James d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir James (Jack) Arthur d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 3rd Baronet CB
OBE
MC
(19 December 1912 - 6 September 1987) was a British Army
officer and British
Conservative
politician. He was a member of the prominent Anglo-Jewish d'Avigdor-Goldsmid family, and his brother Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 2nd Baronet was also a Member of Parliament.
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid was commissioned into the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
in 1932. After serving in World War II
, he was given command of 20th Armoured Brigade in 1958, became Deputy Commander of Aldershot Command
in 1961 and was made Director of the Royal Armoured Corps
in 1962. He went on to be President of the Regular Commissions Board in 1965 and Director-General of the Territorial Army
in 1966. From 1963 he was Colonel of his old regiment. After he retired from the army in 1968 he joined the Jockey Club
and acted as Steward at several horse race meetings.
D'Avigdor-Goldsmid was Member of Parliament
for Lichfield and Tamworth
from 1970 to 1974, when he lost the seat in the October election of that year to Labour
's Bruce Grocott
.
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...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(19 December 1912 - 6 September 1987) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and 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...
Conservative
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. He was a member of the prominent Anglo-Jewish d'Avigdor-Goldsmid family, and his brother Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 2nd Baronet was also a Member of Parliament.
Career
Educated at Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid was commissioned into the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1922 to 1992.It was formed in India in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards and 7th Dragoon Guards , as the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards; it gained the distinction Royal in 1935...
in 1932. After serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was given command of 20th Armoured Brigade in 1958, became Deputy Commander of 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 1961 and was made Director of the Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
in 1962. He went on to be President of the Regular Commissions Board in 1965 and Director-General of the Territorial Army
Territorial Army
The Territorial Army is the part time volunteer force of the British Army. With around 35,500 members, the TA forms about a quarter of the overall manpower strength of the British Army. TA members regularly volunteer to serve overseas on operations, either with TA units, or as individuals...
in 1966. From 1963 he was Colonel of his old regiment. After he retired from the army in 1968 he joined the Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
and acted as Steward at several horse race meetings.
D'Avigdor-Goldsmid was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Lichfield and Tamworth
Lichfield and Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield and Tamworth was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Lichfield and Tamworth in Staffordshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:The constituency was...
from 1970 to 1974, when he lost the seat in the October election of that year to Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's Bruce Grocott
Bruce Grocott, Baron Grocott
Bruce Joseph Grocott, Baron Grocott PC is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.Grocott was born in Kings Langley near Watford, and was educated at Leicester University. He obtained an MA from Manchester University after conducting research on Local Government...
.