Robert Hilary Lockhart Whitelaw died of wounds on this day in 1917

Robert Hilary Lockhart Whitelaw was born at Tibbermore, Perthshire on 22 January 1895. His parents were William and Gertrude Whitelaw (née Thompson). They had six children.

Their home in 1901 was in Kensington. The Census that April reveals that his mother, then 33 years old and "living on her own means", was at home with her four children William, Audrey, Robert and Geoffrey (then 9, 7, 6 and 2). They had living with them no fewer than 11 servants: two nurses, three housemaids, a butler, footman, tutor, a kitchen maid, cook and a 16 year old sewing maid (from Switzerland).  

At the outbreak of war the Whitelaws were back in Scotland at 18 Rothesay Terrace, Edinburgh.

Robert was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond. He was a keen cricketer having played for the Grange Cricket Club, Edinburgh.

Robert gained a commission in the Royal Horse Guards before being sent to the Western Front on 8 November 1916. Wounded near Arras on 7 May 1917, he died of wounds in No.8 General Hospital, Rouen three weeks later and is now buried in St.Sever Cemetery, Rouen.

Robert's brothers served in the Great War; they too died. Younger brother 2/Lt Geoffrey Lacey died 14 April 1918 age 19. Older brother 2/Lt William died 14 February 1919 age 28. He was married. His son, William (later parliamentarian Willie Whitelaw), was born 28 June 1918, served with distinction in the Second World War and inherited the family estate from his grandfather in 1948.

2/Lt Robert Hilary Lockhart Whitelaw, Household Battalion