[3] The highlights of Cobbe's military career can be tracked by the regular records of his promotions and deeds published in the London Gazette.

In 1903, in order to avoid confusion, the designation 'Indian Staff Corps' as applied to officers on regimental duty was withdrawn and replaced by the more appropriate term 'Indian Army', which is how Cobbe was referred to in all later Gazette entries.

[1] In October 1899, Cobbe was appointed second in command of the 1st Battalion, Central African Rifles, and given the local rank of captain.

Despite his wounds, by late September he was involved in further clearing up operations and led his men on the left flank of a major attack.

Cobbe was indeed rewarded as in November 1900 he was promoted to the substantive rank of captain in the Indian Staff Corps, and made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO),[4] as well as being awarded the Ashanti Medal with clasp "Kumassi".

However, by the end of the year the Diiriye Guure[5] had recommenced raiding and a second expedition, including Cobbe and his men, was mounted against him.

Although the north face of the square was pierced and a Maxim gun lost, the Yao Company of the Central Africa Battalion recovered the situation.

[1] The announcement of the award was made in the London Gazette of 20 January 1903 with the description of his act of courage as follows: During the action at Erego, on 6 October 1902, when some of the Companies had retired, Lieutenant-Colonel Cobbe was left by himself in front of the line, with a Maxim gun.

He then went out under an extremely hot fire from the enemy about 20 yards in front of him, and from his own men (who had retired) about the same distance behind, and succeeded in carrying in a wounded Orderly.

[6]Still in British Somaliland in 1903, Cobbe was commanding a flying column ahead of the main body moving against Diiriye Guure.

Having established a zariba (a camp fortified with a thorn hedge) near Gumburu, he had cause to send forward a company of men under Lieutenant Colonel Plunkett to secure the return of a small scouting party.

[1] Michael Jones, in his book Colworth in Context, says, "Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Cobbe VC, a career soldier, left in September 1914 to join an Indian Sikh regiment at the front line with William Eyre, one of Albert Bowen's employees, as his personal servant".

Within two months Cobbe was promoted to temporary lieutenant general, and in March 1917, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

As the commander of III Indian Corps,[1] he served under three successive C-in-Cs, Mesopotamian Field Force, all of whom mentioned him generously in their despatches to the War Office.

Playing a notable role in the British successes at Samarrah in April,[1] and at Ramadi in September 1917, Cobbe also defeated a Turk force at Sharqat in October 1918 (the final action on the Mesopotamian Front) before peacefully capturing Mosul in November 1918.

[1] In the 1928 New Year Honours, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath,[1] and in June 1930 he was appointed ADC General to His Majesty.

However, a lifetime of soldiering in severe climates and arduous conditions had had its effect and, at the age of just 61, General Sir Alexander Cobbe died on 29 June 1931.