Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Sir Robert Eric Sherlock Gooch, 11th Baronet (6 May 1903 – 13 November 1978) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer and local politician. Gooch was the son of Sir Thomas Vere Sherlock Gooch, 10th Baronet and Florence Meta Draper. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

. After attending the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC), founded in 1801 and established in 1802 at Great Marlow and High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, but moved in October 1812 to Sandhurst, Berkshire, was a British Army military academy for training infantry a ...

, Gooch commissioned into the Life Guards. He saw active service during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

in 1941. Between November 1942 and December 1944 he served as the Commanding Officer of the 1st Household Cavalry Regiment, and from 1944 to 1946 he was Colonel of the Household Cavalry. In 1946 he served as a member of East Suffolk County Council, and on 7 July of that year he succeeded to his father's

baronetcy A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

. In 1950 he held the office of

High Sheriff of Suffolk This is a list of Sheriffs and High Sheriffs of Suffolk. The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually (in March) by the Crown. The Sheriff was originally the principal law enforcement officer in the county a ...

. Gooch was a member of the

Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms His Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms is a bodyguard to the British Monarch. Until 17 March 1834, they were known as The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners. Formation The corps was formed as the Troop of Ge ...

from 1950 to 1973, when he was invested as a

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

in the

1973 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1973 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1973 to celebra ...

. In 1963 was promoted to Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant of the Corps, and in 1968 he became Lieutenant. He married Katherine Clervaux Chaytor, daughter of Major General Sir Edward Chaytor and Louisa Jane Collins, on 10 November 1926. Together they had four children. Gooch was succeeded in his title by his second son, Richard.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gooch, Robert 1903 births 1978 deaths British Army personnel of World War II British Life Guards officers Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst High Sheriffs of Suffolk Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Members of East Suffolk County Council Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain People educated at Eton College