General Officer Commanding, Ceylon

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General Officer Commanding, Ceylon (also known as Commander of Troops or Officer Commanding His/Her Majesties Troops, Ceylon) was the designation of the General Officer appointed to command all British Army units stationed in the island of Ceylon during the British colonial administration of the island. [1]

Contents

History

The post entitled the holder a seat in the Executive Council of Ceylon and the Legislative Council of Ceylon, advised the Governor of Ceylon on military matters.

Apart from British Army units that were deployed for garrison duty in the island, the officer held command over the Ceylon Defence Force if mobilized. However mobilization could be carried out only under orders from the Governor.

Following independence in 1948, the command was split. With the creation of the Ceylon Army, it head had was referred to as the Commander of the Ceylon Army and the British troops in Ceylon came under the command of the Commander, Ceylon Garrison and UK troops in Ceylon until the withdrawal of British troops from the island.

Official Residence

The GOC Ceylon was entitled to a Class A Quarters issued to government officers for the use of his official residence in Colombo and had the General's House, Nuwara Eliya as a country house.

List of General Officers Commanding, Ceylon

PortraitRankNameAppointmentLeft officeUnit
Captain Patrick Alexander Agnew 31 August 17951 March 1796 Madras European Regiment
Major-General James Stuart 1 March 17961 January 1797 78th Regiment of Foot
Major-General Welbore Ellis Doyle 1 January 17972 July 1797 14th Regiment of Foot
Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Bonnevaux 2 July 179712 July 1797 10th Madras Native Infantry
Pierre-Frederic de Meuron.jpg Major-General Pierre Frédéric de Meuron 12 July 179712 October 1798 Regiment de Meuron
General Sir Josiah Champagne.jpg Colonel Josiah Champagné 14 March 179922 July 1799 80th Regiment of Foot
Colonel Hay MacDowall 22 July 1799March 180478th Regiment of Foot
Major-General David Douglas Wemyss March 180419 July 1805 18th Regiment of Foot
John Hoppner (1758-1810) - Portrait of Sir Thomas Maitland (1760-1824).jpg Major-General Thomas Maitland 19 July 180519 March 1811 62nd Regiment of Foot
Major-General John Wilson 19 March 181111 March 1812 5th Garrison Battalion
Robert Brownrigg.jpg General Sir Robert Brownrigg 11 March 18121 February 1820
Sir Edward Barnes by William Salter.jpg Major general Edward Barnes 1820 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot
Major general James Campbell 22 July 1822 94th Regiment of Foot
Sir Hudson Lowe (page 8 crop).jpg Major general Hudson Lowe 1826 50th Foot
Major general John Wilson 14 October 1831 28th Foot
General Sir Robert Arbuthnot.jpg Major general Robert Arbuthnot 1839 76th Regiment of Foot
Sir Colin Campbell by William Salter.jpg Lieutenant general Colin Campbell 16 April 1841 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
Major general William Smelt 28 January 1847 103rd Regiment of Foot
Major general Philip Bainbrigge 23 May 1852 7th Regiment of Foot
Major general Thomas Reed 13 September 1854 12th Light Dragoons
Major general Henry Frederick Lockyer 18561860 97th (The Earl of Ulster's) Regiment of Foot
Sir John Terence Nicholls O'Brien (1830-1903).jpg Major general Terence O'Brien 18601865
Major general Studholme John Hodgson 18651869 54th Regiment of Foot
Major general Henry Renny 18691874 81st Regiment of Foot
Major general John Alfred Street 18741879 68th Regiment of Foot
Major general William Wilby 18791882 King's Own Royal Regiment
Sir John Chetham McLeod.jpg Major general John Chetham McLeod 18821887 42nd Regiment of Foot
VCWilbrahamOatesLennox.jpg Major general Wilbraham Lennox 18871888 Royal Engineers
Indian Celebrities- General Dunham Massy WDL11438.png Major general William Massy 18881893 19th Regiment of Foot
Major general W. Clive-Justice 18931897 75th Regiment of Foot
Major general F. T. Hobson 18971902
Maj. Gen. Hector Archibald MacDonald.png Major general Hector MacDonald 19021903 92nd Gordon Highlanders
Brigadier general G. L. C. Money 19031905 Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Brigadier general R .C. B. Lawrence 19051909 1st King's Dragoon Guards
Brigadier general A. J. Whitacre Allen 19091913 The Buffs
Brigadier general Henry Huntly Leith Malcolm 19131915 Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Brigadier general F. Hackett-Thompson 19151918 Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Brigadier general F. A. MacFarlane 19181920
THE BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, JULY-NOVEMBER 1917 Q79783.jpg Colonel commandant Clifford Coffin 19201924 Royal Engineers
Colonel commandant Harold Higginson 19241927 Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Brigadier Austin Claude Girdwood 19271931 Northumberland Fusiliers
Brigadier E. F. Shewell 19311934 Royal Artillery
Brigadier C. A. Lyon 19341937Royal Artillery
Brigadier (local rank) J. O. Thurburn [2] 19371941Royal Artillery
Major general Tim Inskip 19411942 13th Frontier Force Rifles
Henry Royds Pownall.jpg Lieutenant general Henry Pownall [3] 19421943Royal Artillery
Major general Francis Tuker [4] March 1944September 1944 Royal Sussex Regiment, 2nd Gurkha Rifles

See also

References

  1. ↑ "British Commanders". Ceylondatabase.net. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "THE LONDON GAZETTE, 30 JULY, 1937" (PDF). thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  3. ↑ "King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : POWNALL, Lt Gen Sir Henry Royds (1887-1961)". kingscollections.org. King's College London. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Officers of the Indian Army 1939-1945 -- T". www.unithistories.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
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