OC 33 Major Robert Carson was one of the first pupils to enter Campbell in 1894 and his father was one of the very first Trustees of the school. He played for the 1st XV between 1894 – 1896 (his brother William was captain of the team in 1894/95) and 1st XI in 1895. Robert was a keen sportsman and had been a member of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club, the Royal Belfast Golf Club and he played for the 2nd XV of the North of Ireland Football Club.

In May 1900 he passed out of Woolwich into the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and just three years later was promoted to Captain and only eight months before his death he reached the rank of Major.

During the war he served in the 139 Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Robert had had a distinguished military career, pre-war he had served in India for eight years and at the opening of World War One he was sent to France. It was in Martinsart, south of Arras, France that he died. At this time Martinsart was close to the Allied front and it would have been during the fierce fighting that he was killed.

He died after having left his dugout during a heavy bombardment, on 24th August 1916, to check that the men of his company were safely under cover. Field Marshal Viscount French mentioned him in dispatches for gallant and distinguished conduct in the field. He was 37 years old and is buried in Martinsart British Cemetery

Old Campbellian