Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...

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

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

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 (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

. After attending the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC) was a United Kingdom, British military academy for training infantry and cavalry Officer (armed forces), officers of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian Armies. It was founded in 1801 at Gre ...

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

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

in 1941. Between November 1942 and December 1944 he served as the Commanding Officer of the

1st Household Cavalry Regiment The Household Cavalry Composite Regiment was a temporary, wartime-only, cavalry regiment of the British Army consisting of personnel drawn from the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards. It was active in 1882 for service in the ...

, and from 1944 to 1946 he was Colonel of the Household Cavalry. In 1946 he served as a member of

East Suffolk County Council East Suffolk County Council was the county council of the administrative county of East Suffolk in east England. It came into its powers on 1 April 1889 and acted as the governing authority for the county until it was amalgamated with West Suffo ...

, 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 Gen ...

from 1950 to 1973, when he was invested as a

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...

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 celebr ...

. 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