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
Commands held56th (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] Smith was commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers as a lieutenant on 29 August 1885.[2] 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.[3][4] He was appointed a Brigade Major in India in 1905 and Commanding Officer of 1 Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1911.[2] He served in World War I as Commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade, as General Officer Commanding 20th (Light) Division and then as General Officer Commanding 56th (1/1st London) Division in France.[2] 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.[5]

After the War he became Commander of Portsmouth Garrison and then Lieutenant Governor of Jersey before retiring in 1924.[2]

Family

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

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Obituary: Maj.-Gen. Sir William Douglas Smith – Conspicuous Success in Action". The Times. 6 February 1939. p. 14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Smith, Sir William Douglas". Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "No. 27515". The London Gazette. 13 January 1903. p. 237.
  4. ↑ Hart′s Army list, 1903
  5. ↑ The Tactical Development of the 56th (London) Division on the Western Front 1916 to 1918
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