Robert Appleby Bartram (British Army officer)

Colonel Robert Appleby Bartram, MC, TD, DL (2 April 1894 – 1981) was a British soldier and shipbuilder.

Early life
Bartram was born in Sunderland, the son of George Bartram (1860–1910) and his wife Euphemia Walker OBE, née Rhind, (1871–1956). His namesake grandfather was Sir Robert Appleby Bartram.

Military career
Bartram served in the Scottish Horse during World War I in Gallipoli, Macedonia and France.

In 1938 he took Command of his Regiment, the Scottish Horse, and was responsible for its mobilization at the start of the Second World War. At Dunkeld in 1939 he led the Regiment on its last exercise on horseback before it was split into two and re-roled as gunners.

He remained in command of part of his old Regiment, the 79th (Scottish Horse) Medium Regiment of Royal Artillery until 1940. Retaining his close link to the Scottish Horse, he was the last Honorary Colonel to be appointed and served in this post from 29 May 1952 to its amalgamation 1956. He was then the first Honorary Colonel of the new Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse an appointment he held until 28 Mar 1957.

Civic appointments
He was appointed High Sheriff of Durham in April 1950 and a Deputy Lieutenant of Durham in 1956.

Civilian life
He took over his Grandfather's Ship Building Company, Bartram & Sons, from his grandfather in 1925 and continued to run it with his brother, George Hylton Bartram, until it was sold in 1968. He died in County Durham in 1981, aged 87.