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Malcolm Orme Little
Brigadier-General Malcolm Orme Little, CB, CBE (29 November 1857 – 1 February 1931) was a cavalry officer in the British Army and champion polo player. He commanded a cavalry brigade in the Second Boer War and a yeomanry brigade in the First World War. Early lifeMalcolm Orme Little was born on 29 November 1857[1] at Sussex Square, Hyde Park Gardens, Paddington, Middlesex, England, he was the second son of General Sir Archibald Little, KCB and his wife Jane (née Orme).[2] Military careerHe obtained his first commission as an infantry second-lieutenant in the Royal North Gloucester Militia[a] on 26 September 1877.[4] On 11 May 1878, he obtained a regular commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 17th Lancers[1] after graduating from the Royal Military College. He had been an Honorary Queen's Cadet.[5] On the same date, he resigned his Militia Commission.[6] On 19 October 1878, he transferred to the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers,[7] his father's regiment.[8] On the same date, the 9th Lancers departed Sialkot, India to take part in the Second Anglo-Afghan War.[9] Little remained with the 9th Lancers for the rest of the century: he was promoted to lieutenant on 25 February 1880,[10] to captain on 20 October 1886,[11] to Major on 5 September 1894,[12] and to lieutenant-colonel (and to command of the regiment) on 15 March 1900.[13] By this time, the 9th Lancers were on active service in the Second Boer War.[14] The regiment formed part of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade[14] and took part in the battles of Modder River (28 November 1899) and Magersfontein (10-11 December 1899), Relief of Kimberley and Battle of Paardeberg.[8] He was mentioned in despatches from Lord Methuen dated 15 February 1900[15] and Lord Roberts dated 31 March 1900.[16] Little took over command of the brigade[17] and was promoted to the local rank of brigadier-general in South Africa on 10 July 1900.[18][b] He was awarded a Brevet Colonelcy on 29 November 1900[20] and his local rank was confirmed on 8 April 1902,[21][c] when he took command of another brigade (possibly the Australian Brigade), which moved to Aberfeldy in the Orange River Colony.[22] He was again mentioned in a despatch on 23 June 1902, this time by Lord Kitchener, who wrote that Little had "proved himself as a capable leader of mounted troops in the field."[23] The war ended with the Peace of Vereeniging in late May 1902, and Little left Cape Town the following month arriving at Southampton in late July.[24] After four years in command of the 9th Lancers, and having served the normal period in command, Little was retired on half-pay – for the first time – on 15 March 1904.[25] On 24 June 1904, as part of Edward VII's Birthday Honours, he was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[26] He was recalled to active service on 4 May 1905 as a Staff Officer for Imperial Yeomanry and was promoted to the substantive rank of colonel.[27] He retired for the second time on 17 October 1908.[28] With the outbreak of the First World War, Colonel Little was once again recalled to active service. On 18 September 1914 he was temporarily appointed as an Inspector of Remounts.[29] On 20 January 1915, he was appointed as brigade commander,[30] of the second line yeomanry 2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade under the command of the 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division in the Newcastle area of Northumberland.[31] In April 1916, the brigade joined the 1st Mounted Division in East Anglia[32] but by July it had left for the Morpeth, Northumberland area.[33][d] At this time he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier-general.[35] On 13 June 1917 he relinquished his command,[36] and retired for the third and final time and was granted the honorary rank of brigadier-general in August 1917.[37] PoloLittle won the International Polo Cup in 1886 for Britain alongside John Henry Watson, Captain Thomas Hone, and Captain the Hon. Richard Lawley, 4th Baron Wenlock.[38][39] Personal lifeLittle married Iris Hermione Brassey[40] (10 November 1879[41] or 1880[42] – 6 August 1970), the daughter of Albert Brassey and the Hon. Matilda Maria Helena Bingham,[43] on 7 July 1903 at St George's, Hanover Square, Westminster, London.[2] He was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) later.[43] On 19 January 1923, Little was commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Warwick.[44] Little's son, Malcolm Archibald Albert Little (1904–1944), was a colonel in the 9th Lancers, and a strong polo player. Another son, Ian Little, was a leading economist. DeathBrigadier-General Malcolm Orme Little, CB, CBE died on 1 February 1931 at his home 'Dunsmore', Rugby, Warwickshire.[43] Notes
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