Walter Braithwaite
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Walter Pipon Braithwaite, GCB
(11 November 1865 – 7 September 1945) was a British
general
during World War I
. After being dismissed from his position as Chief of Staff for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
, he received some acclaim as a competent divisional commander on the Western Front
. After the war, he was commissioned to produce a report analyzing the performance of British staff officers during the conflict.
, the son of the Reverend William Braithwaite and Laura Elizabeth Pipon. He was the youngest of twelve children. He was educated at Victoria College
from 1875 to 1880, and subsequently at the Bedford School
.
, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry in 1886. In 1895, he married Jessie Ashworth, with whom he had a son, Valentine. He served in the Boer War
, seeing action at Ladysmith
, Spion Kop
, Vaal Krantz and Tugela Heights. He was mentioned in despatches three times. After the war, he returned to England and was posted to Southern Command on the staff of Evelyn Wood. In 1906, Braithwaite was promoted to major, and transferred to The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
. He was later promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and served as an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley
. In 1909, he was assigned to the staff of Douglas Haig
at the War Office
, and promoted to colonel. He was subsequently named commandant of the Staff College, Quetta
, a position he still held at the outbreak of World War I. At this point, the college was closed, and he was again transferred to the War Office, this time as Director of Staff Duties.
. He was regarded by many of the Australians involved in that effort as "arrogant and incompetent". After the failure of the Mediterranean expedition, Braithwaite was recalled to London. He was later assigned to the 62nd Division
, which was posted to France in January 1917. Here he experienced considerable success. Although the division struggled to make headway during the Battle of Arras
, it proved a solid and reliable unit during the German Spring Offensive
the following year. Following success in repelling German advances at Bullecourt
and Cambrai
, he was given command of IX Corps and later XII Corps.
He was General Officer Commanding
-in Chief at Scottish Command
from 1923 to 1926, and then General Officer Commanding
-in Chief at Eastern Command
from 1926 to 1927 before being appointed Adjutant-General to the Forces
in 1927. He retired in 1931.
He served as a commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
from 1927 to 1931, as Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
from 1931 to 1938, and as King of Arms of the Order of the Bath
from 1933 until his death.
He died at his home in Rotherwick on 7 September 1945.
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 Walter Pipon Braithwaite, 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...
(11 November 1865 – 7 September 1945) 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...
general
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....
during 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...
. After being dismissed from his position as Chief of Staff for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was part of the British Army during World War I, that commanded all Allied forces at Gallipoli and Salonika. This included the initial naval operation to force the straits of the Dardanelles. Its headquarters was formed in March 1915...
, he received some acclaim as a competent divisional commander on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. After the war, he was commissioned to produce a report analyzing the performance of British staff officers during the conflict.
Early life
Braithwaite was born in AlneAlne, North Yorkshire
Alne is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, about twelve miles north-west of York and four miles from Easingwold. The parish has a population of 711 ....
, the son of the Reverend William Braithwaite and Laura Elizabeth Pipon. He was the youngest of twelve children. He was educated at Victoria College
Victoria College, Jersey
Victoria College is a fee paying States of Jersey-provided school in membership of the HMC, in St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. The castellated neo-gothic architecture is a landmark overlooking the town.-History:In the 1590s, Laurens Baudains - a wealthy farmer from St...
from 1875 to 1880, and subsequently at the Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
.
Military career
Braithwaite studied at the Royal Military AcademyRoyal 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 was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry in 1886. In 1895, he married Jessie Ashworth, with whom he had a son, Valentine. He served in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, seeing action at Ladysmith
Siege of Ladysmith
The Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
, Spion Kop
Battle of Spion Kop
The Battle of Spion Kop was fought about west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa from 23–24 January 1900...
, Vaal Krantz and Tugela Heights. He was mentioned in despatches three times. After the war, he returned to England and was posted to Southern Command on the staff of Evelyn Wood. In 1906, Braithwaite was promoted to major, and transferred to The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
The Loyal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army from 1881 to 1970...
. He was later promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and served as an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley
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 1909, he was assigned to the staff of Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, and promoted to colonel. He was subsequently named commandant of the Staff College, Quetta
Command and Staff College
The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, British Raj, now in Pakistan, and is the oldest and the most prestigious institution of the Pakistan Army. It was established in 1905 in Deolali and moved to its present location at Quetta in 1907 under the name of Quetta...
, a position he still held at the outbreak of World War I. At this point, the college was closed, and he was again transferred to the War Office, this time as Director of Staff Duties.
World War I
In 1915, he was appointed Chief of Staff for the Mediterranean Expedition, commanded by Ian HamiltonIan Standish Monteith Hamilton
General Sir Ian Standish Monteith Hamilton GCB GCMG DSO TD was a general in the British Army and is most notably for commanding the ill-fated Mediterranean Expeditionary Force during the Battle of Gallipoli....
. He was regarded by many of the Australians involved in that effort as "arrogant and incompetent". After the failure of the Mediterranean expedition, Braithwaite was recalled to London. He was later assigned to the 62nd Division
62nd (2nd West Riding) Division
- History :During the First World War the division fought on the Western Front at Bullecourt in the Battle of Arras and Havrincourt in the Battle of Cambrai. In the First Battle of the Somme , they were in the line near Arras and in the Second Battle of the Marne, in the Ardre Valley...
, which was posted to France in January 1917. Here he experienced considerable success. Although the division struggled to make headway during the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
, it proved a solid and reliable unit during the German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
the following year. Following success in repelling German advances at Bullecourt
Bullecourt
Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two...
and Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, he was given command of IX Corps and later XII Corps.
Post war
After the war, Braithwaite was commissioned by Haig to produce a report evaluating the performance of British staff officers in all theatres of the conflict. Although the decision-making abilities of many staff officers (including Braithwaite) had been seriously questioned during the war, Braithwaite's report was generally favourable.He was 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 at Scottish Command
Scottish Command
-History:The Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in the early 1950s.Since 1936 the General Officer Commanding Scottish Command has also always been appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle....
from 1923 to 1926, and then 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 at Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
from 1926 to 1927 before being appointed Adjutant-General to the Forces
Adjutant-General to the Forces
The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General , is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. He is in charge of administration, personnel and organisational matters. The Adjutant-General usually holds the rank of General or Lieutenant-General...
in 1927. He retired in 1931.
He served as a commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
from 1927 to 1931, as Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for British soldiers who are unfit for further duty due to injury or old age, located in the Chelsea region of central London, now the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is a true hospital in the original sense of the word,...
from 1931 to 1938, and as King of Arms of the Order of the Bath
King of Arms of the Order of the Bath
-Kings of Arms:*1725–1745: Grey Longueville*1745–?: Edward Younge *?–1757: William Woodley*1757–1771: Samuel Horsey*1771–1800: Sir Thomas Cullum, 7th Baronet*1800–1829: John Palmer Cullum, Esq. *1829–1864: Algernon Frederick Greville...
from 1933 until his death.
He died at his home in Rotherwick on 7 September 1945.