Gilbert Acland-Troyte
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gilbert John Acland-Troyte CMG
, DSO
, JP (4 September 1876 – 27 April 1964) was a British
soldier and Conservative Party
politician.
and then at Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1899 and fought in the Second Boer War
one year later, where he was dangerously wounded. He was with his regiment in Somaliland
between 1903 and 1904 and was afterwards promoted to lieutenant. He became captain already in 1905, for services to the Colonial Office
.
During the First World War, Acland-Troyte was mentioned in despatches seven times. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in the beginning of 1915 and was promoted to major in September. In the following year, Acland-Troyte was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order
and in 1917, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG). After the war, he received the French Croix de Guerre
in January 1919 and retired as brevet lieutenant-colonel only few months later. With the begin of the Second World War, he was reactivated and joined the British Home Guard
in 1940.
Acland-Troyte contested Tiverton
unsuccessfully in a by-election in 1923. He entered the British House of Commons
for the constituency in the following year, sitting for it until 1945. Following his retirement from politics, he was knighted and a year later was nominated Master of Foxhounds of Tiverton, Devon, an office he held until 1950. He represented the latter county as Justice of the Peace
and alderman. In 1937, Acland was elected president of the Central Landowners Association, which post he left after two years.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, JP (4 September 1876 – 27 April 1964) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier and Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Background
He was the third son of Colonel Charles Arthur William Troyte and his wife Katherine Mary Walrond, daughter of Sir John Walrond, 1st Baronet. Acland-Troyte was educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and then at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
Career
In 1896, Acland-Troyte served as second lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment He was transferred to the King's Royal Rifle CorpsKing's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
in 1899 and fought in 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...
one year later, where he was dangerously wounded. He was with his regiment in Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
between 1903 and 1904 and was afterwards promoted to lieutenant. He became captain already in 1905, for services to the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
.
During the First World War, Acland-Troyte was mentioned in despatches seven times. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in the beginning of 1915 and was promoted to major in September. In the following year, Acland-Troyte was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and in 1917, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(CMG). After the war, he received the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
in January 1919 and retired as brevet lieutenant-colonel only few months later. With the begin of the Second World War, he was reactivated and joined the British Home Guard
British Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
in 1940.
Acland-Troyte contested Tiverton
Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency)
Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
unsuccessfully in a by-election in 1923. He entered the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for the constituency in the following year, sitting for it until 1945. Following his retirement from politics, he was knighted and a year later was nominated Master of Foxhounds of Tiverton, Devon, an office he held until 1950. He represented the latter county as Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and alderman. In 1937, Acland was elected president of the Central Landowners Association, which post he left after two years.