Thomas William Glasgow
Encyclopedia
Sir William Glasgow, KCB, CMG
, DSO
(6 June 18764 July 1955), was an Australian Army
Major General
in World War I
and member of the Australian Senate
, representing Queensland
as a Nationalist Party
member from 1919 - 1931.
, near Maryborough, Queensland
, on 6 June 1876, the fourth child an Irish
farmer. He was educated at One Mile State School in Gympie, Queensland
, and Maryborough Grammar School. After leaving school he went to work as a junior clerk in the office of a mining company in Gympie. Later he worked as a clerk in the Queensland National Bank in Gympie.
Glasgow joined the Wide Bay Regiment, Queensland Mounted Infantry while still a teenager, and with nineteen others he travelled to London
in 1897 to represent Queensland at the Diamond Jubilee
of Queen Victoria. Glasgow volunteered for service in South Africa
and served as a lieutenant in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry Contingent. He participated in the relief of Kimberley
, the capture of Cronje's laager on the Modder
, and the occupation of Bloemfontein
. On 16 April 1901 he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO).
After returning to Australia
, Glasgow formed a partnership with his younger brother Alexander, and they took over his father's grocery store in Gympie. On 21 April 1904, he married Annie Isabel, the daughter of Jacob Stumm, the Federal member for Lilley
. He tired of storekeeping and bought a cattle station in central Queensland
.
In 1903, Glasgow organised the 13th Light Horse Regiment at Gympie. He was promoted to captain in 1906 and major on 6 May 1912. When war broke out in 1914, he was appointed to the AIF
with the rank of major in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment on 19 August 1914. He embarked for Egypt
on 24 September 1914 where his regiment trained until called forward for dismounted service at Anzac Cove
.
, under Lieutenant Colonel F Rowell of the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. The idea was the same staff would remain responsible for the post while the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Regiments rotated in weekly reliefs. Rowell subsequently became ill and died on 8 August 1915, leaving Glasgow in charge of the post. On 7 August 1915, Glasgow lead an attack on Dead Man's Ridge; the ridge had sweeping views of The Nek. After the failed attack on the Nek, Glasgow, realising that the ridge would now be attacked by the full force of the Turkish
army, ordered a retreat. Glasgow covered the retirement, finally making it back carrying one of his wounded troopers. Of the 200 men in the attack, 4 officers and 56 other ranks had been killed and 7 officers and 87 other ranks wounded. Every officer except Glasgow had been hit. The next day he was appointed to command the regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
In March 1916 Glasgow was appointed commander of the 13th Infantry Brigade, which he commanded at Mouquet Farm in September 1916, Messines
in June 1917, Polygon Wood
in September and Dernancourt in April 1918, where the brigade helped stop the German advance. Following the German attack which captured Villers Bretonneux
in April 1918, Glasgow was ordered to form the right wing of a counterattack to recapture the village. Glasgow did not agree with the 8pm start time of the attack, he wanted to attack under moonlight at 10.30pm. Eventually a time of 10pm was agreed on. At the height of the battle, with the 13th Brigade surrounded on three sides, the Germans had sent Glasgow a message demanding that he surrender. "Tell them to go to Hell" was his response.
On 30 June 1918, Glasgow was appointed to command the 1st Division, which was fighting alongside the British in Flanders
. On 8 August 1918, the 1st Division joined the other four divisions on the Somme front, participating in the Battle of Amiens (8 August 1918), Lihons, Chuignes and the Battle of the Hindenburg Line
.
At the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
, Glasgow's 13th Brigade, and Harold Elliott
's 15th Brigade, recaptured the town of Villers-Bretonneux
on 25 April 1918 after the Germans had overrun the 8th British Division under General William Heneker
. This feat was described by Lieutenant-General Sir John Monash
as the turning-point of the war.
For his services during the war, Glasgow was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in June 1916, a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in December 1917, and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1919 New Years Honours List. He was Mentioned in Despatches nine times.
After the war, Glasgow commanded the 4th Division from 1921. He led the Anzac Day
parade in Brisbane
for twenty years.
Glasgow was elected to the Senate
as a Nationalist
in 1919. He became Minister for Home and Territories
on 28 June 1926, and then from April 1927 to October 1929 was Minister for Defence
. Out of office in 1929, he became deputy leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Glasgow saw his role as frustrating Labor
's inflationary policies. Unfortunately, such policies were exactly what was required, and so Glasgow inflicted much suffering. In 1931 Labor polled well enough in Queensland
against the national trend that Glasgow lost his seat. His political career over, Glasgow resumed his pastoral interests and became director of several companies.
On 24 December 1939, Glasgow was appointed first Australian High Commissioner to Canada. Canada thus became only the fifth country in which Australia had diplomatic representatives. Glasgow built good relations with the Canadian Prime Minister
Mackenzie King
and his ministers, but was not successful in getting Canadian support for Australian strategy in the Pacific. He did conclude a "mutual aid" agreement between the two countries, resulting in Canada providing two merchant ships to Australia. In August 1943 and September 1944 Glasgow attended the Quebec Conferences between US President
Roosevelt
, British Prime Minister
Churchill
and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King
, where he represented Australian interests.
Glasgow returned to Australia in 1945 and once again resumed his pastoral and business interests. He died in Brisbane on 4 July 1955. He was given a state funeral and cremated.
.
During 2008, a statue was erected at Post Office Square
(opposite ANZAC Square
), also in Brisbane.
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...
(6 June 18764 July 1955), was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
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...
and member of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
, representing Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
as a Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
member from 1919 - 1931.
Early life and career
William Glasgow was born at TiaroTiaro, Queensland
Tiaro is a small town on the Mary River in Queensland, Australia. The town is situated on the Bruce Highway south of Maryborough and north of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Tiaro had a population of 433....
, near Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
, on 6 June 1876, the fourth child an Irish
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...
farmer. He was educated at One Mile State School in Gympie, Queensland
Gympie, Queensland
Gympie is a regional town in south eastern Queensland, Australia, about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River. Gympie is the administrative centre for the Gympie Region area...
, and Maryborough Grammar School. After leaving school he went to work as a junior clerk in the office of a mining company in Gympie. Later he worked as a clerk in the Queensland National Bank in Gympie.
Glasgow joined the Wide Bay Regiment, Queensland Mounted Infantry while still a teenager, and with nineteen others he travelled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1897 to represent Queensland at the Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
of Queen Victoria. Glasgow volunteered for service 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...
and served as a lieutenant in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry Contingent. He participated in the relief of Kimberley
Siege of Kimberley
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
, the capture of Cronje's laager on the Modder
Battle of Modder River
The Battle of Modder River was an engagement in the Boer War, fought at Modder River, on 28 November 1899...
, and the occupation of Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
. On 16 April 1901 he was mentioned in despatches and awarded 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...
(DSO).
After returning to 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...
, Glasgow formed a partnership with his younger brother Alexander, and they took over his father's grocery store in Gympie. On 21 April 1904, he married Annie Isabel, the daughter of Jacob Stumm, the Federal member for Lilley
Division of Lilley
The Division of Lilley is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was first proclaimed in 1913. The division is named after Sir Charles Lilley, a former Premier of Queensland and a former Chief Justice in the Supreme Court of Queensland....
. He tired of storekeeping and bought a cattle station in central Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
In 1903, Glasgow organised the 13th Light Horse Regiment at Gympie. He was promoted to captain in 1906 and major on 6 May 1912. When war broke out in 1914, he was appointed to the AIF
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
with the rank of major in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment on 19 August 1914. He embarked for 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...
on 24 September 1914 where his regiment trained until called forward for dismounted service at Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC on April 25, 1915. The cove is a mere long, bounded by the headlands of Ari Burnu to the north and Little Ari Burnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south...
.
World War I
Glasgow landed at Anzac on 12 May 1915. When Colonel Harry Chauvel of the 1st Light Horse Brigade reorganised the defences of Monash Valley, Glasgow was appointed second in command at Pope's HillPope's Hill
Pope's Hill is a hill and a small village situated in the east of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire within the parish of Littledean. The hill is 12 miles south west of Gloucester and 3 miles east of Cinderford. The small village of Flaxley lies in the valley to the immediate north...
, under Lieutenant Colonel F Rowell of the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. The idea was the same staff would remain responsible for the post while the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Regiments rotated in weekly reliefs. Rowell subsequently became ill and died on 8 August 1915, leaving Glasgow in charge of the post. On 7 August 1915, Glasgow lead an attack on Dead Man's Ridge; the ridge had sweeping views of The Nek. After the failed attack on the Nek, Glasgow, realising that the ridge would now be attacked by the full force of the Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
army, ordered a retreat. Glasgow covered the retirement, finally making it back carrying one of his wounded troopers. Of the 200 men in the attack, 4 officers and 56 other ranks had been killed and 7 officers and 87 other ranks wounded. Every officer except Glasgow had been hit. The next day he was appointed to command the regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
In March 1916 Glasgow was appointed commander of the 13th Infantry Brigade, which he commanded at Mouquet Farm in September 1916, Messines
Messines
Messines may refer to:* Mesen, a village in Belgium**Battle of Messines, World War I,* Messines, Quebec* HMCS Messines, one of twelve Battle class naval trawlers used by the Royal Canadian Navy* Messines, Queensland...
in June 1917, Polygon Wood
Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke
Polygon Wood is a forest located between Ypres and Zonnebeke, Belgium.The Battle of Polygon Wood was a significant First World War battlefield in the Battle of Passchendaele. It was captured by the Australian 5th Division on September 26, 1917 as part of the Battle of Menin Road.-External links:*...
in September and Dernancourt in April 1918, where the brigade helped stop the German advance. Following the German attack which captured Villers Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
in April 1918, Glasgow was ordered to form the right wing of a counterattack to recapture the village. Glasgow did not agree with the 8pm start time of the attack, he wanted to attack under moonlight at 10.30pm. Eventually a time of 10pm was agreed on. At the height of the battle, with the 13th Brigade surrounded on three sides, the Germans had sent Glasgow a message demanding that he surrender. "Tell them to go to Hell" was his response.
On 30 June 1918, Glasgow was appointed to command the 1st Division, which was fighting alongside the British in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. On 8 August 1918, the 1st Division joined the other four divisions on the Somme front, participating in the Battle of Amiens (8 August 1918), Lihons, Chuignes and the Battle of the Hindenburg Line
Battle of the Hindenburg Line
The Battle of St Quentin Canal was a pivotal battle of World War I that began on 29 September 1918 and involved British, Australian and American forces in the spearhead attack and as a single combined force against the German Siegfried Stellung of the Hindenburg Line...
.
At the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux came during the period of the battle of Lys, 24–27 April 1918, but was launched against the British lines in front of Amiens.The Germans developed a small number of tanks, and used them in this offensive...
, Glasgow's 13th Brigade, and Harold Elliott
Harold Edward Elliott
Major General Harold Edward "Pompey" Elliott CB, CMG, DSO, DCM, VD was a senior officer in the Australian Army during the First World War. Elliot also served as a Senator in the Australian parliament.-Early life:...
's 15th Brigade, recaptured the town of Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
on 25 April 1918 after the Germans had overrun the 8th British Division under General William Heneker
William Heneker
General Sir William Charles Giffard Heneker KCB KCMG DSO was a Canadian born and educated soldier who served with the British Army in West Africa, India, and then later on the western front during the First World War...
. This feat was described by Lieutenant-General Sir John Monash
John Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
as the turning-point of the war.
For his services during the war, Glasgow was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in June 1916, a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in December 1917, and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1919 New Years Honours List. He was Mentioned in Despatches nine times.
Post war
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
parade in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
for twenty years.
Glasgow was elected to the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
as a Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
in 1919. He became Minister for Home and Territories
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
on 28 June 1926, and then from April 1927 to October 1929 was Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
. Out of office in 1929, he became deputy leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Glasgow saw his role as frustrating Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's inflationary policies. Unfortunately, such policies were exactly what was required, and so Glasgow inflicted much suffering. In 1931 Labor polled well enough in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
against the national trend that Glasgow lost his seat. His political career over, Glasgow resumed his pastoral interests and became director of several companies.
On 24 December 1939, Glasgow was appointed first Australian High Commissioner to Canada. Canada thus became only the fifth country in which Australia had diplomatic representatives. Glasgow built good relations with the Canadian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
and his ministers, but was not successful in getting Canadian support for Australian strategy in the Pacific. He did conclude a "mutual aid" agreement between the two countries, resulting in Canada providing two merchant ships to Australia. In August 1943 and September 1944 Glasgow attended the Quebec Conferences between US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
, where he represented Australian interests.
Glasgow returned to Australia in 1945 and once again resumed his pastoral and business interests. He died in Brisbane on 4 July 1955. He was given a state funeral and cremated.
Tributes
In 1966, a bronze statue of Glasgow was erected in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
During 2008, a statue was erected at Post Office Square
Post Office Square, Brisbane
Post Office Square is a public square which is built over a collection of shops. The square is situated between Queen Street and Adelaide Street, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Post Office Square was opened on 5 April 1984....
(opposite ANZAC Square
Anzac Square, Brisbane
ANZAC Square, named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, is a Queensland state memorial to men and women who participated in overseas armed service. It is located between Ann Street and Adelaide Street , in Brisbane, Australia. ANZAC Square is adjacent to ANZAC Square Arcade...
), also in Brisbane.
External links
- WWI general honoured in Brisbane, www.abc.net.au, 2 February 2008