List of generals of the British Empire who died during the First World War facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This list includes all British officers of general rank who are listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) as having died while serving during the First World War. During this period general officers were those who held the rank of field marshal, general, lieutenant-general, major-general, or brigadier-general and generally commanded units of brigade size or larger.

A popular view arose in post-war years that British general officers were detached from the fighting in châteaux far behind the front line. This view has been criticised as a misconception by some military historians. In 1995, British military historians Frank Davis and Graham Maddocks compiled, in the book Bloody Red Tabs, a list of 78 general officers that they considered to have been killed as a result of active service. This list provided below includes officers who died from all causes and so is broader than Davis and Maddocks' list. It includes 123 officers who died between the British entry into the war, 4 August 1914, and the armistice of 11 November 1918. Listed separately are 34 who died between the armistice and 31 August 1921 which was defined by an act of British parliament as the formal end of the war.

Background
Châteaux generals view
Causes of death
Comparisons
Inclusion criteria
Pre-armistice deaths
Post-armistice deaths
See also

Background

Gravestone of Brigadier-General Roland Bradford, killed 30 November 1917

General officer ranks in the armies of the British Empire of the First World War were, in descending order of seniority: field marshal, general, lieutenant-general, major-general, and brigadier-general. Field marshal was usually an honorary appointment, with the most senior active duty officers being generals. Generals typically commanded field armies, lieutenant-generals corps, major-generals divisions, and brigadier-generals brigades. At the start of the war the British Army contained 9 field marshals, 19 generals, 28 lieutenant-generals, 114 major-generals, and 180 brigadier-generals. At the end of the war in 1918, the expansion of the army had seen this rise to 8 field marshals, 29 generals, 47 lieutenant-generals, 219 major-generals, and 600 brigadier-generals.

Châteaux generals view

There has long been a view that British generals of the First World War were isolated from their men, issuing orders from châteaux far behind the front line with little thought for the reality in the trenches. This view has been criticised by Davis and Maddocks among others. The role of the general officers was not to oversee troops directly but to maintain a headquarters from which they could receive information and direct the battle. In the early months of the war casualties among British general officers were high; indeed in a period of nine days in late September and early October 1914 eight generals were killed, wounded, or captured, a considerable loss of leadership and command experience. On 3 October 1915 following the loss of three division commanders killed in action in a week, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff Lieutenant-General William Robertson ordered corps and division commanders of the armies on the Western Front not to expose themselves to danger during battle.

One of the most prominent persons to propagate the "chateau generals" view, was wartime Prime Minister David Lloyd George in his 1933 War Memoirs. The view was advocated by Alan Clark's 1961 book The Donkeys and the 1964 BBC documentary series The Great War.

Since the 1980s military historians including Shelford Bidwell, Tim Travers, John Terraine, and Williamson Murray have stated that rather than being châteaux generals who hid in the rear, the British Army leadership of the war were creative innovators, keen to overcome the stalemate of trench warfare.

Causes of death

Funeral of Brigadier-General Francis Earl Johnston, 18 August 1917

Historians Frank Davis and Graham Maddocks published, in 1995, Bloody Red Tabs, that attempted to list all British generals killed in action, died of wounds, or as a result of active service. They found 78 general officers in these categories. Although Maddocks and Davis could not find a conclusive cause of death in some cases they assessed that 34 of the deaths were caused by artillery fire, 22 by small arms fire, three from drowning, four from accidents, and one from cholera. None of the generals were killed in their châteaux (though two were wounded non-fatally there). The proportion of deaths by shell fire is lower than that for general British Army casualties and a disproportionate number killed by small arms fire, indicating a presence in the front lines. A further 146 generals were either wounded or taken prisoner during the war.

Comparisons

Bailey, Hatton, and Inwood (2023) report that, of those who joined the British Army in 1914, 74% of officers and 85% of other ranks survived to the end of the conflict. French Marshal Ferdinand Foch listed 41 of his generals killed in action during the war, whose names were engraved on a memorial at Les Invalides. A wider listing of all those mort pour la France by Gerard Gehin for Le Souvenir français gives 81 generals. French historian Laurent Guillemot working from a definition similar to Foch gives numbers of 76 British, 42 French, 2 Belgian, 2 Italian, and 2 Romanian generals killed on the Allied side and around 70 German, 40 Austro-Hungarian, and 1 Ottoman on the Central Powers side.

Inclusion criteria

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission list all those who "died while serving in the Commonwealth forces during the war", including those not on active duty, and their records include other general officers not listed by Davis and Maddocks.

Table key
	Indicates the officer is listed in Bloody Red Tabs

Pre-armistice deaths

Field Marshals

Name	Branch	Command	Date of Death	Place of Death	Cause of Death
Roberts, Frederick Lord Roberts	British Army	Colonel-in-Chief of Overseas and Indian Forces in the United Kingdom	14 November 1914	Saint-Omer, France	Illness
Brownlow, File:Charles Sir Charles Henry Brownlow	Indian Army		5 April 1916	Bracknell, United Kingdom
Kitchener, Horatio Herbert Lord Kitchener	British Army	Secretary of State for War	5 June 1916	Off Mainland, Orkney, Atlantic Ocean	Killed in action

Generals

Image	Name	Branch	Command	Date of Death	Place of Death	Cause of Death	Ref.
	Douglas, Charles Whittingham Horsley Sir Charles Douglas	British Army	Chief of the Imperial General Staff	25 October 1914	London, United Kingdom	Illness

Lieutenant-Generals

Name	Branch	Command	Date of Death	Place of Death	Cause of Death
Grierson, James Moncrieff Sir James Grierson	British Army	II Corps	17 August 1914	Near Amiens, France	Illness
Franklyn, William Edmund Sir William Franklyn	British Army	Third Army	27 October 1914	London, United Kingdom	Illness
Lomax, Samuel Samuel Lomax	British Army	1st Division	10 April 1915	London, United Kingdom	Wounds received
Broadwood, Robert George Robert George Broadwood	British Army	57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division	21 June 1917	Estaires, France	Wounds received
Lukis, Pardey Sir Pardey Lukis	Indian Army	Indian Medical Service	21 October 1917	Simla, India	Illness
Maude, Stanley Sir Stanley Maude	British Army	Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force	18 November 1917	Baghdad, Mesopotamia	Illness

Major-Generals

Name	Branch	Command	Date of Death	Place of Death	Cause of Death
Hamilton, Hubert Hubert Hamilton	British Army	3rd Division	14 October 1914	La Couture, France	Killed in action
Kekewich, Robert George Robert Kekewich	British Army	13th (Western) Division	5 November 1914	Whimple, United Kingdom
Heath, Henry Newport Charles Henry Heath	British Army	South Midland Division	29 July 1915	London, United Kingdom	Illness
Bridges, William Sir William Bridges	Australian Army	1st Division	18 May 1915	HMHS Gascon, Mediterranean Sea	Wounds received
Broome, Ralph Champney Ralph Champney Broome	Indian Army	Indian Army Remount Department	26 August 1915	Colombo, Ceylon	Illness
Playfair, Archibald Lewis Archibald Playfair	Indian Army	Bengal Staff Corps	10 September 1915	St Leonards-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Capper, Thompson Sir Thompson Capper	British Army	7th Division	27 September 1915	Loos, France	Wounds received
Thesiger, George George Thesiger	British Army	9th (Scottish) Division	27 September 1915	Auchy-les-Mines, France	Killed in action
Wing, Frederick Frederick Wing	British Army	12th (Eastern) Division	2 October 1915	Mazingarbe, France	Killed in action
Mercer, Malcolm Malcolm Mercer	Canadian Expeditionary Force	3rd Canadian Division	3 June 1916	Mount Sorrel, Belgium	Killed in action
Ingouville-Williams, Edward Edward Ingouville-Williams	British Army	34th Division	22 July 1916	Mametz, France	Killed in action
Benson, Frederick William Sir Frederick Benson	Reserve of Officers	British Remount Commission in North America	20 August 1916	Montreal, Canada	Illness
Smith, Edmund Davidson Edmund Davidson Smith	British Army	Assistant Quartermaster General, Dublin District	8 September 1916	Hove, United Kingdom
Holmes, William William Holmes	Australian Army	4th Division	2 July 1917	Messines, Belgium	Wounds received
Feetham, Edward Edward Feetham	British Army	39th Division	29 March 1918	Ignaucourt, France	Killed in action
Davies, Richard Hutton Richard Hutton Davies	British Army	In hospital, former commander 20th (Light) Division	9 May 1918	London, United Kingdom
Birrell, William George William George Birrell	British Army	Retired due to ill health contracted on service, formerly Deputy Director Medical Services of Southern Command	23 August 1918	Lochboisdale, United Kingdom	Illness
Lipsett, Louis James Louis Lipsett	Canadian Expeditionary Force	4th Division	14 October 1918	Haspres, France	Killed in action

Brigadier-Generals

Name	Branch	Command	Date of Death	Place of Death	Cause of Death
Findlay, Neil Douglas Neil Douglas Findlay	British Army	Royal Artillery, 1st Division	10 September 1914	Priez, France	Killed in action
McMahon, Norman Reginald Norman McMahon	British Army	4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers	11 November 1914	Hooge, Belgium	Killed in action
Fitzclarence, Charles Charles Fitzclarence	British Army	1st (Guards) Brigade	12 November 1914	Polygon Wood, Belgium	Killed in action
Murray, William Hugh Eric William Murray	British Army	Retired due to ill-health, formerly commander Pretoria District	2 February 1915
Richard Kelly	British Army	Royal Artillery, Southern Coast Defences	20 February 1915	Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Gough, John John Gough	British Army	10th Brigade	22 February 1915	Estaires, France	Wounds received
Napier, Henry Edward Henry Napier	British Army	88th Brigade	25 April 1915	Sedd el Bahr, Ottoman Empire	Killed in action
Riddell, James Foster James Foster Riddell	British Army	149th (Northumberland) Brigade	26 April 1915	Sint-Juliaan, Belgium	Killed in action
Hasler, Julian Julian Hasler	British Army	11th Brigade	27 April 1915	Ypres, Belgium	Killed in action
MacLaurin, Henry Normand Henry Normand MacLaurin	Australian Army	1st Brigade	27 April 1915	ANZAC Cove, Ottoman Empire	Killed in action
Cole, Arthur Lowry Arthur Lowry Cole	British Army	25th Brigade	9 May 1915	Aubers, France	Wounds received
Nugent, George Colborne George Colborne Nugent	British Army	141st (5th London) Brigade	31 May 1915	Béthune, France	Killed in action
Jacson, Mainwaring George Mainwaring Jacson	British Army	Reserve Infantry Brigade, Portsmouth Garrison	2 June 1915	Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Lee, Noel Noel Lee	British Army	127th (Manchester) Brigade	22 June 1915	Malta	Wounds received
Scott-Moncrieff, William William Scott-Moncrieff	British Army	156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade	28 June 1915	Gallipoli, Ottoman Empire	Killed in action
Baldwin, Anthony Hugh Anthony Baldwin	British Army	38th Brigade	10 August 1915	Chunuk Bair, Ottoman Empire	Killed in action
Longford, Earl of Lord Longford	British Army	2nd Mounted Brigade	21 August 1915	Scimitar Hill, Ottoman Empire	Killed in action
Kenna, Paul Aloysius Paul Aloysius Kenna	British Army	3rd Mounted Brigade	30 August 1915	Suvla Bay, Ottoman Empire	Wounds received
Nickalls, Norman Tom Norman Nickalls	British Army	63rd Brigade	26 September 1915	Loos-en-Gohelle, France	Killed in action
Wormald, Frank Frank Wormald	British Army	5th Cavalry Brigade	3 October 1915	Vermelles, France	Killed in action
John Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis	British Army	20th Brigade	24 October 1915	Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée, France	Killed in action
Fitton, Hugh Gregory Hugh Fitton	British Army	101st Brigade	20 January 1916	Ypres, Belgium	Wounds received
Hodson, George Benjamin George Hodson	Indian Army	33rd Indian Brigade	25 January 1916	Tigne Hospital, Malta	Wounds received
Harvey, William James St John William Harvey	British Army	19th (Dehra Dun) Brigade	1 February 1916	Hana, Mesopotamia	Wounds received
Wight-Boycott, Thomas Andrew Thomas Wight-Boycott	British Army	2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade	30 March 1916	London, United Kingdom	Illness
Hoghton, Frederick Aubrey Frederick Hoghton	Indian Army	17th Brigade	12 April 1916	Kut, Ottoman Empire	Illness
McKerrell, Augustus De Segur Augustus McKerrell	British Army	Tay Defence Garrison	24 April 1916	Dundee, United Kingdom
Greenfield, Richard Menteith Richard Menteith Greenfield	British Army	On the headquarters staff of Irish Command	25 April 1916	Croxley Green, United Kingdom
Rice, Gerard Gerard Rice	Indian Army	35th Indian Brigade	7 May 1916	Mesopotamia
Heyworth, Frederick James Frederick Heyworth	British Army	3rd Guards Brigade	9 May 1916	Ypres, Belgium	Killed in action
Kirk, Henry Buchanan Henry Buchanan Kirk	British Army	93rd Brigade	12 May 1916	Le Tréport, France	Illness
Morrison, Colquhoun Grant Colquhoun Grant Morrison	British Army	President of Claims Commission	23 May 1916	Amiens, France	Accident
Donaldson, Hay Frederick Sir Hay Donaldson	British Army	Chief Superintendent, Ordnance Factories	5 June 1916	Off Mainland, Orkney, Atlantic Ocean	Killed in action
Ellershaw, Wilfred Wilfred Ellershaw	British Army	Special Service Officer, War Office	5 June 1916	Off Mainland, Orkney, Atlantic Ocean	Killed in action
Du Cane, Hubert John Hubert Du Cane	British Army	General Staff	15 June 1916	Wickham Market, United Kingdom	Illness
Prowse, Charles Bertie Charles Bertie Prowse	British Army	11th Brigade	1 July 1916	Beaumont-Hamel, France	Wounds received
Hazelton, Edwin Hills Edwin Hazelton	Indian Army	Indian Veterinary Corps	24 July 1916	Simla, India	Illness
Buckle, Archie Stewart Archie Stewart Buckle	British Army	Royal Artillery, 17th (Northern) Division	18 August 1916	Near the Somme, France	Illness
Phillpotts, Louis Murray Louis Murray Phillpotts	British Army	Royal Artillery, 24th Division	8 September 1916	Guillemont, France	Killed in action
Clifford, Henry Henry Clifford	British Army	149th (Northumberland) Brigade	11 September 1916	High Wood, France	Killed in action
Stewart, Charles Edward Charles Stewart	British Army	154th Brigade	14 September 1916	Houplines, France	Killed in action
Howell, Philip Philip Howell	British Army	General Staff Officer, II Corps	7 October 1916	Authuille, France	Killed in action
Glasfurd, Duncan Duncan Glasfurd	British Army	12th Brigade	12 November 1916	Heilly, France	Wounds received
Bull, George George Bull	British Army	8th Brigade	11 December 1916	Varennes, France	Wounds received
Dunn, R. H. W. Robert H. W. Dunn	British Army	Until 8 December 1916 commanded a reserve brigade	8 January 1917	Cheshire, United Kingdom	Injuries sustained in an accident
Binning, George Baillie Hamilton, Lord Lord Binning	British Army	President of the Territorial Force Association	12 January 1917	Prestonkirk, United Kingdom	Illness
Long, Walter Walter Long	British Army	56th Brigade	28 January 1917	Couin, France	Killed in action
de Gex, Francis John Francis de Gex	British Army	Base Commandant, Rouen	2 April 1917	Rouen, France	Illness
Bulkeley-Johnson, Charles Charles Bulkeley-Johnson	British Army	8th Cavalry Brigade	11 April 1917	Monchy-le-Preux, France	Killed in action
Gosling, Charles Charles Gosling	British Army	10th Brigade	12 April 1917	Arras, France	Killed in action
Matthews, Godfrey Estcourt Godfrey Estcourt Matthews	Royal Marines (seconded to the British Army)	198th (East Lancashire) Brigade	13 April 1917	Cambrin, France	Killed in action
Ormsby, Vincent Alexander Vincent Ormsby	Indian Army	127th (Manchester) Brigade	2 May 1917	Ronssoy, France	Killed in action
Roberts, Arthur Colin Arthur Roberts	British Army	80th Brigade	17 May 1917	London, United Kingdom	Operation
Walton, Lewin Barlow Lewin Walton	Indian Army		24 May 1917	Simla, India
Brown, Charles Henries Charles Henry Brown	New Zealand Military Forces	1st Brigade	8 June 1917	Messines, Belgium	Killed in action
Holland, Gerald Edward Gerald Holland	British Army	Assistant director of Inland Water Transport, France	26 June 1917	Hastings, United Kingdom	Illness
Gordon, Charles William Charles Gordon	British Army	123rd Brigade	23 July 1917	Heuvelland, Belgium	Killed in action
Tanner, John Arthur John Tanner	British Army	Royal Engineers, VII Corps	23 July 1917	Wancourt, France	Killed in action
Gordon, Alister Fraser Alister Gordon	British Army	153rd Brigade	31 July 1917	Ypres, Belgium	Wounds received
Johnston, Francis Earl Francis Earl Johnston	New Zealand Military Forces	New Zealand Rifle Brigade	7 August 1917	Ploegsteert Wood, Belgium	Killed in action
Maclachlan, Ronald Campbell Ronald Maclachlan	British Army	112th Brigade	11 August 1917	Oostaverne, Belgium	Killed in action
Peake, Malcolm Malcolm Peake	British Army	Royal Artillery, I Corps	27 August 1917	Loos, France	Killed in action
Maxwell, Francis Aylmer Francis Aylmer Maxwell	British Army	27th Brigade	21 September 1917	Zonnebeke, Belgium	Killed in action
Rawling, Cecil Godfrey Cecil Rawling	British Army	62nd Brigade	28 October 1917	Hooge, Belgium	Killed in action
Gunning, Orlando George Orlando Gunning	Indian Army	36th Indian Brigade	14 November 1917	Wynberg, Cape Town, South Africa	Wounds received
Stokes-Roberts, Edward Rowland Bennett Edward Stokes-Roberts	British Army	Director of Works, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force	22 November 1917	Baghdad, Mesopotamia	Illness
Lowe, Arthur Cecil Arthur Lowe	British Army	Royal Artillery, 66th Division	24 November 1917	Ypres, Belgium	Killed in action
Bradford, Roland Roland Bradford	British Army	186th (2/2nd West Riding) Brigade	30 November 1917	Graincourt-lès-Havrincourt, France	Killed in action
Howell, Arthur Anthony Arthur Howell	British Army	1st London Reserve Brigade	15 January 1918	Blackdown Camp, near Camberley, United Kingdom
Shephard, Gordon Strachey Gordon Strachey Shephard	British Army	I Brigade, Royal Flying Corps	19 January 1918	Auchel, France	Accident
Pethebridge, Samuel Augustus Sir Samuel Pethebridge	Australian Army	Administrator of occupied German Pacific territories	25 January 1918	Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia	Illness
Cape, George George Cape	British Army	39th Division	18 March 1918	Ronssoy, France	Killed in action
Barker, Randle Barnett Randle Barnett Barker	British Army	99th Brigade	24 March 1918	Gueudecourt, France	Killed in action
Fulton, Harry Harry Fulton	New Zealand Military Forces	New Zealand Rifle Brigade	29 March 1918	Colincamps, France	Wounds received
Campbell, Charles Lionel Kirwan Charles Campbell	British Army	5th Cavalry Brigade	31 March 1918	London, United Kingdom
Forster, George Norman Bowes George Forster	British Army	42nd Brigade	4 April 1918	Aubigny, France	Killed in action
Gore, Robert Clements Robert Gore	British Army	101st Brigade	13 April 1918	Mont de Lille, Belgium	Killed in action
Townley, Charles Richard Charles Richard Townley	British Army		15 May 1918	Boscombe, United Kingdom
MacInnes, Duncan Sayre Duncan Sayre MacInnes	British Army	Inspector of Mines, GHQ	23 May 1918	Étaples, France	Accident
Martin, Cuthbert Thomas Cuthbert Martin	British Army	151st Brigade	27 May 1918	Aisne, France	Killed in action
Husey, Ralph Hamer Ralph Hamer Husey	British Army	25th Brigade	30 May 1918	Aisne, France	Wounds received
Lumsden, Frederick William Frederick Lumsden	Royal Marines	14th Brigade	4 June 1918	Ransart, France	Killed in action
Paget, Wellesley Lyndock Henry Wellesley Paget	British Army	Formerly Royal Artillery, VI Corps	11 June 1918
Lumsden, Alfred Forbes Alfred Lumsden	British Army	46th Brigade	24 June 1918	Feuchy, France	Killed in action
Williams, Arthur Blount Cuthbert Arthur Williams	Indian Army	Director of Supply and Transport, India	11 July 1918	Srinagar, India
Hannyngton, John Arthur John Arthur Hannyngton	Indian Army		21 August 1918	In hospital, Egypt	Illness
Cox, Edgar William Edgar William Cox	British Army	Head of Intelligence, GHQ	26 August 1918	Berck, France	Accident
East, Lionel William Pellew Lionel East	British Army	Heavy artillery, XIII Corps	6 September 1918	Ferfay, France	Killed in action
Jones, Lumley Owen Williams Lumley Jones	British Army	13th Brigade	14 September 1918	Bagneux, France	Illness
Sanders, Arthur Richard Careless Arthur Sanders	British Army	50th Brigade	20 September 1918	Gouzeaucourt, France	Killed in action
Follett, Gilbert Burrell Spencer Gilbert Follett	British Army	3rd Guards Brigade	27 September 1918	Dernancourt, France	Killed in action
Kay, William Algernon Ireland Sir William Kay	British Army	3rd Brigade	4 October 1918	Magny-la-Fosse, France	Killed in action
Taylor, Stuart Campbell Stuart Campbell Taylor	British Army	93rd Brigade	11 October 1918	Mesen, Belgium	Wounds received
Macnab, Colin Lawrence Colin Macnab	British Army	Retired due to ill-health contracted on service	13 October 1918		Illness
Granet, Edward John Edward John Granet	British Army	Royal Artillery, 11th (Northern) Division (wounded) Military attaché, Bern (died)	22 October 1918	Bern, Switzerland	Wounds received

Post-armistice deaths

The First World War is usually held to have ended with the armistice of 11 November 1918 though the peace treaties officially ending the war took some years to agree and sign. Under the Termination of the Present War (Definition) Act 1918 the end of the war was defined for general purposes by the British parliament as 31 August 1921. This is the same date that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission uses for its casualty records. The following generals of the British Empire died between the armistice and 31 August 1921.