Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Robert Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott, (21 August 1897 – 15 December 1966) was a senior

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer who served in both the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

Military career

He was educated at

Fettes College Fettes College () is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983. In ...

and the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC), founded in 1801 and established in 1802 at Great Marlow and High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, but moved in October 1812 to Sandhurst, Berkshire, was a British Army military academy for training infant ...

. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regime ...

on 14 July 1915 and was mentioned in dispatches and wounded in action during the

. After being promoted to captain on 2 January 1924, he attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1931 to 1932, where

Brian Horrocks Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Gwynne Horrocks, (7 September 1895 – 4 January 1985) was a British Army officer, chiefly remembered as the commander of XXX Corps in Operation Market Garden and other operations during the Second World W ...

Sidney Kirkman General Sir Sidney Chevalier Kirkman, (29 July 1895 – 29 October 1982) was a British Army officer, who served in both the First World War and Second World War. During the latter he commanded the artillery of the Eighth Army during the Second B ...

Cameron Nicholson General Sir Cameron Gordon Graham Nicholson, (30 June 1898 – 7 July 1979) was a British Army officer who served as Adjutant-General to the Forces. He later served as Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Military career After being educated ...

and

Nevil Brownjohn General Sir Nevil Charles Dowell Brownjohn, (25 July 1897 – 21 April 1973) was a senior British Army officer who served as Quartermaster-General to the Forces from 1956 until his retirement in 1958. Military career Brownjohn was commissioned ...

were among his fellow classmates. After service in Palestine, he became an instructor at the Staff College in 1938 and then became a staff officer at

Scottish Command Scottish Command or Army Headquarters Scotland (from 1972) is a command of the British Army. History Early history Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of war with France in 1793. The Scottish District was comman ...

in August 1941 during the

. He then became commander of the 198th Brigade in May 1943, commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade in the Italian campaign in September 1943 and then General Officer Commanding 78th Infantry Division in the Italian campaign in November 1944. After the war, he became Chief of the British Military Mission to the Egyptian Army in 1946, Chief of staff of

in 1948 and General Officer Commanding

51st (Highland) Infantry Division The 51st (Highland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army that fought on the Western Front in France during the First World War from 1915 to 1918. The division was raised in 1908, upon the creation of the Territorial Force, as ...

and the Highland District of the Territorial Army in 1949 before retiring from the British Army in 1952 as a major general. In retirement he was honorary colonel of the

Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd Regiment of Foot, 42nd (Roy ...

. He served as Deputy Lieutenant (DL), Kincardineshire in 1959 and then as

Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire This is a list of people who have served as the Monarch's Lord Lieutenant in the County of Kincardine. *Sir James Carnegie, 3rd Baronet April 1746 – 30 April 1765 *Anthony Keith-Falconer, 5th Earl of Kintore 17 March 1794 – 30 August 1804 *Joh ...

from 1960 to 1966. Arms Viscount of Arbuthnott (entire)

Decorations

* Companion of the Order of the Bath awarded 5 July 1945 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy. *

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

awarded 21 December 1944 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy *

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...

awarded 14 October 1938 for services in Palestine *

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

awarded 22 April 1918 for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a raiding party. He took an active part in the preliminary reconnaissances and training and led his men with great success in the raid, inspiring them by his courage and keenness. * Mentioned in Despatches 24 May 1918 * Mentioned in Despatches 25 April 1939 Palestine * Mentioned in Despatches 24 August 1944 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy *Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA) awarded 2 August 1945 for distinguished services in the cause of the Allies.

Family

Lord Arbuthnott married, 10 January 1924, Ursula Collingwood (died 20 December 1989), daughter of Sir William Collingwood, KBE of Dedham Grove, Colchester, Essex. They had three sons (including

John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott, (26 October 1924 – 14 July 2012) was a Scottish peerage of Scotland, peer, Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire (1977–99) and a notable businessman.Mosley, Charles, editor, ''Burke's Peer ...

, KT who succeeded him) and one daughter.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999.

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links

* *
British Army Officers 1939–1945
, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Arbuthnott, Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount Of 1897 births 1966 deaths

Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott Major General Robert Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott, (21 August 1897 – 15 December 1966) was a senior British Army officer who served in both the First World War and the Second World War. Military career He was educated at Fe ...

Black Watch officers British Army generals of World War II British Army personnel of World War I British military personnel of the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine Commanders of the Legion of Merit Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Companions of the Order of the Bath Deputy Lieutenants of Kincardineshire Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley Lord-Lieutenants of Kincardineshire People educated at Fettes College Recipients of the Military Cross 15 Military personnel of British India British Army major generals Academics of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Academics of the Staff College, Camberley