Maj Gen L J Lipsett

[Jock Bruce]

Does anybody know the circumstances is which this officer was KIA on 14 Oct 18 whilst GOC 4 Div??

Jock

[Walter Kortooms]

From "Bloody Red Tabs" by Frank Davies & Graham Maddocks (page 82/83):

Major-General L.J. Lipsett C.B. C.M.G.

G.O.C. 4th Division

Louis James Lipsett was born in June, 1874, and was commissioned into the Royal Irish Regiment in October 1894. In 1897 and 1898 he took part in operations on the north-west frontier of India. He held Staff appointments in South Africa from 1904 to 1907 and then became A.D.C. to Major-Generals commanding the 6th Division, Eastern Command and the 2nd Division, Aldershot Command from 1907 to 1908. In 1911 he was G.S.0.2 with the Canadian Forces, and in September, 1915, he was appointed Brigadier-General Commanding the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the lst Canadian Division. When Major-General Mercer (q.v.) was killed, Lipsett took command of the 3rd Canadian Division in June, 1916, and commanded this division until September, 1918, when he took command of the British 4th Division. He was made a C.M.G in 1915 and a C.B. in 1918.

In October, 1918,- Major-General Lipsett became the last British General to be killed in the Great War when he was mortally wounded in front of his own front line, as is described in the diary of the General Staff, 4th Division: 'Escaudoeuvres (near Cambrai). 14/10/18. At 15.15 a telephone message was received from Brigadier-General Green, Cornmanding 10th Infantry Brigade, to say that the Divisional Commander, Major-General Lipsett, had been killed while engaged on a reconnaissance. This constitutes a very deplorable loss to the Division.' The facts appear to be as follows: General Lipsett had gone up with General Macnaughten, of 12 Brigade, and an officer of 49th Division to reconnoitre the 49th Divisional front which this division expects to take over. His particular object was to gain a view of the crossing of the river Selle between Haspres and Sauloir. He was crawling down the slope E. of the wood in P.25.a., in front of our own posts which ran along the E. edge of the wood W. of Sauloir, when he was hit in the face, probably by a machine-gun bullet. He managed to stagger back to the wood, but died almost immediately.15/10/18. The funeral of Major-General Lipsett, C.B. C.M.G. took place at Queant at 15.00, arrangements being made by the 3rd Canadian Division which he had commanded for 2 ½ years. Among those present were the G.O.C.'s First Army, Canadian Corps and XXII Corps, representatives of the 4th Division, Canadian Corps and 3rd Canadian Division and Major H.R.H. The Prince of Wales.' MajorGeneral Lipsett is buried in Queant Communal Cemetery British Extension, France.

There is also a photograph of his funeral in the book.

Walter Kortooms

[Jock Bruce]

Walter,

very many thanks

Jock