Robert Ernest Cheesman (1878 - February 13, 1962) O.B.E., was a British military officer, explorer, diplomat, and ornithologist, known especially for his work in the Arabian Peninsula. Cheesman's exposure to the Middle East began when he was assigned as Private Secretary to Sir Percy Cox during and after the First World War, including the first part of his tenure as High Commissioner in Iraq (beginning in 1920). Cheesman quickly developed knowledge and connections throughout the region, including befriending Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (1872 - 1942) of Bahrain, who later became hakim (ruler) of Bahrain. Between 1921 and 1924, Cheesman explored and mapped the Arabian coast from the Gulf of Salwah to Uqair while also collecting hundreds of specimens from the Al-Ahsa Oasis. His sister, Evelyn, an entomologist, accompanied him on these explorations and also collected many specimens for scientific study, while another sister, Edith, was a painter known for her depictions of Iraq. After his work in Iraq and Arabia, R. E. Cheesman began a diplomatic career, stationed for a decade as a consul at Dangila in northwest Ethiopia. While there, he mapped the regions of Agawmeder and Gojjam, and explored and surveyed parts of the Blue Nile and Lake Tana. For these latter explorations, he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Patron's Medal. Cheesman retired from diplomatic service in 1934, but rejoined the military during the Second World War and was made the head of intelligence for the Ethiopian Section of the Sudan Defence Force.