Lieutenant-Colonel W.Q. Roberts
5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment

Lt. Col. Roberts is a very busy man with an important job as steward to the Duchy of Cornwall. That he is much respected in his local town of Bath is evident from the fact that he has been appointed a J.P. Yet he has never failed to spare a great deal of his time for his battalion, and is highly regarded throughout his Regiment, to which he is devoted.

(O.B.E. citation, 5 Jun 1952)

Born on 5 August 1912 in London, William Quincey Roberts was a Territorial Army officer and assistant land steward of the Duchy of Cornwall. He was commissioned into the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry in 1933 and was promoted to captain on mobilization in September 1939. He rose to second-in-command of the battalion but, spent much of the war stationed in England and Ireland, until the 43rd Wessex Division went to France in late June 1944.

Just over a month later, Roberts was elevated to command 5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment after the death of Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Child Pearson on 6 August. He quickly earned the Distinguished Service Order followed by the D.S.O. Bar for actions in March 1945. By that time he was in command of the 4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment, having been transferred from the 5th Wilts in October 1944. The original commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel N.C.E. Kenrick, who had lost part of a hand in early July, had recovered to retake command.

While with the 4th Dorsets, Roberts was badly wounded shortly before VE-Day but resumed command during the occupation of Germany. During the reorganization of the Territorial Army in 1947, Robert took command of the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. In civilian life, he succeeded his father as land steward of the Duchy of Cornwall in 1948. He held the position until retirement in 1977. In addition to TA service, Roberts was active in the British Legion and served as a local magistrate and high sheriff in Bath, Somerset, where he died on 1 August 1980.