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Remembered Today:

Brigadier Generals 9th Brigade


John Beech

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Afternoon All

I am looking to trace a definitive list of those officers who commanded 9th Brigade during the war. I have several names from various times during the war, but cannot find a source from which I can get a complete list of all Brigade Commanders from August 1914-Nov 1918.

Can anyone suggest one?

Thank you in anticipation

John

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The Order of Battle of Divisions, compiled by Major A. F. Becke (Naval and Military Press reprint) has the following entry for 9th Brigade, 3rd Division:

9th BRIGADE

(Rejoined from 28th Div. on 2/4/15)

[12 Nov., '14] Br.-Gen. W. DOUGLAS SMITH.

9 Mar., '16 ... Br.-Gen. H. C. POTTER

(wounded 23/7/16. evacd 25/7/16).

26 July, '16 ... Br.-Gen. H. C. R. GREEN.

5 Aug. '16 ... Br.-Gen. H. C. POTTER.

I cannot explain the note (Rejoined from 28th Div. on 2/4/15)

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Harry

Thanks for this. 9th Brigade were temporarily attached to 28th Division between 17th February and 2nd April 1915 in exchange for 85th Brigade. It appears Brigadier General Douglas Smith was the replacement for Brigadier General Frederick Shaw who was the Brigade commander from 21st May 1913, until he was wounded by a shell which hit his headquarters on 12th November 1914. I don't have a copy of Becke's book, was Potter in command for the remainder of the war?

Regards

John

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John

I'd come across Potter in Feb-March 1918 with 9th Brigade; he's still listed as commanding in July 1918 from a separate source.

Kind regards

Colin

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Colin

Many thanks for your comments. l did a few initial enquiries on the internet and there was correspondence suggesting he was still there in 1918 and your comments support that.

Regards

John

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The Order of Battle of Divisions, compiled by Major A. F. Becke (Naval and Military Press reprint) has the following entry for 9th Brigade, 3rd Division:

9th BRIGADE

(Rejoined from 28th Div. on 2/4/15)

[12 Nov., '14] Br.-Gen. W. DOUGLAS SMITH.

9 Mar., '16 ... Br.-Gen. H. C. POTTER

(wounded 23/7/16. evacd 25/7/16).

26 July, '16 ... Br.-Gen. H. C. R. GREEN.

5 Aug. '16 ... Br.-Gen. H. C. POTTER.

I cannot explain the note (Rejoined from 28th Div. on 2/4/15)

If Potter is the last entry in Becke's Order of Battle, that normally implies that he remained in command until the end of the war.

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Ian

Thanks for confirming that. I have now done a bit of research on Brigadier General Herbert Cecil Potter.

He was appointed Second Lieutenant from Gentleman Cadet from Royal Military College into the King's (Liverpool Regiment) 28th February 1896. Promoted Lieutenant 2nd March 1899. Appointed Captain 1901 and served as Adjutant until 1903. Appears to have served in Egypt pre WW1 (possibly attached Egyptian Army) as awarded two Egyptian awards pre-war. Appointed Major 1st September 1915, and Temporary Lieutenant Colonel 28th October 1915. He was appointed Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 14th January 1916 and awarded the Legion d'honneur, 24th February 1916. He took command of 9th Brigade on 9th March 1916. He was awarded his DSO in the New Years Honours 1917 and became CMG in January 1918. He was appointed Brevet Colonel in September 1918. After the war he served in the Army of Occupation with the King's (Liverpool Regiment) as Acting Lieutenant Colonel, before taking command of 3rd Indian Brigade in India in 1923. Appointed CB 3rd June 1927. He relinquished his command on 11th June 1927 and went on to half pay. He retired on 27th September 1927 with the honorary rank of Brigadier General and died in 1964.

I am now looking to see when and with whom he served prior to taking command of 9th Brigade.

Regards

John

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