Robert Cranston was a Lord Provost

Lord Provost

A Lord Provost is the figurative and ceremonial head of one of the principal cities of Scotland. Four cities, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have the right to appoint a Lord Provost instead of a provost...

 of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

 from 1903 to 1906.

In 1914 he set up the first Edinburgh Pals battalion

Pals battalion

The Pals battalions of World War I were specially constituted units of the British Army comprising men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and work colleagues , rather than being arbitrarily...

; the 15th battalion Royal Scots. This was quickly followed by two further volunteer battalions; the 16th and 17th. Sir Robert was honorary commander in chief of all three battalions.

Largely as a result of his services during the war he was awarded many decorations: K.V.C.O., C.B., C.B.E.,V.D. and as far as is known was the only Scottish recipient of the Knight of St.Olaf, awarded by the Norwegian government.

He was awarded the freedom of the city

Freedom of the City

Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...

of Edinburgh on 15 October 1923, shortly before his death.