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Captain Robie Uniacke
Late Irish Guards
by his cousin Daniel Corbett
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Robie was born on 4th August 1935 to my late Aunt Jane, who had first met his father to be, another Robie Uniacke, whilst staying with my uncle, Arthur Corbett RHA, who was stationed in Cairo in the early 1930s. Most confusingly, all first-born male children of the family bear this same first name and tragically Lieutenant Colonel Robie senior was killed in action at the Battle of Gazala in North Africa on 2nd June 1942 whilst commanding 5th Royal Tank Regiment. Young Robie never forgot the date.
Robie was educated at Woodcote House School in Windlesham, followed by Eton and then the Irish Guards in 1955, his choice being entirely appropriate as the Uniackes are an old-established Anglo-Irish family. He was also no doubt encouraged by our cousin, Colonel Tommy Lindsay, who served with the Micks from 1922 until after the war. Whilst at school Robie excelled at sport and became a member of Pop. His exploits were legendary, and one occasion it was said he consumed six strong gin-based libations at tea before memorably scoring a century against the team that had plied him with those very drinks, thus hoping to incapacitate him! He played all games for the Regiment, and in 1959 was selected to ski for the Army in the Inter-Services Ski Championships alongside John Oakes, another Irish Guardsman, who was Army Champion. Later in 1964, with Brian Gilbart-Denham, Julian Reynolds, and Tim Trusted he skied for the Regiment in St Moritz and Lermoos, winning the Divisional Championship. His skiing style was fearless.
Robie had a very sound mathematical brain; he was a fine backgammon player and to play him could be termed as high risk! His military service included stints in Berlin, the Cyprus emergency in 1957 and 1959, Windsor, Public Duties, and finally BAOR. He held a brigade staff job in Colchester that was not exactly his métier, so when a member of the Royal Family died, he seized the opportunity, telling his superior he had to leave at once for 10 days of Court Mourning. In fact, he and his wife Sally repaired for a few days to the Marbella Club in Spain to enjoy the sun! Returning to the Battalion it took him no more than three days to galvanize a platoon of normally sedentary MT drivers to win the Langton Trophy, but then his Guardsmen always did that much more for the Captain ‘Union Jack’! He left the Army in 1964 to become a stockbroker, at one time working with Richard King and Hughie O’Neill, both former Micks.
Robie, who died on 13th October 2023 aged 88, was my first cousin, always stylish and, as someone truthfully said: ‘with him there was never a dull moment’! I remember him when I was young as a rather senior older brother, even though I happen to possess such a Mick relation in any case! He, Robie, was always kind to those younger than himself and I especially recollect him coming to see me at my prep school, driving a pre-war British Racing Green Wolseley Hornet sports car that was the admiration of my fellow pupils and enhanced the status of a nine-year-old schoolboy. To continue in the automotive vein, Robie, together with his lifelong friend and future Grenadier James West, left the road and all but demolished the Hero of Inkerman pub at Bagshot when motoring back from London very early one morning whilst at Sandhurst. Consequently, it might be considered not entirely surprising that Robie was later only awarded a pass at the somewhat lowly grade of ‘E’ in the MT Officers’ Road Safety Course in 1963. As it was his grandmother’s car that was written off, popularity was in short supply not only within the family, but also at the somewhat diminished public house. Later, one of his noteworthy driving exploits was to enter the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon, a 10,000-mile car rally described as the world’s longest and toughest endurance event. Tragically when he and his team reached Kabul he was met with the dreadful news that his wife Sally had been killed in a road traffic accident.
Robie was left devastated with two young children, Robie younger and Camilla, but happily found happiness when he married Sue Verney with whom he had a further son Caspar and a daughter Kate who died very young. Sadly, Sue also died after a long and valiant battle with cancer in 2008. Latterly Robie moved to France with his wife Caroline where he enjoyed the tranquility of the French countryside, but as the economic situation changed he moved home to Yorkshire. He still made annual visits to St Moritz where the staff of the Palace Hotel used to greet him as ‘il Capitano’ to his amusement!
Robie was a person of almost unique charisma and his unreserved affection and care for his Guardsmen was a most precious part of his complex character. Nothing gave him more pleasure than his long connection with the Irish Guards Association West Midlands Branch and in particular with various personalities thereof with whom he made lifelong friendships. After he died, one of his contemporaries made the succinct observation that ‘if one ever found oneself in a tight spot, Robie was the man who you would have liked to have had at your side’, a fitting tribute for any soldier.
Finally, I am indebted to Brigadier David Webb-Carter for his kind assistance in filling in some of the details of Robie’s career hitherto unknown to me. |
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