Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson
Encyclopedia
General
Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB
, GCSI
, GCVO
, KCMG
(20 February 1864 – 28 March 1925), known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British
First World War
general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme
of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.
scholar and generally recognized as the father of Assyriology
). Rawlinson attended Eton
and Sandhurst
and entered the Army in 1884 as an officer in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
in India
. His first military experience was serving in Burma during an 1886 uprising.
In 1889, Rawlinson's mother died and he returned to England. He transferred to the Coldstream Guards
and was promoted to captain
. He served on Kitchener's staff during the advance on Omdurman
in 1898 and served with distinction in a field command in the Boer War
in 1899 to 1902. Rawlinson was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1903 and named as commandant of the Army Staff College
. He was made Commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade at Aldershot
in 1907 and General Officer Commanding
3rd Division in 1910.
Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Rawlinson was appointed General Officer Commanding
4th Division
in France
. He then took command of the IV Corps. In 1915, he was elevated to command of the British First Army but was taken off the front after questioning higher ranks about the tactics being used. Rawlinson was assigned to Gallipoli
to organise the withdrawal of Allied forces that had become entrenched there. He performed this task better than others had thought possible and he was recalled to the Western Front to assume command of the Fourth Army on 24 January 1916. as the plans for the Allied offensive on the Somme
were being developed. For a period in 1917–18, he also commanded the Second Army
. He took no direct part in the Third Ypres Offensive, but commanded a force training for an amphibious landing on the Belgian Coast - this landing never actually took place. He returned to the Fourth Army in July 1918 for the Allied counter-offensive. He was made GCVO
in 1917 and KCMG
1918.
During the war, Rawlinson was noted for his willingness to use innovative tactics
. He organised one of the first major night attacks by a modern army in 1916, and in 1918 Rawlinson planned and directed the Amiens offensive. He combined attacks by aeroplanes and armoured units with the infantry, followed up with cavalry and fast moving Whippet tanks to exploit the breakthroughs in the German lines. This was one of the world's first successful combined-arms operations, and one of the most comprehensive British-led victories, in British military history.
Following the Armistice
, Parliament passed a vote of thanks to Rawlinson for his service. In 1919, he was raised to the peerage
as "Baron Rawlinson", of Trent in the County of Dorset
, and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
(GCB). He was again called on to organise an evacuation, this time of the Allied forces that had been sent to Russia
to intervene in the Civil War
there. In November 1919 he became General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Aldershot Command
. In 1920, Rawlinson was made Commander-in-Chief, India
, a post he held until his death. In 1924, he was appointed a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
(GCSI). Lord Rawlinson died when he was taken ill after playing polo
and cricket
on his 61st birthday in 1925.
Henry Rawlinson's brother Alfred Rawlinson also played a signicant role during World War I, but this was mostly confined to the Middle Eastern theatre in Turkey
, Mesopotamia
and Persia. He was taken prisoner of war
by the Turks, which caused some political complications based on his brother's position. The story is contained in his book, Adventures in the Near East, 1918-1922.
|-
|-
|-
|-
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....
Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, GCSI
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 # Knight Commander # Companion...
, GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, KCMG
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....
(20 February 1864 – 28 March 1925), known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, 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...
First World War
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...
general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.
Military career
Rawlinson was born in Westminster, London, England, in June 1864. His father, Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baronet, was an Army officer (and a renowned Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
scholar and generally recognized as the father of Assyriology
Assyriology
Assyriology is the archaeological, historical, and linguistic study of ancient Mesopotamia and the related cultures that used cuneiform writing. The field covers the Akkadian sister-cultures of Assyria and Babylonia, together with their cultural predecessor; Sumer...
). Rawlinson attended Eton
Eton 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 Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and entered the Army in 1884 as an officer in the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King'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 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...
. His first military experience was serving in Burma during an 1886 uprising.
In 1889, Rawlinson's mother died and he returned to England. He transferred to the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
and was promoted to captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. He served on Kitchener's staff during the advance on Omdurman
Battle of Omdurman
At the Battle of Omdurman , an army commanded by the British Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener defeated the army of Abdullah al-Taashi, the successor to the self-proclaimed Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad...
in 1898 and served with distinction in a field command in the 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...
in 1899 to 1902. Rawlinson was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1903 and named as commandant of the Army Staff College
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
. He was made Commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade at Aldershot
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
in 1907 and 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...
3rd Division in 1910.
Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Rawlinson was appointed 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...
4th Division
4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He then took command of the IV Corps. In 1915, he was elevated to command of the British First Army but was taken off the front after questioning higher ranks about the tactics being used. Rawlinson was assigned to Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
to organise the withdrawal of Allied forces that had become entrenched there. He performed this task better than others had thought possible and he was recalled to the Western Front to assume command of the Fourth Army on 24 January 1916. as the plans for the Allied offensive on the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
were being developed. For a period in 1917–18, he also commanded the Second Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
. He took no direct part in the Third Ypres Offensive, but commanded a force training for an amphibious landing on the Belgian Coast - this landing never actually took place. He returned to the Fourth Army in July 1918 for the Allied counter-offensive. He was made GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
in 1917 and KCMG
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....
1918.
During the war, Rawlinson was noted for his willingness to use innovative tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
. He organised one of the first major night attacks by a modern army in 1916, and in 1918 Rawlinson planned and directed the Amiens offensive. He combined attacks by aeroplanes and armoured units with the infantry, followed up with cavalry and fast moving Whippet tanks to exploit the breakthroughs in the German lines. This was one of the world's first successful combined-arms operations, and one of the most comprehensive British-led victories, in British military history.
Following the Armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
, Parliament passed a vote of thanks to Rawlinson for his service. In 1919, he was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as "Baron Rawlinson", of Trent in the County of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(GCB). He was again called on to organise an evacuation, this time of the Allied forces that had been sent to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to intervene in the Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
there. In November 1919 he became 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...
-in-Chief for Aldershot Command
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
. In 1920, Rawlinson was made Commander-in-Chief, India
Commander-in-Chief, India
During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...
, a post he held until his death. In 1924, he was appointed a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India
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 # Knight Commander # Companion...
(GCSI). Lord Rawlinson died when he was taken ill after playing polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
on his 61st birthday in 1925.
Henry Rawlinson's brother Alfred Rawlinson also played a signicant role during World War I, but this was mostly confined to the Middle Eastern theatre in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
and Persia. He was taken prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the Turks, which caused some political complications based on his brother's position. The story is contained in his book, Adventures in the Near East, 1918-1922.
Further reading
- Maurice, Major-General Sir Frederick The Life of General Lord Rawlinson of Trent G.C.B., G.C.V.O., G.C.S.I., K.C.M.G.: From His Journals and Letters Cassell and Company Ltd, 1928
- Prior, Robin Command on the Western Front: The Military Career of Sir Henry Rawlinson 1914-1918 Leo Cooper Ltd (30 Jul 2004) ISBN 1-84415-103-4
- Rawlinson, A. Adventures in the Near East, 1918-1922 Andrew Melrose, 1923
External links
- National Portrait Gallery (13 portraits, 6 displayed)
|-
|-
|-
|-