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

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer who served in both the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Military career

He was educated at

Fettes College Fettes College () is a co-educational private boarding and day school in Craigleith, 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 ...

and the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC) was a United Kingdom, British military academy for training infantry and cavalry Officer (armed forces), officers of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian Armies. It was founded in 1801 at Gre ...

. 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) Regiment ...

on 14 July 1915 and was

mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

and wounded in action during the

. After being promoted to captain on 2 January 1924, he attended the

Staff College, Camberley Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army and the presidency armies of British India (later merged to form the Indian Army). It had its origins in the Royal Military College, High Wycombe, founded in 1799, which ...

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 ...

Sidney Kirkman General (United Kingdom), 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 Eigh ...

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 educate ...

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. A graduate of Malvern College and Royal Mil ...

were among his classmates. After service in

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

, 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 (military formation), command of the British Army. History Early history Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of Anglo-French War (1793–180 ...

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 The Egyptian Army (), officially the Egyptian Ground Forces (), is the land warfare branch (and largest service branch) of the Egyptian Armed Forces. Until the declaration of the Republic and the abolishment of the monarchy on 18 June 1953, it w ...

in 1946,

Chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...

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). 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 * ...

from 1960 to 1966.

Decorations

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 ...

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 valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

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

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

awarded 14 October 1938 for services in Palestine *

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

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 To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

24 May 1918 *

25 April 1939 Palestine *

24 August 1944 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy *Commander of the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

(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 KBE may refer to: * Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, post-nominal letters * Knowledge-based engineering Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain o ...

of Dedham Grove, Colchester, Essex. They had three sons (including John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott, 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 People from Inverbervie Nobility from Aberdeenshire Military personnel from Aberdeenshire

Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott Major-general (United Kingdom), 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. Milita ...

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