William Douglas Smith
Sir William Smith | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | William Douglas Smith |
| Born | 24 March 1865 Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon, England |
| Died | 4 February 1939 (aged 73) Kensington, London, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1885–1924 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
| Commands | 56th (1/1st London) Division |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
Major General Sir William Douglas Smith KCB KCVO (24 March 1865 – 4 February 1939) was a British Army officer who became Lieutenant Governor of Jersey.[1]
Military career
[edit]Smith was the son of Lt.-Col. Andrew William Douglas Smith, Royal Marines and Myra Elizabeth Luxmoore, an artist.[1] After attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Smith was commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers as a lieutenant on 29 August 1885.[2][3] He took part in the Burma expedition in 1886, was promoted to captain on 14 November 1894, and took part in the Tirah Campaign in 1897.[2] He was promoted to major on 14 November 1902, while serving with the 1st battalion stationed in Allahabad, British India.[4][5] He was appointed a Brigade Major in India in 1905 and Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1911.[2]
He served in World War I as commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade, as general officer commanding (GOC) 20th (Light) Division, and then as GOC 56th (1/1st London) Division in France.[2] After receiving a promotion to the permanent rank of major general in January 1917, "for distinguished services in the field",[6] he took command of the 56th Division on a temporary basis between 24 July 1917 and 9 August 1917 after his predecessor had been taken ill and until a permanent appointment could be made.[7]
After the war he became commander of Portsmouth Garrison and then Lieutenant Governor of Jersey before retiring in 1924.[2]
Family
[edit]He married Kathleen Edith Beyts and had one daughter.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Obituary: Maj.-Gen. Sir William Douglas Smith – Conspicuous Success in Action". The Times. 6 February 1939. p. 14.
- ^ a b c d e "Smith, Sir William Douglas". Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "No. 25506". The London Gazette. 28 August 1885. p. 4083.
- ^ "No. 27515". The London Gazette. 13 January 1903. p. 237.
- ^ Hart′s Army list, 1903
- ^ "No. 29886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1916. p. 15.
- ^ The Tactical Development of the 56th (London) Division on the Western Front 1916 to 1918
- 1865 births
- 1939 deaths
- British Army major generals
- Military personnel from Plymouth, Devon
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
- Royal Scots Fusiliers officers
- Governors of Jersey
- British Army generals of World War I
- British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Burmese War
- British military personnel of the Tirah campaign
- People from Stonehouse, Plymouth
- 19th-century British Army personnel
- Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst