Brig. Gen. Sir Walter Ross

[hazelclark]

Have been reading "Sword of the North" in fits and starts but the above name caught my interest and I googled him but could not find anything definative. In one of the snatches I found it mentions him being "sent home" and replaced by a younger man. (He was wounded in the Boer War) Somewhere else I found his name next to the expression "Lions Led by Donkeys". Does anyone know anything about this man?

thanks

Hazel C

[charlesmessenger]

Hazel

Here are some details courtesy of Birmingham Unversity's War Studies department:

(1857-1928)

Brigadier-General

KBE, CB, CMG. GOC Infantry Brigade

Educated privately and abroad

Durham Light Infantry

Walter Charteris Ross was the third son of Colonel George W H Ross, DL and JP of Cromarty. He was commissioned in the Durham Light Infantry [then the 68th Foot] from the Militia on 29 September 1877. He retired from the army on 7 November 1908 in the rank of colonel after a military career that had seen active service in the Afghan War (1878-9) and South Africa (1901-2), where he was badly wounded. In September 1914, however, he was ‘dug out’ of retirement to command 152nd (1st Highland) Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division TF. He was 57. Ross commanded 152nd Brigade during its baptism of fire at Festubert and Givenchy in the spring of 1915, but was replaced on the eve of the Somme. His successor, Brigadier-General H P Burn was thirteen years Ross’s junior. After a brief spell at home as GOC 214th Brigade, Ross spent the rest of the war in Salonika. He was knighted in 1919.

John Bourne

Centre for First World War Studies

Charles M

[Colin W Taylor]

Hazel

Please see attached for his Who's Who entry for 1926.

Kind regards

Colin

[hazelclark]

Hazel

Here are some details courtesy of Birmingham Unversity's War Studies department:

(1857-1928)

Brigadier-General

KBE, CB, CMG. GOC Infantry Brigade

Educated privately and abroad

Durham Light Infantry

Walter Charteris Ross was the third son of Colonel George W H Ross, DL and JP of Cromarty. He was commissioned in the Durham Light Infantry [then the 68th Foot] from the Militia on 29 September 1877. He retired from the army on 7 November 1908 in the rank of colonel after a military career that had seen active service in the Afghan War (1878-9) and South Africa (1901-2), where he was badly wounded. In September 1914, however, he was ‘dug out’ of retirement to command 152nd (1st Highland) Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division TF. He was 57. Ross commanded 152nd Brigade during its baptism of fire at Festubert and Givenchy in the spring of 1915, but was replaced on the eve of the Somme. His successor, Brigadier-General H P Burn was thirteen years Ross’s junior. After a brief spell at home as GOC 214th Brigade, Ross spent the rest of the war in Salonika. He was knighted in 1919.

John Bourne

Centre for First World War Studies

Charles M

Thanks Charles. The reason I was interested was that there was a family connection. Both of his sons were friends of my family in Cromarty when I was a child, and as a result I have inherited a few artifacts. It was the "lions led by donkeys" bit that made me wonder. I had no idea that he had any connection with the Seaforth.

Hazel C.

[hazelclark]

Hazel

Please see attached for his Who's Who entry for 1926.

Kind regards

Colin

Thanks Colin. It was very kind of you and Charles to take the trouble to post the articles.

Hazel

[Patrick Watt]

Hazel

I have a photo of Ross inspecting the 4th Cameron Highlanders at Bedford in February 1915. If you PM me your email address I will send it on, if you like.

All the best

Patrick

[hazelclark]

Hazel

I have a photo of Ross inspecting the 4th Cameron Highlanders at Bedford in February 1915. If you PM me your email address I will send it on, if you like.

All the best

Patrick

Thanks Patrick. P.M. sent

Hazel

[Uncle George]

I came across this old thread while searching for Brigadier-General Sir Walter Ross. He’s a namesake of mine and my interest was caught when I came across him in Neil Fraser-Tytler’s ‘ Field Guns in France’ (1922). In the text he is referred to as ‘Wattie Ross’:

 

” ... we motored over to lunch with Wattie Ross. General Leckie, who knows him well, says he is the most blood-thirsty and daring General in the Corps, and keeps his brigade chock-full of the spirit and joy of slaughter. One of his latest ingenious ways of worrying the Hun is to arm his night patrols with spiked clubs, a silent form of death which has something mysterious and nerve-racking in its effect on the enemy.”

 

This is a little old for hazelclark, I know; but interesting nevertheless.

[Drover]

Well this is a coincidence!

I collect postal history of WW1 (along with many other topics) and I've just today acquired a cover sent by Ross from Salonica on 18 May 1917 addressed to "Mrs Ross of Cromarty, Cromarty, Scotland". It has been signed by him to indicate officer's censorship. He seems to have been an interesting chap! Any info on his Salonica service?

Regards

Jim