Douglas Baird (Indian Army officer)
Sir Douglas Baird | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 April 1877 Kensington, London |
| Died | 2 July 1963 (aged 86) Elgin, Moray, Scotland |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1897–1940 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | 1/8th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 75th Brigade 28th Punjabis Zhob Brigade Senior Officers' School, Belgaum Kohat District Deccan District Eastern Command, India |
| Battles / wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Companion of the Order of the Star of India Distinguished Service Order |
General Sir Harry Beauchamp Douglas Baird KCB CMG CIE DSO (4 April 1877 – 2 July 1963) was a British officer in the British Indian Army.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Baird was born in Kensington, London, the son of Scottish Colonel Andrew Wilson Baird and Margaret Elizabeth Davidson. He was educated at Clifton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.[1]
Military career
[edit]Baird was commissioned on the unattached list of the Indian Army on 20 January 1897.[2]
He served on the Western Front in World War I becoming commanding officer of the 1st/8th Battalion the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1916 and then, after a promotion to brevet lieutenant colonel in January 1917,[3] as a General Staff Officer first with 51st (Highland) Division and then with the Cavalry Corps before becoming commander of 75th Infantry Brigade in 1918.[4]
After the war Baird became a General Staff Officer at 4th Indian Infantry Division in India, Brigadier-General on the General Staff with the Baluchistan Force and then commanding officer of the 28th Punjabis.[4] He then became Commander of the Zhob Brigade in November 1920, Colonel on the Staff at Army Headquarters, India in 1923 and Commandant of the Senior Officers' School, Belgaum in 1924.[4]
Baird went on to be Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in India in July 1929 and General Officer Commanding the Kohat District in December 1930.[5] Then he became General Officer Commanding the Deccan District in 1932 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command in April 1936 before retiring in April 1940.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Obituary: Gen. Sir Douglas Baird". The Times. 3 July 1963. p. 12.
- ^ "No. 26815". The London Gazette. 19 January 1897. p. 342.
- ^ "No. 29886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1916. p. 16.
- ^ a b c Generals.dk
- ^ a b Army Commands Archived July 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
Bibliography
[edit]- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
External links
[edit]- 1877 births
- 1963 deaths
- British Indian Army generals
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Companions of the Order of the Star of India
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
- Military personnel from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
- People from Kensington
- Indian Army generals of World War II
- Indian Army personnel of World War I
- Commandants of the Senior Officers' School, Belgaum
- People educated at Clifton College
- British people in colonial India