Louis Lipsett
Encyclopedia
Major General
Louis James Lipsett CB
, CMG
(14 June 1874 – 14 October 1918), was a senior officer in the British Army
and Canadian Expeditionary Force
during the First World War. He commanded the 3rd Canadian Division
during some of the bitterest battles of the war, taking over in 1915 after his predecessor was killed. He himself was killed in action less than a month before the end of the war during a reconnaissance mission observing German positions along the River Selle.
A highly experienced officer, Lipsett had previously seen action in the Tirah Campaign
and the Second Boer War
with the British Army, serving as an officer with the Royal Irish Regiment
. He was later instrumental in developing military training and education throughout Canada and expanding the shore defences of British Columbia
in response to the threat of the German East Asian Cruiser Squadron under von Spee
. An experienced and capable officer, Lipsett was popular with both his men and his superiors and his death was considered "a deplorable loss to the Division".
, County Donegal
, Ireland
, to Richard and Etty Lipsett in June 1874, Lipsett was raised in Merthyr Tydfil
, Wales
, and Bedford
, England
, following his father's death in 1887. He was educated at Bedford Grammar School and took the Sandhurst entrance examination against the wishes of his tutors, entering the college and graduating 35th from his class of 120. In 1894, Lipsett was commissioned a second lieutenant
in the Royal Irish Regiment
, and took ship to India where he served for the next five years on the Northwest Frontier
, participating in the Tirah Campaign
against the Afridi. During these campaigns he conducted himself with distinction, being promoted to lieutenant
but also contracting a near-fatal bout of cholera
.
In 1899 he and his regiment were ordered to South Africa for service in the Second Boer War
. Although he did not serve in any significant actions Lipsett performed his duties well, in 1901 was promoted to captain
and on his return to England in 1903 was recommended to the Staff College, Camberley
. In 1905 he returned to South Africa as a staff officer (Deputy-Assistant Adjutant
and Quartermaster-General), to aid in the reconstitution of colonial government, a task he performed until 1907, when he was posted back to his regiment. Based at Aldershot
, Lipsett conducted both regimental business and operated as an aide-de-camp to the commander of the 2nd Division, Theodore Edward Stephenson
.
In 1911, Lipsett responded to the call from the Colonial Office for young staff officers to operate in colonial military academies, as military education had been standardised throughout the British Empire
in 1909. Lipsett was sent to Canada and promoted to major
(in 1913), working hard to improve training in the Dominion. He instigated numerous new training courses and special schools, establishing close ties with the Canadian military establishment and personally training most of the next generation of Canadian staff officers and generals.
Lipsett was dispatched to British Columbia
, the Pacific coastline of which was completely undefended and was believed to be at risk from the German East Asian Cruiser Squadron under Maximilian von Spee
, which had embarked on a raiding campaign in the Pacific Ocean
that would culminate in the Battle of Coronel
and the Battle of the Falkland Islands
. Lipsett recognised that there was no immediate threat to the Canadian coast and calmed fears whilst simultaneously organising the local militia forces and deploying the submarines purchased by province governor Richard McBride
. His task completed in British Columbia, Lipsett took over command and training of the 8th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
. A friend recalled that as a commanding officer he was "always accessible and charming in manner, yet there was that about him which made him respected and no one ever presumed on his kindness, except the few old soldiers, who with their war ribbons up, and uncanny intuition, never failed to touch a soft spot in his heart."
In 1915 the 8th Battalion joined the British Army
in France as part of the 3rd Canadian Division
. At the Second Battle of Ypres
his troops faced the brunt of the German assault, involving the first use of poison gas
in modern warfare. Lipsett is credited with issuing the first order to counteract the effects of poison gas, when he ordered his men to urinate on strips of cloth and tie them to their faces to neutralise the chlorine. Lipsett's battalion was instrumental in holding the line during the action and he was consequently rewarded by being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, promoted to acting brigadier-general and given command of the Canadian 2nd Brigade, which he trained during the spring of 1916 to conduct major trench raids on German lines.
was killed by enemy shellfire at Mount Sorrel in Belgium
and Lipsett was given an acting promotion to replace him in command of the 3rd Canadian Division
, and a brevet
promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel. The Canadian Defence Minister Sir Sam Hughes
attempted to have him removed from the division in favour of Hughes' son, but Lipsett was so highly regarded in the Canadian military establishment that General Byng
overruled him. Lipsett led his division through the worst of the campaigns in 1916, including extensive operations during the Battle of the Somme. He received promotion to substantive Lieutenant-Colonel in February 1917, and in April 1917 Lipsett's division was instrumental in the Canadian success at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
. The following September however the division took heavy casualties in bitter fighting at the Battle of Passchendaele. After each of these battles, Lipsett was forced to reconstitute and retrain his units with fresh drafts, so severe were the casualties the division took. In August 1918 he was involved in the planning and execution of an assault on German positions in the Battle of Amiens which was completely successful and won him a position as Companion of the Order of the Bath. Through the rest of the month he was engaged in combat with the division, but at the start of September Arthur Currie
and Douglas Haig
arranged his transfer to the command of the British 4th Division
in order that the Canadian Corps
be entirely officered by Canadians.
. On the 14 October 1918, whilst planning an assault at Saulzoir
in France he was crawling along a bank overlooking the River Selle with several officers of his own staff and some of the 49th Division, when at about 3:15 in the afternoon the party was spotted and a German machine gun
opened fire from across the river. The party went to ground but a single bullet struck Lipsett in the face. He was able to stagger back to his own lines but there collapsed from massive blood loss and never regained consciousness. He was the last British general to be killed during the First World War. Lipsett was buried the following day in Quéant Communal Cemetery at a funeral attended by dozens of officers from the British and Canadian armies in France. The burial party was provided by the 8th Battalion and amongst the mourners was the Prince of Wales
. After the war he was posthumously awarded the Croix d'officier of the Legion d'honneur
and Croix de Guerre
by the French government.
Lipsett is remembered in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography
as "arguably the best" Canadian officer of the Great War, "a shrewd and thoughtful tactician whose pre-war professional dedication paid off under fire from Ypres to Amiens" and "set an example of fearlessness and disregard of danger to those under him at all times and in all places; in fact to lead and not to follow was the ideal which he set for himself and lived up to the end."
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Louis James Lipsett CB
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...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(14 June 1874 – 14 October 1918), was a senior officer in the 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...
and Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
during the First World War. He commanded the 3rd Canadian 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...
during some of the bitterest battles of the war, taking over in 1915 after his predecessor was killed. He himself was killed in action less than a month before the end of the war during a reconnaissance mission observing German positions along the River Selle.
A highly experienced officer, Lipsett had previously seen action in the Tirah Campaign
Tirah Campaign
The Tirah Campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah Expedition, was an Indian frontier war in 1897–98. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country.-Rebellion:...
and 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...
with the British Army, serving as an officer with the Royal Irish Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment (1684-1922)
The Royal Irish Regiment, until 1881 the 18th Regiment of Foot, was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised in 1684. Also known as the 18th Regiment of Foot and the 18th Regiment of Foot, it was one of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, its home depot in...
. He was later instrumental in developing military training and education throughout Canada and expanding the shore defences of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in response to the threat of the German East Asian Cruiser Squadron under von Spee
Maximilian von Spee
Vice Admiral Maximilian Reichsgraf von Spee was a German admiral. Although he was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the counts von Spee belonged to the prominent families of the Rhenish nobility. He joined the Kaiserliche Marine in 1878. In 1887–88 he commanded the Kamerun ports, in German West...
. An experienced and capable officer, Lipsett was popular with both his men and his superiors and his death was considered "a deplorable loss to the Division".
Early military career
Born in BundoranBundoran
Bundoran is a town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in the north of Ireland. The town is located on the N15 road near Ballyshannon, 3 hours drive from Dublin and around two and a quarter hours drive from Belfast...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, to Richard and Etty Lipsett in June 1874, Lipsett was raised in Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, following his father's death in 1887. He was educated at Bedford Grammar School and took the Sandhurst entrance examination against the wishes of his tutors, entering the college and graduating 35th from his class of 120. In 1894, Lipsett was commissioned 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 Royal Irish Regiment
Royal Irish Regiment (1684-1922)
The Royal Irish Regiment, until 1881 the 18th Regiment of Foot, was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised in 1684. Also known as the 18th Regiment of Foot and the 18th Regiment of Foot, it was one of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, its home depot in...
, and took ship to India where he served for the next five years on the Northwest Frontier
North-West Frontier Province
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...
, participating in the Tirah Campaign
Tirah Campaign
The Tirah Campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah Expedition, was an Indian frontier war in 1897–98. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country.-Rebellion:...
against the Afridi. During these campaigns he conducted himself with distinction, being promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
but also contracting a near-fatal bout of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
.
In 1899 he and his regiment were ordered to South Africa for service 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...
. Although he did not serve in any significant actions Lipsett performed his duties well, in 1901 was promoted to captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
and on his return to England in 1903 was recommended to the 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 1905 he returned to South Africa as a staff officer (Deputy-Assistant Adjutant
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
and Quartermaster-General), to aid in the reconstitution of colonial government, a task he performed until 1907, when he was posted back to his regiment. Based at 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...
, Lipsett conducted both regimental business and operated as an aide-de-camp to the commander of the 2nd Division, Theodore Edward Stephenson
Theodore Stephenson
Major-General Theodore Edward Stephenson CB was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:Educated at Marlborough College, Stephenson was commissioned into the 56th Regiment of Foot in 1874. He served in the Second Boer War in which he commanded a column which took part in...
.
In 1911, Lipsett responded to the call from the Colonial Office for young staff officers to operate in colonial military academies, as military education had been standardised throughout 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...
in 1909. Lipsett was sent to Canada and promoted to major
Major (UK)
In the British military, major is a military rank which is used by both the British Army and Royal Marines. The rank insignia for a major is a crown...
(in 1913), working hard to improve training in the Dominion. He instigated numerous new training courses and special schools, establishing close ties with the Canadian military establishment and personally training most of the next generation of Canadian staff officers and generals.
First World War
At the outbreak of the First World WarWorld 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...
Lipsett was dispatched to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, the Pacific coastline of which was completely undefended and was believed to be at risk from the German East Asian Cruiser Squadron under Maximilian von Spee
Maximilian von Spee
Vice Admiral Maximilian Reichsgraf von Spee was a German admiral. Although he was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the counts von Spee belonged to the prominent families of the Rhenish nobility. He joined the Kaiserliche Marine in 1878. In 1887–88 he commanded the Kamerun ports, in German West...
, which had embarked on a raiding campaign in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
that would culminate in the Battle of Coronel
Battle of Coronel
The First World War naval Battle of Coronel took place on 1 November 1914 off the coast of central Chile near the city of Coronel. German Kaiserliche Marine forces led by Vice-Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee met and defeated a Royal Navy squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher...
and the Battle of the Falkland Islands
Battle of the Falkland Islands
The Battle of the Falkland Islands was a British naval victory over the Imperial German Navy on 8 December 1914 during the First World War in the South Atlantic...
. Lipsett recognised that there was no immediate threat to the Canadian coast and calmed fears whilst simultaneously organising the local militia forces and deploying the submarines purchased by province governor Richard McBride
Richard McBride
Sir Richard McBride, KCMG was a British Columbian politician and is often considered the founder of the British Columbia Conservative Party. McBride was first elected to the provincial legislature in the 1898 election, and served in the cabinet of James Dunsmuir from 1900 to 1901...
. His task completed in British Columbia, Lipsett took over command and training of the 8th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
. A friend recalled that as a commanding officer he was "always accessible and charming in manner, yet there was that about him which made him respected and no one ever presumed on his kindness, except the few old soldiers, who with their war ribbons up, and uncanny intuition, never failed to touch a soft spot in his heart."
In 1915 the 8th Battalion joined the 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...
in France as part of the 3rd Canadian 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...
. At the Second Battle of Ypres
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
his troops faced the brunt of the German assault, involving the first use of poison gas
Poison gas in World War I
The use of chemical weapons in World War I ranged from disabling chemicals, such as tear gas and the severe mustard gas, to lethal agents like phosgene and chlorine. This chemical warfare was a major component of the first global war and first total war of the 20th century. The killing capacity of...
in modern warfare. Lipsett is credited with issuing the first order to counteract the effects of poison gas, when he ordered his men to urinate on strips of cloth and tie them to their faces to neutralise the chlorine. Lipsett's battalion was instrumental in holding the line during the action and he was consequently rewarded by being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, promoted to acting brigadier-general and given command of the Canadian 2nd Brigade, which he trained during the spring of 1916 to conduct major trench raids on German lines.
2nd Canadian Division
On the 2 June 1916, Lipsett's commanding officer Malcolm MercerMalcolm 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...
was killed by enemy shellfire at Mount Sorrel in Belgium
Belgium
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...
and Lipsett was given an acting promotion to replace him in command of the 3rd Canadian 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 a 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...
promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel. The Canadian Defence Minister Sir Sam Hughes
Sam Hughes
For other people of the same name see Sam Hughes Sir Samuel Hughes, KCB, PC was the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I...
attempted to have him removed from the division in favour of Hughes' son, but Lipsett was so highly regarded in the Canadian military establishment that General Byng
Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy
Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the 12th since Canadian Confederation....
overruled him. Lipsett led his division through the worst of the campaigns in 1916, including extensive operations during the Battle of the Somme. He received promotion to substantive Lieutenant-Colonel in February 1917, and in April 1917 Lipsett's division was instrumental in the Canadian success at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
. The following September however the division took heavy casualties in bitter fighting at the Battle of Passchendaele. After each of these battles, Lipsett was forced to reconstitute and retrain his units with fresh drafts, so severe were the casualties the division took. In August 1918 he was involved in the planning and execution of an assault on German positions in the Battle of Amiens which was completely successful and won him a position as Companion of the Order of the Bath. Through the rest of the month he was engaged in combat with the division, but at the start of September Arthur Currie
Arthur Currie
Sir Arthur William Currie GCMG, KCB , was a Canadian general during World War I. He had the unique distinction of starting his military career on the very bottom rung as a pre-war militia gunner before rising through the ranks to become the first Canadian commander of the four divisions of the...
and Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
arranged his transfer to the command of the British 4th Division
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 :...
in order that 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...
be entirely officered by Canadians.
Death
Although Lipsett was unhappy about the transfer, he acquiesced and took energetic command of the division during the Hundred Days OffensiveHundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
. On the 14 October 1918, whilst planning an assault at Saulzoir
Saulzoir
-See also:*Communes of the Nord department*...
in France he was crawling along a bank overlooking the River Selle with several officers of his own staff and some of the 49th Division, when at about 3:15 in the afternoon the party was spotted and a German machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
opened fire from across the river. The party went to ground but a single bullet struck Lipsett in the face. He was able to stagger back to his own lines but there collapsed from massive blood loss and never regained consciousness. He was the last British general to be killed during the First World War. Lipsett was buried the following day in Quéant Communal Cemetery at a funeral attended by dozens of officers from the British and Canadian armies in France. The burial party was provided by the 8th Battalion and amongst the mourners was the Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
. After the war he was posthumously awarded the Croix d'officier of the Legion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
by the French government.
Lipsett is remembered in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
The Dictionary of Canadian Biography is a dictionary of biographical entries for individuals who have contributed to the history of Canada. The DCB, which was initiated in 1959, is a collaboration between the University of Toronto and Université Laval...
as "arguably the best" Canadian officer of the Great War, "a shrewd and thoughtful tactician whose pre-war professional dedication paid off under fire from Ypres to Amiens" and "set an example of fearlessness and disregard of danger to those under him at all times and in all places; in fact to lead and not to follow was the ideal which he set for himself and lived up to the end."