Torquhil Matheson
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Torquhil George Matheson, 5th Baronet, KCB
, CMG
, (February 1871 – November, 1963) was a senior British Army
officer of the First World War who commanded three different divisions in some of the heaviest fighting of the conflict. He had previously served in the militia and with the Coldstream Guards
in the Second Boer War
. For his service, he was knighted in 1921 and in 1944 he inherited the Matheson baronetcy
from his brother Roderick.
. Torquhil was educated at Eton College
and joined the Hertfordshire Militia before being commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Bedfordshire Regiment on 15 December 1888. On 2 June 1894, Matheson transferred from the Bedfordshires, in which he was then a lieutenant, to the Coldstream Guards
as a second lieutenant again, serving with them in the Second Boer War
between 1899 and 1902. At the outbreak of the First World War, Matheson went with his regiment to France and fought in several actions, being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1915 in command of the 3rd Battalion.
In July 1915, Matheson advanced to command the 46th Infantry Brigade and remained in this position until March 1917, when he was promoted to Major General and took over the 20th Infantry Division. In August, shortly before the division was due to deploy in the Third Battle of Ypres, Matheson was severely effected by a German gas barrage that struck his headquarters, forcing him to reliquish control of the division. In September he took over the 4th Infantry Division
and commanded he force until September 1918, when he was replaced by Louis Lipsett
and took charge of the Guards Division
for the final months of the war.
In 1918, Matheson was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath and the following year was awarded the Croix de Guerre
and appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on relinquishing command of the Guards. In 1922, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath "for valuable services rendered in the Field with the Waziristan
Force" and commanded the 7th Guards Brigade and then the 7th Infantry Division. On 30 June 1931, he was appointed to his last command, as GOC-in-C India, and on 30 June 1935 retired from that post as a full General
. On 2 July 1935 he was gazetted to the Retired List, and in 1944 succeeded to his grandfather's baronetcy on the death of his elder brother Roderick. He died in November 1963.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Torquhil George Matheson, 5th Baronet, KCB
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....
, (February 1871 – November, 1963) was a senior 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 of the First World War who commanded three different divisions in some of the heaviest fighting of the conflict. He had previously served in the militia and with the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
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...
. For his service, he was knighted in 1921 and in 1944 he inherited the Matheson baronetcy
Matheson Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Matheson, both in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2007....
from his brother Roderick.
Military career
Torquhil Matheson was born in 1871, the grandson of Sir Alexander Matheson, 1st BaronetSir Alexander Matheson, 1st Baronet
Sir Alexander Matheson, 1st Baronet , was a Scottish businessman and long-standing Liberal Member of Parliament.Matheson was the nephew of Sir James Matheson, 1st Baronet, and a partner in the family firm of Jardine Matheson...
. Torquhil was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and joined the Hertfordshire Militia before being commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Bedfordshire Regiment on 15 December 1888. On 2 June 1894, Matheson transferred from the Bedfordshires, in which he was then a lieutenant, to the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
as a second lieutenant again, serving with them 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...
between 1899 and 1902. At the outbreak of the First World War, Matheson went with his regiment to France and fought in several actions, being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1915 in command of the 3rd Battalion.
In July 1915, Matheson advanced to command the 46th Infantry Brigade and remained in this position until March 1917, when he was promoted to Major General and took over the 20th Infantry Division. In August, shortly before the division was due to deploy in the Third Battle of Ypres, Matheson was severely effected by a German gas barrage that struck his headquarters, forcing him to reliquish control of the division. In September he took over the 4th Infantry 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 :...
and commanded he force until September 1918, when he was replaced by Louis Lipsett
Louis Lipsett
Major General Louis James Lipsett CB, CMG , 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...
and took charge of the Guards Division
Guards Division (United Kingdom)
The British Guards Division was formed in France in 1915 from battalions of the elite Guards regiments from the Regular Army. The division served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War...
for the final months of the war.
In 1918, Matheson was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath and the following year was awarded the 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...
and appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on relinquishing command of the Guards. In 1922, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath "for valuable services rendered in the Field with the Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
Force" and commanded the 7th Guards Brigade and then the 7th Infantry Division. On 30 June 1931, he was appointed to his last command, as GOC-in-C India, and on 30 June 1935 retired from that post as a full General
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....
. On 2 July 1935 he was gazetted to the Retired List, and in 1944 succeeded to his grandfather's baronetcy on the death of his elder brother Roderick. He died in November 1963.