accident, a second Short Stirling, serial numberW7531, was named 'MacRobert's Reply'. It was not officially named 'MacRobert's Reply', until after entering service in March 1942. The aircraft was lost during a minelaying raid against the Øresund in May 1942; it was brought down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into Gals Klint Forest, near the town of Middelfart. Only one member of the crew, Donald Jeffs, survived the crash.

Since World War II, three other No. 15 Squadron aircraft have carried the name 'MacRobert's Reply' and borne the MacRobert family crest: a Blackburn Buccaneer and three Panavia Tornados.

The MacRobert Fighters

HL735 "The MacRobert Fighter – Sir Roderic" being handed over to No. 94 Squadron RAF at El Gamil, Egypt
Sir Iain, Sir Roderic and Sir Alasdair third fourth and fifth from camera respectively

Lady MacRobert also sponsored four Hawker Hurricanes, three named after her sons and the fourth honouring the fighting spirit of the Russian allies.[5] They were handed over to No. 94 Squadron RAF, in which Sir Roderic had served, in Egypt on 19 September 1942.

In the 1960s three Slingsby Swallow gliders for the Air Training Corps were named after the MacRobert brothers: Sir Alasdair, Sir Iain and Sir Roderic.

In 2017, Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 ZJ919 based at RAF Lossiemouth had the markings of 'The MacRobert Fighter - Sir Roderic' added on the side fuselage below the cockpit canopy, thus maintaining the connection between the MacRobert family and RAF Lossiemouth following the disbandment of XV(R) Squadron which had operated the flagship of the squadron's Tornado GR4 fleet 'MacRobert's Reply'.

Aircraft

MacRobert's Reply
Short Stirling N6086, LS-F operated by No. 15 Squadron RAF.
Short Stirling W7531, LS-F operated by No. 15 Squadron RAF.
Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer, XT287, given the code F in memoriam, operated by No. 15 Squadron RAF.
Panavia Tornado GR.1, ZA446 given the code F in memoriam, operated by No. 15 Squadron RAF.
Panavia Tornado GR.4, ZA602:F operated by No. 15(R) Squadron RAF.
Panavia Tornado GR.4, ZD741 LS:F operated by No. 15(R) Squadron RAF, in 2017
Sir Iain
Hawker Hurricane operated by No. 94 Squadron RAF.
Slingsby Swallow glider for the Air Training Corps.
Sir Roderic
Hawker Hurricane HL735 operated by No. 94 Squadron RAF.
Slingsby Swallow glider for the Air Training Corps.
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 ZJ919 in 6 Squadron markings, with 'The MacRobert Fighter - Sir Roderic' marking on front side fuselage below cockpit canopy.
Sir Alasdair
Hawker Hurricane operated by No. 94 Squadron RAF.
Slingsby Swallow glider for the Air Training Corps.
One Hurricane commemorating Russian allies operated by No. 94 Squadron RAF.

MacRobert baronets, of Douneside (1922)

  • Sir Alexander MacRobert, 1st Baronet (1854–1922)
  • Sir Alasdair Workman MacRobert, 2nd Baronet (1912–1938)
  • Sir Roderic Alan MacRobert, 3rd Baronet (1915–1941)
  • Sir Iain Workman MacRobert, 4th Baronet (1917–1941)

References

  1. ↑ http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2170242
  2. ↑ http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1079764
  3. ↑ http://www.aoth17.dsl.pipex.com/mrr/history1.htm
  4. ↑ The MacRobert Trust
  5. ↑ "MacRobert Aircraft – A Woman's Courage And Sacrifice" in The Argus, Melbourne, 16 January 1943
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