Field Marshal Sir Arthur Arnold Barrett (3 June 1857 – 20 October 1926) was a British officer of the
Indian Army. He saw action at the
Siege of the Sherpur Cantonment in December 1879 and at the
Battle of Kandahar in September 1880 during the
Second Anglo-Afghan War and went on to serve in the
Hunza-Nagar Campaign in 1891. During the
First World War he was General Officer Commanding the
Poona Division which successfully took
Basra
Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is hand ...
in
Mesopotamia in November 1914 and then
Al-Qurnah
Al-Qurnah (Kurnah or Qurna, meaning connection/joint in Arabic) is a town in southern Iraq about 74 km northwest of Basra, that lies within the conglomeration of Nahairat. Qurna is located at the confluence point of the Tigris and Euphrates river ...
in Mesopotamia in December 1914. He spent the rest of the War commanding the
Northern Army in which role he took part in operations against the
Mahsud
The Mahsud or Mehsood ( ps, محسود), also spelled Maseed ( ps, ماسيد), is a Karlani Pashtun tribe inhabiting mostly the South Waziristan Agency in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, now merged within Khy ...
s in Spring 1917. He saw action again as the senior British officer on the ground during the
Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 before retiring in May 1920.
Early life and service
Born the son of Alfred Barrett (a clergyman) and Emma Barrett (née Collins), Barrett was commissioned
sub-lieutenant in the
44th Regiment of Foot
The 44th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot to form the Essex Regiment in 1881.
History
Early history
The regimen ...
on 10 September 1875 and immediately sailed to join his
regiment in
Secunderabad,
India.
[Heathcote, p. 39] He was promoted to
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in June 1878 with seniority backdated to the date of his commission. He transferred from the 44th Foot to the
Indian Staff Corps
The Indian Staff Corps was a branch of the Indian Army during the British Raj.
Separate Staff Corps were formed in 1861 for the Bengal, Madras and Bombay Armies, which were later combined into the Indian Army. They were meant to provide officers f ...
on 17 January 1879 and was posted to the 3rd Sikhs, a regiment of the Punjab Frontier Force, and saw action at the
Siege of the Sherpur Cantonment in December 1879 and at the
Battle of Kandahar in September 1880 during the
Second Anglo-Afghan War.
[
Barrett transferred to the 1st battalion the ]5th Gurkha Rifles
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army.
The regiment's battalions served ...
in 1882 and, having been promoted to captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
on 10 September 1886, he took part in the Hunza-Nagar Campaign in 1891.[
]
Later service in India
Promoted to major on 10 September 1895, Barrett became deputy assistant quartermaster-general and then assistant quartermaster-general of the large force mobilised for the Tirah Campaign in 1897.[ He was mentioned in dispatches and promoted to ]brevet
Brevet may refer to:
Military
* Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay
* Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college
* Aircre ...
lieutenant-colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel ...
on 20 May 1898 on appointment as assistant adjutant-general of the Punjab Frontier Force.[Heathcote, p. 40] He became Commanding Officer of the 1st battalion the 5th Gurkha Rifles
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army.
The regiment's battalions served ...
in 1899 and received promotion to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel on 10 September 1901 and to brevet colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
on 11 October 1902. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...
(CB) in 1903 and became deputy adjutant-general at Northern Command in India with the substantive rank of colonel on 20 February 1905. He was promoted major-general on 1 December 1906 and given command of the Nowshera Brigade on 29 March 1907. He commanded the second brigade in the Bazar Valley Campaign in February 1908 and operations against the Mohmand
The Mohmand ( ps, مومند) or Mohmand is a prominent tribe of Pashtun people. They are based primarily in the Mohmand territory, which is located in Nangarhar, Afghanistan and Mohmand Agency, Pakistan.
Most people of the Mohmand tribe spe ...
s a few months later[ and for this he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 14 August 1908. He was appointed Adjutant-General, India on 1 April 1909 and, having been promoted to lieutenant general on 23 October 1911, he was given command of the Poona Division on 21 February 1912. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) on 14 January 1912.
]
First World War and aftermath
On the declaration of war on the Ottoman Empire in November 1914 Barrett was sent to Mesopotamia with his division and occupied the city of Basra
Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is hand ...
later that month.[ Before the end of the year he had pushed forwards to occupy ]Al-Qurnah
Al-Qurnah (Kurnah or Qurna, meaning connection/joint in Arabic) is a town in southern Iraq about 74 km northwest of Basra, that lies within the conglomeration of Nahairat. Qurna is located at the confluence point of the Tigris and Euphrates river ...
.[ When the troops in Mesopotamia were reorganised as a corps under John Nixon in 1915 he retained command of the 6th Division, but soon resigned due to ill-health, passing command to ]Charles Townshend
Charles Townshend (28 August 1725 – 4 September 1767) was a British politician who held various titles in the Parliament of Great Britain. His establishment of the controversial Townshend Acts is considered one of the key causes of the Amer ...
. He returned to India, was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:
# Knight Grand Commander (GCSI)
# Knight Commander ( KCSI)
# Companion ( CSI)
No appointments ...
(KCSI), and became General Officer Commanding the Northern Army on 31 May 1916. He commanded operations against the Mahsud
The Mahsud or Mehsood ( ps, محسود), also spelled Maseed ( ps, ماسيد), is a Karlani Pashtun tribe inhabiting mostly the South Waziristan Agency in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, now merged within Khy ...
s in March to August 1917. Promoted to full general on 1 August 1917, he was appointed ADC General Aide-de-camp general is a senior honorary appointment for generals in the British Army. The recipient is appointed as an aide-de-camp general to the head of state, currently King Charles III. They are entitled to the post-nominals "ADC (Gen.)".
The ...
to the King on 3 November 1917 and was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 1918 King's Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are presen ...
.
When the Third Anglo-Afghan War broke out in May 1919 Barrett was given command of the North-West Frontier Force and was the senior officer on the ground throughout the war.[ He was promoted to Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI) on 1 January 1920.
]
Retirement
Barrett retired from the Indian Army on 31 May 1920. He was promoted to field marshal on 12 April 1921[ and received the Japanese ]Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight f ...
1st Class on 19 August 1921. He died at his home in Sharnbrook
Sharnbrook is a village and civil parish located in the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England.
The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a parish within the Hundred of Willey but was probably first developed in Saxon ...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council was ...
on 20 October 1926.[Heathcote, p. 41]
Family
In 1894 Barrett married Mary Haye; they had one daughter.[ After his first wife died he married Ella Lafone in 1907; they had no children.][
]
References
Sources
*
Further reading
* Obituary, '' The Times'', 21 October 1926
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Arthur
1857 births
1926 deaths
People from Carshalton
British field marshals
Indian Army generals of World War I
British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War
British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Afghan War
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun
44th Regiment of Foot officers
British military personnel of the Hunza-Naga Campaign
Indian Staff Corps officers
British Indian Army generals
Military personnel from Surrey