Charles Harington Harington
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Charles Harington Harington GCB
, GBE
, DSO
, DCL
(31 May 1872 – 22 October 1940), was a British Army
officer most noted for his service during the First World War and Chanak crisis
. During his 46 years in the army, Harington served in the Second Boer War
, held various staff positions during the First World War, served as Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff between 1918 and 1920, commanded the occupation forces in the Black Sea
and Turkey
, and ultimately became Governor of Gibraltar
in 1933.
Respected by his peers and remembered as an "outstanding soldier", Harington served the entirety of the First World War in a staff capacity, most notably as Chief of Staff to General Herbert Plumer, commander of the Second Army, with whom he had a strong mutual understanding. As Commander-in-Chief of the Allied occupation army, based in Constantinople
, Harington was instrumental in averting a war between the United Kingdom and pre-republic Turkey
.
Harington retired in 1938, having been Governor of Gibraltar since May 1933. His continued association with the British Army in retirement was facilitated by symbolic positions, such as honorary colonel of the regular King's Regiment, its territorial 7th Battalion
, and the 4/15th Punjab Regiment
.
, the son of Emanuel Thomas Poë and Isabella Jane (née Crowdy). Of Irish heritage, Harington gained his unusual name duplication as a four-year-old infant when his father replaced the family's original surname of "Poë" with the maiden name of Charles' grandmother. His nickname of "Tim", by which he was almost universally known, was acquired while on his inaugural deployment abroad.
Fellow officers from his battalion assigned Harington the nickname after learning of the conviction of Timothy Charles Harrington, an Irish nationalist
and member of parliament
, while en route to Aden
.
Educated privately and at Gresson's School in Worthing
, Harington continued his studies at Cheltenham College
. An interest in sports, particularly cricket
and swimming, developed during his student years. He was admitted into Sandhurst
in 1890 and after graduation two-years later was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the 2nd Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment). He became its adjutant
in 1897 and served in the Second Boer War
seconded as a railway staff officer. Decorated with the Distinguished Service Order
, Harington was characterised in a despatch as being "an officer of first-rate ability, business capacity and tact". In 1904, at Limerick Cathedral
, Harington married Gladys Grattan, the daughter of Brigadier-General O'Donnel Colley Grattan.
Recalled as adjutant of the 4th King's Regiment, Harington served with the battalion in Ireland for about a year under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Grattan. He was reassigned, with Colonel Grattan, to the 13th Provisional Battalion after the disbandment of the 4th and later rejoined the 2nd King's at the Curragh
. Harington returned to Sandhurst as commanding officer of Gentleman Cadets in 1903. The appointment lasted almost four-years and entailed him being responsible for the instruction of officer cadets. He was selected for employment at Staff College, Camberley
in 1906 – a decision that had neither been anticipated or sought – and later moved to the War Office
and Army Headquarters. Harington transferred to Aldershot
in 1911 to assume the position of brigade-major to the 6th Brigade
, which consisted of the 1st King's and five other battalions. When his appointment expired in 1913, Harington joined the 1st King's in command of a company until just before the First World War
.
by the German Empire
, which, with Austria-Hungary
, was in conflict with France
, Russia
, and Serbia
. Harington had been attached to the Mobilisation Branch of the War Office since July and supported its efforts in the initial stages of preparations to such an extent that he recalled ten days had elapsed before he ventured outside. He witnessed the departure of his regiment, the 1st King's, from Talavera Barracks on the 12th. In his foreword to Everard Wyrall's History of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-19, Harington recalled his inspection of the battalion five-years later, in Cologne
, Germany:
The British Expeditionary Force began to reorganise immediately after the Battle of Mons
and subsequent retreat to the Marne
. Harington became General Staff Officer, Grade II (G.S.O.2.) in III Corps, formed under Lieutenant-General William Pulteney with the intention of grouping together the 4th
and 6th infantry divisions.
Two-months after promotion to brevet
lieutenant-colonel, Harington joined the 49th (West Riding) Division as G.S.O.1. in April 1915. While positioned in the Ypres Salient
, the 49th's commanding officer, Major-General Baldock, was seriously wounded and replaced by Major-General Perceval. His later incapacitation by influenza
burdened Harington, one of the few regulars in the division, with most of Perceval's responsibilities. Months later, Harington learnt that Perceval's absence had necessitated his retention, precluding his dispatchment to Salonika to serve with XII Corps. Expecting to assume command of a brigade in the 14th Division after five-days of leave in September, having been informed of such a prospect by General Plumer, Harington was notified on his return that he was instead being transferred to the Canadian Corps
as Brigadier General, General Staff (B.G.G.S.).
The Canadian Corps had constituted in September after the arrival of a second division
. When initially formed under the command of Lieutenant-General Edwin Alderson
, the corps lacked a general staff and consisted of a single infantry division and cavalry brigade. Alderson was succeeded to command in May 1916 by General Julian Byng, who presided over his first battle as corps commander just weeks after his appointment. Allocated positions in the Ypres Salient
, in the proximity of Hooge
, Hill 60
, and Zwarteleen, the Canadian Corps had been instructed by Byng to begin preparations for a "localised attack" not anticipating the possibility of one being conducted by the German XIII Corps
against the tactically important vantages Mount Sorrel and Tor Top.
The German bombardment intensified on the morning of 2 June, coinciding with a reconnoitering visit to the Canadian frontline by Major-General Malcolm Mercer
and Brigadier-General Williams, respective commanders of the 3rd Division
and 8th Brigade. Both were among 8,430 officers and other ranks who became casualties during the battle: Mercer was killed by shellfire and Williams severely wounded and taken prisoner. Four mines opposite Mount Sorrel were detonated at about 1:00 pm as an immediate prelude to an assault by six infantry battalions which displaced the remnants of the 1st and 4th Mounted Rifles, and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
from their devastated trenches. The first Canadian counter-attack, executed on the 3rd, was deficiently organised and coordinated, resulting in heavy casualties and the removal of numerous officers.
Byng was informed during the battle that Harington had been chosen to become a major-general, General Staff (M.G.G.S.), in effect Chief of Staff to General Plumer at Second Army headquarters. Plumer personally visited Harington following the announcement, quipping "I won't have you at all unless you get Mt. Sorrel back!" The recapture of the lost territory before the commencement of the Somme Offensive became a priority for the Canadian Corps. Preparations for the second counter-attack, described by Harington as being "very careful", were meticulous and complete by the 11th.
and civil unrest in India, punctuated by the massacre
of Indian demonstrators at Amritsar
by troops under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer
. Supporters of Dyer – mostly imperialist conservative "diehards", army officers, and Ulster Unionists – opposed any form of disciplinary action being taken against the brigadier, whom they considered a defender of the British Empire
. Dyer continued to receive support from the highest echelons of the Army, most prominently Wilson, Harington, and the Army Council
. According to Nigel Collet, in his book Butcher of Amritsar, Harington's schedule afforded him limited opportunity to comprehensively study Dyer's statement detailing his account while he did not "appear to have read any other document on the case". Harington's own judgement conflicted with that of the government and corresponded more closely with that of Dyer. Under pressure from the Secretary of State for War Winston Churchill
, the Army Council recommended that Dyer not receive further employment or promotion but elected not to publicly endorse compulsory retirement.
After relinquishing his position as D.C.I.G.S to General Philip Chetwode in 1920, Harington assumed command of the Army of the Black Sea
- organised to occupy parts of Turkey
and later used to enforce a neutral zone established by the nominal signing of the Treaty of Sèvres
during the Greco-Turkish War
. Succeeding General Milne, Harington had under his command the British 28th Division
at Constantinople
, a Greek division at Ismid, and a Greek regiment at Beicos. Additional contingents supplied by the French and Italian militaries, under General Charpy and General Mombelli respectively, were subordinated to Harington when he became C-in-C, Allied Occupation Forces in Turkey. In 1921, the Greek Army in Anatolia
initiated an offensive against Mustafa Kemal
's forces and maintained their advance with the intent of capturing Angora
. Some 50,000 Greeks were redeployed to Eastern Thrace, threatening Constantinople. Harington later recalled in his memoir that during a social event Turkish officials offered some 20,000 of its soldiers to defend the city, less than one-year before the Chanak crisis
that prompted Greece to offer the assistance of 20,000 of its troops.
Harington also served as GOC Northern Command
from 1923 to 1927, GOC Aldershot Command
from 1931 to 1933 and Governor of Gibraltar
from 1933 to 1938, during the Spanish Civil War
.
With his former commander, Plumer, Harington attended the unveiling of the Menin Gate
on 24 July 1927.
Harington published two memoirs: Plumer of Messines (1935) and his autobiography, Tim Harington Looks Back (1940). He died following his retirement, in Cheltenham, England.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Charles Harington Harington GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, GBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DCL
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
(31 May 1872 – 22 October 1940), was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer most noted for his service during the First World War and Chanak crisis
Chanak Crisis
The Chanak Crisis, also called Chanak Affair in September 1922 was the threatened attack by Turkish troops on British and French troops stationed near Çanakkale to guard the Dardanelles neutral zone. The Turkish troops had recently defeated Greek forces and recaptured İzmir...
. During his 46 years in the army, Harington served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, held various staff positions during the First World War, served as Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff between 1918 and 1920, commanded the occupation forces in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and ultimately became Governor of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
in 1933.
Respected by his peers and remembered as an "outstanding soldier", Harington served the entirety of the First World War in a staff capacity, most notably as Chief of Staff to General Herbert Plumer, commander of the Second Army, with whom he had a strong mutual understanding. As Commander-in-Chief of the Allied occupation army, based in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Harington was instrumental in averting a war between the United Kingdom and pre-republic Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Harington retired in 1938, having been Governor of Gibraltar since May 1933. His continued association with the British Army in retirement was facilitated by symbolic positions, such as honorary colonel of the regular King's Regiment, its territorial 7th Battalion
40th (The King's) Royal Tank Regiment
The 40th Royal Tank Regiment was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1938 until 1956. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps....
, and the 4/15th Punjab Regiment
15th Punjab Regiment
The 15th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
.
Early life
He was born in ChichesterChichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, the son of Emanuel Thomas Poë and Isabella Jane (née Crowdy). Of Irish heritage, Harington gained his unusual name duplication as a four-year-old infant when his father replaced the family's original surname of "Poë" with the maiden name of Charles' grandmother. His nickname of "Tim", by which he was almost universally known, was acquired while on his inaugural deployment abroad.
Fellow officers from his battalion assigned Harington the nickname after learning of the conviction of Timothy Charles Harrington, an Irish nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
and member of parliament
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, while en route to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
.
Educated privately and at Gresson's School in Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, Harington continued his studies at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
. An interest in sports, particularly cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and swimming, developed during his student years. He was admitted into Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in 1890 and after graduation two-years later was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 2nd Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment). He became its adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
in 1897 and served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
seconded as a railway staff officer. Decorated with the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, Harington was characterised in a despatch as being "an officer of first-rate ability, business capacity and tact". In 1904, at Limerick Cathedral
Limerick Cathedral
Limerick Cathedral may refer to:* St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick, Church of Ireland* St John's Cathedral, Limerick, Roman Catholic...
, Harington married Gladys Grattan, the daughter of Brigadier-General O'Donnel Colley Grattan.
Recalled as adjutant of the 4th King's Regiment, Harington served with the battalion in Ireland for about a year under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Grattan. He was reassigned, with Colonel Grattan, to the 13th Provisional Battalion after the disbandment of the 4th and later rejoined the 2nd King's at the Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
. Harington returned to Sandhurst as commanding officer of Gentleman Cadets in 1903. The appointment lasted almost four-years and entailed him being responsible for the instruction of officer cadets. He was selected for employment at Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
in 1906 – a decision that had neither been anticipated or sought – and later moved to the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
and Army Headquarters. Harington transferred to Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
in 1911 to assume the position of brigade-major to the 6th Brigade
6th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
- World War I :The brigade was part of 2nd Division. It was composed as follows;*1st Battalion, The King's *2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment*13th Battalion , The Essex Regiment...
, which consisted of the 1st King's and five other battalions. When his appointment expired in 1913, Harington joined the 1st King's in command of a company until just before the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
World War I
War was declared by Britain on 4 August 1914 after the invasion of BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
by the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, which, with Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, was in conflict with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. Harington had been attached to the Mobilisation Branch of the War Office since July and supported its efforts in the initial stages of preparations to such an extent that he recalled ten days had elapsed before he ventured outside. He witnessed the departure of his regiment, the 1st King's, from Talavera Barracks on the 12th. In his foreword to Everard Wyrall's History of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-19, Harington recalled his inspection of the battalion five-years later, in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany:
The British Expeditionary Force began to reorganise immediately after the Battle of Mons
Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
and subsequent retreat to the Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
. Harington became General Staff Officer, Grade II (G.S.O.2.) in III Corps, formed under Lieutenant-General William Pulteney with the intention of grouping together the 4th
4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
and 6th infantry divisions.
Two-months after promotion to brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
lieutenant-colonel, Harington joined the 49th (West Riding) Division as G.S.O.1. in April 1915. While positioned in the Ypres Salient
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
, the 49th's commanding officer, Major-General Baldock, was seriously wounded and replaced by Major-General Perceval. His later incapacitation by influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
burdened Harington, one of the few regulars in the division, with most of Perceval's responsibilities. Months later, Harington learnt that Perceval's absence had necessitated his retention, precluding his dispatchment to Salonika to serve with XII Corps. Expecting to assume command of a brigade in the 14th Division after five-days of leave in September, having been informed of such a prospect by General Plumer, Harington was notified on his return that he was instead being transferred to the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
as Brigadier General, General Staff (B.G.G.S.).
2nd Canadian Division
The 2nd Canadian Division was an infantry formation that saw service in the First World War. A 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was raised for the Second World War.-History:...
. When initially formed under the command of Lieutenant-General Edwin Alderson
Edwin Alderson
Lieutenant General Sir Edwin Alfred Hervey Alderson KCB was a senior British Army officer who served in several campaigns of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries...
, the corps lacked a general staff and consisted of a single infantry division and cavalry brigade. Alderson was succeeded to command in May 1916 by General Julian Byng, who presided over his first battle as corps commander just weeks after his appointment. Allocated positions in the Ypres Salient
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
, in the proximity of Hooge
Hooge
Hooge can refer to:*Hooge, Prince Su*Houvenkopf Mountain known as "Hooge Kop"*Hooge, Germany, an island and municipality in northern Germany*Hooge, Belgium...
, Hill 60
Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)
The Battle of Hill 60 was an Australian assault that was subsidiary to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.-1914-15:Hill 60 was a low rise on the southern flank of the Ypres Salient and was named for the 60 metre contour which marked its bounds. Hill 60 was not a natural highpoint, but was created as a...
, and Zwarteleen, the Canadian Corps had been instructed by Byng to begin preparations for a "localised attack" not anticipating the possibility of one being conducted by the German XIII Corps
XIII (Royal Württemberg) Corps
The XIII Army Corps was a corps of the Imperial German Army. It was, effectively, also the army of the Kingdom of Württemberg, which had been integrated in 1871 into the Prussian Army command structure, as had the armies of most German states...
against the tactically important vantages Mount Sorrel and Tor Top.
The German bombardment intensified on the morning of 2 June, coinciding with a reconnoitering visit to the Canadian frontline by Major-General Malcolm Mercer
Malcolm Mercer
Major-General Malcolm Smith Mercer, CB was a Canadian general, barrister and art patron who practiced law in Toronto and led the 3rd Canadian Division during the first two years of the First World War before he was killed in action at Mount Sorrel in Belgium...
and Brigadier-General Williams, respective commanders of the 3rd Division
3rd Canadian Division
The 3rd Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War.The 3rd Canadian Division was formed in France in December 1915 under the command of Major-General M.S. Mercer. Its members served in both France and Flanders until Armistice Day...
and 8th Brigade. Both were among 8,430 officers and other ranks who became casualties during the battle: Mercer was killed by shellfire and Williams severely wounded and taken prisoner. Four mines opposite Mount Sorrel were detonated at about 1:00 pm as an immediate prelude to an assault by six infantry battalions which displaced the remnants of the 1st and 4th Mounted Rifles, and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
from their devastated trenches. The first Canadian counter-attack, executed on the 3rd, was deficiently organised and coordinated, resulting in heavy casualties and the removal of numerous officers.
Byng was informed during the battle that Harington had been chosen to become a major-general, General Staff (M.G.G.S.), in effect Chief of Staff to General Plumer at Second Army headquarters. Plumer personally visited Harington following the announcement, quipping "I won't have you at all unless you get Mt. Sorrel back!" The recapture of the lost territory before the commencement of the Somme Offensive became a priority for the Canadian Corps. Preparations for the second counter-attack, described by Harington as being "very careful", were meticulous and complete by the 11th.
Later life
His tenure as Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff, subordinate to Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, encompassed conflict in IrelandIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and civil unrest in India, punctuated by the massacre
Jallianwala Bagh massacre
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre , also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place in the Jallianwala Bagh public garden in the northern Indian city of Amritsar, and was ordered by Brigadier-General Reginald E.H. Dyer...
of Indian demonstrators at Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
by troops under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer
Reginald Dyer
Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer CB was a British Indian Army officer who as a temporary Brigadier-General was responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar ....
. Supporters of Dyer – mostly imperialist conservative "diehards", army officers, and Ulster Unionists – opposed any form of disciplinary action being taken against the brigadier, whom they considered a defender of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. Dyer continued to receive support from the highest echelons of the Army, most prominently Wilson, Harington, and the Army Council
Army Council (1904)
The Army Council is a governing board for the British military organization. It was created in 1904 along with other institutional changes made in that year to the British Army....
. According to Nigel Collet, in his book Butcher of Amritsar, Harington's schedule afforded him limited opportunity to comprehensively study Dyer's statement detailing his account while he did not "appear to have read any other document on the case". Harington's own judgement conflicted with that of the government and corresponded more closely with that of Dyer. Under pressure from the Secretary of State for War Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, the Army Council recommended that Dyer not receive further employment or promotion but elected not to publicly endorse compulsory retirement.
After relinquishing his position as D.C.I.G.S to General Philip Chetwode in 1920, Harington assumed command of the Army of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
- organised to occupy parts of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and later used to enforce a neutral zone established by the nominal signing of the Treaty of Sèvres
Treaty of Sèvres
The Treaty of Sèvres was the peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and Allies at the end of World War I. The Treaty of Versailles was signed with Germany before this treaty to annul the German concessions including the economic rights and enterprises. Also, France, Great Britain and Italy...
during the Greco-Turkish War
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
. Succeeding General Milne, Harington had under his command the British 28th Division
28th Division (United Kingdom)
- History :Formed in England in December 1914 - January 1915 from regular arm battalions returning from India , Singapore and Egypt . In January 1915 the division moved to France and on to the Western Front....
at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, a Greek division at Ismid, and a Greek regiment at Beicos. Additional contingents supplied by the French and Italian militaries, under General Charpy and General Mombelli respectively, were subordinated to Harington when he became C-in-C, Allied Occupation Forces in Turkey. In 1921, the Greek Army in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
initiated an offensive against Mustafa Kemal
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
's forces and maintained their advance with the intent of capturing Angora
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
. Some 50,000 Greeks were redeployed to Eastern Thrace, threatening Constantinople. Harington later recalled in his memoir that during a social event Turkish officials offered some 20,000 of its soldiers to defend the city, less than one-year before the Chanak crisis
Chanak Crisis
The Chanak Crisis, also called Chanak Affair in September 1922 was the threatened attack by Turkish troops on British and French troops stationed near Çanakkale to guard the Dardanelles neutral zone. The Turkish troops had recently defeated Greek forces and recaptured İzmir...
that prompted Greece to offer the assistance of 20,000 of its troops.
Harington also served as GOC Northern Command
Northern Command (United Kingdom)
-Nineteenth century:The District Commands of the British Army in Great Britain and Ireland first appear in print in 1840, at which time Northern Command was held by Maj-Gen Charles James Napier, appointed in 1838. During his time the troops stationed within Northern Command were frequently deployed...
from 1923 to 1927, GOC Aldershot Command
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
from 1931 to 1933 and Governor of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
from 1933 to 1938, during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
With his former commander, Plumer, Harington attended the unveiling of the Menin Gate
Menin Gate
The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is a war memorial in Ypres, Belgium dedicated to the commemoration of British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of the First World War and whose graves are unknown...
on 24 July 1927.
Harington published two memoirs: Plumer of Messines (1935) and his autobiography, Tim Harington Looks Back (1940). He died following his retirement, in Cheltenham, England.