William Douglas Smith

Sir William Smith
Birth nameWilliam Douglas Smith
Born24 March 1865
Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon, England
Died4 February 1939(1939-02-04) (aged 73)
Kensington, London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service1885–1924
RankMajor General
UnitRoyal Scots Fusiliers
Commands56th (1/1st London) Division
Battles / warsWorld War I
AwardsKnight 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

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 made an adjutant in September 1898.[4]

He was promoted to major on 14 December 1902,[5] while serving with the 1st Battalion of his regiment stationed in Allahabad, British India.[6] He was appointed a brigade major in India in 1905 and, on 1 July 1911, after being promoted to lieutenant colonel,[7] served as commanding officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.[2]

He served in the First World War, being promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general on 11 November 1914[8] and taking command of the 9th Infantry Brigade, part of the 3rd Division, which was serving on the Western Front. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in February 1915.[9] He was promoted to substantive colonel on 1 July 1915, although with his seniority dating back to 14 December 1914.[10] On 8 March 1916 he was promoted to temporary major general[11] and became general officer commanding (GOC) of the 20th (Light) Division, and then as GOC 56th (1/1st London) Division, both of which were also serving on the Western Front.[2] After receiving a promotion to the substantive rank of major general in January 1917, "for distinguished services in the field",[12] he took command of the 56th Division on a temporary basis between 24 July and 9 August 1917 after his predecessor, Major General Charles Hull, had been taken ill and until a permanent appointment could be made.[13]

After the war he became commander of Portsmouth Garrison and then lieutenant governor of Jersey before retiring from the army in 1924.[2]

Family

He married Kathleen Edith Beyts and had one daughter.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Obituary: Maj.-Gen. Sir William Douglas Smith – Conspicuous Success in Action". The Times. 6 February 1939. p. 14.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "No. 25506". The London Gazette. 28 August 1885. p. 4083.
  4. ^ "No. 27004". The London Gazette. 13 September 1898. p. 5433.
  5. ^ "No. 27515". The London Gazette. 13 January 1903. p. 237.
  6. ^ Hart′s Army list, 1903
  7. ^ "No. 28510". The London Gazette. 4 July 1911. p. 4935.
  8. ^ "No. 29042". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 January 1915. p. 582.
  9. ^ "No. 29086". The London Gazette. 2 March 1915. p. 2091.
  10. ^ "No. 29213". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 June 1915. p. 6414.
  11. ^ "No. 29537". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 April 1916. p. 3679.
  12. ^ "No. 29886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1916. p. 15.
  13. ^ The Tactical Development of the 56th (London) Division on the Western Front 1916 to 1918
Military offices
Preceded by GOC 56th (1/1st London) Division
July 1917 – August 1917 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
1920–1924 		Succeeded by