Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet GCB (1826–1907) was a Scottish soldier who achieved high office in the British Army
in the 1880s.
, the son of Archibald Alison
, the advocate and historian, and educated at Glasgow University, and Edinburgh University, Alison was commissioned into the 72nd Regiment of Foot
in 1846. He went on to serve at the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War
in 1855.
He served as Military Secretary to Sir Colin Campbell
during the Indian Mutiny
in 1857, losing an arm at the relief of Lucknow. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant General in the office of the Inspector General of Infantry in 1862, Assistant Adjutant General for the South Western District in 1864 and Assistant Adjutant General at Aldershot
in 1870. In 1873 Alison was given command of the British brigade in West Africa during the Anglo-Ashanti wars and fought at the Battle of Amoaful. He went on to be Deputy Adjutant General in Ireland
in 1874, Commandant
of the Staff College, Sandhurst
in February 1878 and Deputy Quartermaster General, Intelligence in May 1878. He commanded the Highland Brigade
during the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882. In late 1882 he was appointed General Officer Commanding
British Troops in Egypt
and in 1883 he became GOC for Aldershot District
.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet GCB (1826–1907) was a Scottish soldier who achieved high office in the 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...
in the 1880s.
Military career
Born on 21 January 1826, in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the son of Archibald Alison
Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet
Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet FRSE was a Scottish advocate and historian. He held several prominent legal appointments. He was the younger son of the Episcopalian cleric and author Archibald Alison...
, the advocate and historian, and educated at Glasgow University, and Edinburgh University, Alison was commissioned into the 72nd Regiment of Foot
72nd Regiment of Foot
The 72nd Highlanders was a British Army Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line raised in the late 18th Century in Scotland for service against the French...
in 1846. He went on to serve at the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
in 1855.
He served as Military Secretary to Sir Colin Campbell
Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde
Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde GCB, KSI was a British Army officer from Scotland who led the Highland Brigade in the Crimea and was in command of the ‘Thin red line’ at the battle of Balaclava...
during the Indian Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
in 1857, losing an arm at the relief of Lucknow. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant General in the office of the Inspector General of Infantry in 1862, Assistant Adjutant General for the South Western District in 1864 and Assistant Adjutant General 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 1870. In 1873 Alison was given command of the British brigade in West Africa during the Anglo-Ashanti wars and fought at the Battle of Amoaful. He went on to be Deputy Adjutant General in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1874, Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Staff College, Sandhurst
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:...
in February 1878 and Deputy Quartermaster General, Intelligence in May 1878. He commanded the Highland Brigade
Highland Brigade (Scottish)
The Highland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army, which has been formed a number of times. It recruited men from the Highlands of Scotland.-Crimean War:...
during the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882. In late 1882 he 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...
British Troops in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and in 1883 he became GOC for Aldershot District
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...
.