George Carter-Campbell

George Carter-Campbell
Born(1869-04-02)2 April 1869
Kensington, London, England[1]
Died19 December 1921(1921-12-19) (aged 52)
London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Years of service1889–1921
RankMajor General
UnitCameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Commands51st (Highland) Division
94th Brigade
2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Battles / warsSecond Boer War
First World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches
Order of St. Stanislaus (Russia)
Commander of the Legion of Honour (France)
RelationsThomas Carter
General George Campbell of Inverneill
Admiral John Carter
Colonel Alexander Campbell of Possil
Major General Sir Archibald Campbell
General Sir James Campbell of Inverneill
Colonel Duncan Carter-Campbell of Possil
Willoughby Harcourt Carter

Major General George Tupper Campbell Carter-Campbell, CB, DSO[2] (2 April 1869 – 19 December 1921) was a senior British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First World War.[3]

Early life

A member of the Carter-Campbell of Possil family, Carter-Campbell was born in Kensington, the third son of Thomas Tupper Carter-Campbell of Possil and his wife, Emily Georgina Campbell, daughter of George Campbell of Inverneill.[3]

Military career

Carter-Campbell entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned as a subaltern, with the rank of second lieutenant, into the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) on 23 October 1889. In the next decade he was promoted to lieutenant on 29 April 1892, and to captain on 2 November 1897. He served in the Second Boer War (1899–1902) as adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, which took part in the Ladysmith Relief Force, where he was present at the battles of Colenso (December 1899), Spion Kop (January 1900), Vaal Krantz and the Tugela Heights (February 1900). They served in Natal from March to June 1900, then in Transvaal east of Pretoria from July to November 1900.[4] For his services he was promoted brevet major on 29 November 1900, and twice mentioned in despatches.[5] Following the end of hostilities in South Africa, he returned to the United Kingdom in August 1902.[6]

On the outbreak of the First World War, Carter-Campbell proceeded to France[7] with the 8th Division as second-in-command of the 2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)[8] and was wounded during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle[9] on 10 March 1915,[10] being awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and also the Order of St. Stanislaus.[11] The citation for his DSO, which appeared in The London Gazette in April 1915, reads as follows:

For conspicuous gallantry and ability at Neuve Chapelle from 10th to 12th March, 1915.

He took over command of the Battalion on 10th March, and, although wounded, maintained with great determination the positions which had been gained.

He had only one surviving Officer to assist him.[12]

Carter-Campbell subsequently commanded the battalion until 23 September 1915, when he was promoted brigadier general to command the 94th Infantry Brigade. While holding the latter command, he was gazetted brevet lieutenant colonel and finally brevet colonel.[13]

Promoted to temporary major general,[14] Carter-Campbell assumed command of the 51st (Highland) Division[15] on 17 March 1918, taking over from Major General George Harper, and was its GOC until he was transferred to the Rhine to take command of a brigade there, shortly before the division preceded home for demobilization. While in command of the 51st Division, Carter-Campbell was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[16] and Commander of the French Legion of Honour.[17][18]

The dedication to Major General Carter-Campbell in the Royal Memorial Chapel at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

Carter-Campbell was wounded during the First World War. After the war had ended, and he had recovered sufficiently, he was made GOC Northern Ireland in 1920.[19]

However, he died in 1921 at Queen Alexandra Military Hospital in London, with his war service being blamed for his premature death.[3]

Family

Carter-Campbell married Frances Elizabeth Ward. They had two children, Dorothy Catherine Carter-Campbell and Duncan Maclachlan Carter-Campbell, 8th of Possil.[20]

Notes

  1. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837–1915
  2. ^ Imperial War Museum (Great Britain), Malcolm Brown (1996). The Imperial War Museum book of the Somme. Sidgwick & Jackson, in association with the Imperial War Museum. ISBN 9780283062490.
  3. ^ a b c "Obituary: Death of Colonel Carter-Campbell". The Times. 21 December 1921. p. 14.
  4. ^ Hart's Army list, 1903
  5. ^ Arthur Mumby, Frank; David Hannay (1996). The great World War: a history. Vol. 8. Gresham.
  6. ^ "The War – Return of Troops". The Times. No. 36842. London. 9 August 1902. p. 11.
  7. ^ Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1920). The Parliamentary debates (official report): House of Commons. H.M.S.O.
  8. ^ William Sheehan (2009). Hearts & mines: the British 5th Division, Ireland, 1920–1922. Collins Press. ISBN 9781905172924.
  9. ^ Who was who: a companion to Who's who : containing the biographies of those who died during the period. A. & C. Black. 1967. ISBN 9780713601695. who was who carter-campbell.
  10. ^ Moore, William (1970). The forgotten victor: General Sir Richard O'Connor, KT, GCB, DSO, MC. Leo Cooper Ltd. ISBN 9780850520187.
  11. ^ "No. 29275". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1915. p. 8505.
  12. ^ "No. 29146". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 April 1915. p. 4144.
  13. ^ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1920). A history of the great war, Volume 6. George H. Doran company.
  14. ^ "No. 30647". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 April 1918. p. 4956.
  15. ^ Malcolm Baynes, John Christopher (1989). The forgotten victor: General Sir Richard O'Connor, KT, GCB, DSO, MC. Brassey's. ISBN 9780080362694.
  16. ^ "No. 13375". The Edinburgh Gazette. 2 January 1919. p. 2.
  17. ^ James E. Edmonds (1995). Military Operations, France and Belgium, 1918. Issue 37 of Great War Series. Battery Press. ISBN 9780898392197.
  18. ^ "No. 31222". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 1919. p. 3279.
  19. ^ Arthur Grenfell Wauchope (1926). A history of the Black Watch Royal Highlanders in the great war, 1914–1918. Vol. 2. The Medici society limited.
  20. ^ Beauclerk Dewar, Peter (2001). Burke's landed gentry of Great Britain: together with members of the titled and non-titled contemporary establishment. Burke's Peerage. ISBN 9780971196605.
Military offices
Preceded by GOC 51st (Highland) Division
1918–1919 		Succeeded by