George Macaulay Kirkpatrick
Encyclopedia
General
Sir George Macaulay Kirkpatrick KCMG KCSI was a Canadian
born and educated soldier who served with the British Army in South Africa
, Canada
, India
, Australia
, and China
. He became one of only a handful of Canadians to reach the rank of full General.
. He enrolled at the Royal Military College of Canada
in Kingston, Ontario
from 1882–85, student # 138. As a surveyor in 1892, he authored topographic map
s of the 'Town and environs of the Fez Region of Morocco
.
to the General Officer Commanding
, Thames District in 1892 and was deployed as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (Intelligence) during the Second Boer War
. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia
as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General from 1902 and then became Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General at Headquarters of the Army in 1904. He went on to be Assistant Quartermaster General at Headquarters, India
in 1906 and Inspector General of the Military Forces of Australia
in 1910. He served in World War I
as Director of Military Operations in India from 1914 to 1916 when he became Chief of the General Staff in India.
He subsequently served as Commander of British Forces in China
from 1921 to 1922 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command
in India from 1923 to 1927. He retired in retired 1930.
He was the son of Sir George Airey Kirkpatrick
, PC
, KCMG, QC
(September 13, 1841 – December 13, 1899) was a politician from Kingston, Upper Canada
.
He and his wife Mary Lydia (d. 1945) had two daughters, Georgine Helen (born 1898) and Kathleen Mary (born 1899) in Malta.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir George Macaulay Kirkpatrick KCMG KCSI was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
born and educated soldier who served with the British Army in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He became one of only a handful of Canadians to reach the rank of full General.
Education
He was born on 23 August 1866 to George Airey Kirkpatrick and Frances June Macaulay of Kingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. He enrolled at the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
from 1882–85, student # 138. As a surveyor in 1892, he authored topographic map
Topographic map
A topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines in modern mapping, but historically using a variety of methods. Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features...
s of the 'Town and environs of the Fez Region of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Military service
Kirkpatrick was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Engineers in 1885. He was appointed Aide-de-campAide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
, Thames District in 1892 and was deployed as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (Intelligence) during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. He served in Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General from 1902 and then became Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General at Headquarters of the Army in 1904. He went on to be Assistant Quartermaster General at Headquarters, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1906 and Inspector General of the Military Forces of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1910. He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as Director of Military Operations in India from 1914 to 1916 when he became Chief of the General Staff in India.
He subsequently served as Commander of British Forces in China
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
from 1921 to 1922 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command
Western Command (India)
Western Command is a formation of the Indian Army, active since 1947. It has seen action during the Indo-Pakistan Wars of 1947, 1965 and 1971. After the partition of India, the erstwhile command headquarters of which north India formed a part, Northern Command, went to Pakistan...
in India from 1923 to 1927. He retired in retired 1930.
Awards and recognition
He was awarded KCMG and Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India. He was knighted.Family
George Airey Kirkpatrick
Sir George Airey Kirkpatrick, was a politician from Ontario, Canada.Born in 1841 in Kingston, Ontario, the son of Thomas Kirkpatrick, George Kirkpatrick was educated at Trinity College, Dublin.-Career:...
, PC
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, KCMG, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(September 13, 1841 – December 13, 1899) was a politician from Kingston, Upper Canada
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
He and his wife Mary Lydia (d. 1945) had two daughters, Georgine Helen (born 1898) and Kathleen Mary (born 1899) in Malta.