Charles W. H. Douglas

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

General

Sir Charles Douglas
Mentioned in Despatches

First World War. He was Chief of the Imperial General Staff
during the first three months of the First World War but died from strain and overwork without having any meaningful influence on the outcome of the war.

Military career

Douglas was born the son of William Douglas and Caroline Douglas (née Hare), at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.[1] He was educated privately,[1] and commissioned as an ensign in the 92nd Highlanders on 16 December 1869.[2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 28 October 1871[3] and became adjutant of the 92nd Highlanders on 31 December 1876.[4]

The Battle of Kandahar, in which Douglas took part, during the Second Anglo-Afghan War

Douglas served in the

mentioned in despatches.[6]

He also served in the First Boer War between 1880 and 1881 and was again mentioned in despatches.[1] Promoted to brevet major on 1 March 1881,[7] he became adjutant of his Regiment again on 25 February 1882.[8]

He went on the Suakin Expedition to Sudan in 1884 and became Deputy Assistant-Adjutant and Quartermaster-General on the Staff in Egypt on 6 March 1885.[9]

He then returned to England to become adjutant of

1st Infantry Brigade in 1893.[1]

Promoted to

Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 11 May 1898[15] and given the substantive rank of colonel on 18 May 1898.[16]

Douglas served in the

Relief of Kimberley. Following the Siege of Mafeking, Douglas was appointed Commander of Mafeking and the adjacent district on 28 August 1900.[21] The rank of major-general was confirmed for "distinguished service in the field" in early 1901 (but dated to the initial appointment on 10 February 1900).[22]

Scene from the Siege of Mafeking, at which Douglas commanded the 9th Infantry Brigade, during the Second Boer War

After returning to England, he became Commander of

1st Infantry Brigade at Aldershot Garrison on 31 October 1901[23] and General Officer Commanding 2nd Division within First Army Corps on 1 April 1902.[24][25] He became Adjutant-General to the Forces on 12 February 1904.[26] At this time the Esher Committee chaired by Lord Esher was proposing far reaching changes to the structure of the British Army including the creation of a "blue ribbon" elite drawn strictly from the General Staff to the exclusion of Administrative Staff:[27] Douglas strongly opposed this aspect of the proposals.[1]

Having been promoted to lieutenant general on 3 April 1905,[28] he became General Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Southern Command on 1 June 1909.[29]

He took part in the funeral procession following the death of

general on 31 October 1910,[31] became Inspector-General of Home Forces on 5 March 1912.[32] He was also Colonel of the Gordon Highlanders from 25 June 1912.[33]

Douglas replaced Field Marshal

Aide-de-Camp General to the King on 30 June 1914.[35]

Douglas, who had not been in the best of health, died from strain and overwork at his home at Eaton Square in

Sir James Murray.[1] He was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery (Plot 188, Path Side, Grave 44434).[36]

Family

In 1887 he married Ida de Courcy (née Gordon); they had no children.[1]

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32870. Retrieved 3 February 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  2. ^ "No. 23565". The London Gazette. 14 December 1869. p. 7072.
  3. ^ "No. 23789". The London Gazette. 27 October 1871. p. 4387.
  4. ^ "No. 24429". The London Gazette. 6 March 1877. p. 1901.
  5. ^ "No. 24876". The London Gazette. 24 August 1880. p. 4626.
  6. ^ "No. 24909". The London Gazette. 3 December 1880. p. 6535.
  7. ^ "No. 24944". The London Gazette. 1 March 1881. p. 977.
  8. ^ "No. 25075". The London Gazette. 24 February 1882. p. 771.
  9. ^ "No. 25475". The London Gazette. 2 June 1885. p. 2532.
  10. ^ "No. 25634". The London Gazette. 15 October 1886. p. 5010.
  11. ^ "No. 26113". The London Gazette. 9 December 1890. p. 6922.
  12. ^ "No. 26629". The London Gazette. 28 May 1895. p. 3084.
  13. ^ "No. 26669". The London Gazette. 8 October 1895. p. 5523.
  14. ^ "No. 26954". The London Gazette. 5 April 1898. p. 2212.
  15. ^ "No. 26965". The London Gazette. 10 May 1898. p. 2893.
  16. ^ "No. 26967". The London Gazette. 17 May 1898. p. 3049.
  17. ^ "No. 27126". The London Gazette. 13 October 1899. p. 6178.
  18. ^ "No. 27174". The London Gazette. 16 March 1900. pp. 1785–1787.
  19. ^ "Latest intelligence - The War, Western frontier". The Times. No. 36065. London. 14 February 1900. p. 5.
  20. ^ "No. 27188". The London Gazette. 1 May 1900. p. 2760.
  21. ^ "No. 27282". The London Gazette. 8 February 1901. p. 870.
  22. ^ "No. 27306". The London Gazette. 19 April 1901. p. 2703.
  23. ^ "No. 27377". The London Gazette. 15 November 1901. p. 7396.
  24. ^ "No. 27434". The London Gazette. 16 May 1902. p. 3254.
  25. ^ "No. 27442". The London Gazette. 13 June 1902. p. 3900.
  26. ^ "No. 27646". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 February 1904. p. 1011.
  27. ISBN 9780714645704
    . Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  28. ^ "No. 27781". The London Gazette. 4 April 1905. p. 2548.
  29. ^ "No. 28256". The London Gazette. 1 June 1909. p. 4160.
  30. ^ "No. 28401". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 July 1910. p. 5481.
  31. ^ "No. 28433". The London Gazette. 4 November 1910. p. 7908.
  32. ^ "No. 28587". The London Gazette. 5 March 1912. p. 1663.
  33. ^ "No. 28633". The London Gazette. 6 August 1912. p. 5854.
  34. ^ "No. 28819". The London Gazette. 7 April 1914. p. 3002.
  35. ^ "No. 28845". The London Gazette. 30 June 1914. p. 5070.
  36. ^ "Casualty record, Charles Whittingham Horsley Douglas". CWGC Debt of Honour Register. Retrieved 20 August 2016.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division

1902–1904 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Adjutant-General to the Forces
1904–1909 		Succeeded by
Sir Ian Hamilton
Preceded by
Sir Ian Hamilton
 GOC-in-C Southern Command
1909–1912 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Sir John French
(as Inspector-General of the Forces)
 Inspector General of the Home Forces
1912–1914 		Succeeded by
Sir Ian Hamilton

(as C-in-C Home Army)
Preceded by
Sir John French
 Chief of the Imperial General Staff
1914 		Succeeded by
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