General Officer Commanding, Ceylon

General Officer Commanding, Ceylon (also known as Commander of Troops or Officer Commanding His/Her Majesties Troops, Ceylon) was the designation of the General Officer appointed to command all British Army units stationed in the island of Ceylon during the British colonial administration of the island.[1] The post was succeeded by the Commander of the Ceylon Defence Force.

History

The post entitled the holder a seat in the Executive Council of Ceylon and the Legislative Council of Ceylon, advised the Governor of Ceylon on military matters.

Apart from British Army units that were deployed for garrison duty in the island, the officer held command over the Ceylon Defence Force if mobilized. However mobilization could be carried out only under orders from the Governor.

Following independence in 1948, the command was split. With the creation of the Ceylon Army, it head had was referred to as the Commander of the Ceylon Army and the British troops in Ceylon came under the command of the Commander, Ceylon Garrison and UK troops in Ceylon until the withdrawal of British troops from the island.

Official Residence

The GOC Ceylon was entitled to a Class A Quarters issued to government officers for the use of his official residence in Colombo and had the General's House, Nuwara Eliya as a country house.

List of General Officers Commanding, Ceylon
Portrait Rank Name Appointment Left office Unit Decorations
ColonelJames Stuart1796
Major generalWelbore Ellis Doyle1 January 1797
ColonelPeter Bonnevaux30 June 179710th Madras Native Infantry
Brigadier generalPierre Frédéric de Meuron12 July 1797
ColonelJosiah ChampagnéFebruary 1799
Major generalHay MacDowall19 July 1799
Major generalDavid Douglas Wemyss1804
Major generalThomas Maitland180562nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of FootGCB, GCH
Major generalJohn Wilson1811
Lieutenant generalRobert Brownrigg18129th (East Norfolk) Regiment of FootGCB
Major generalAlexander Cosby Jackson181266th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot
Major generalEdward Barnes182047th (Lancashire) Regiment of FootGCB
Major generalJames Campbell22 July 182294th Regiment of Foot
Major generalHudson Lowe182650th FootGCMG, KCB
Major generalJohn Wilson14 October 183128th Foot
Major generalRobert Arbuthnot183976th Regiment of FootKCB
Lieutenant generalColin Campbell16 April 184178th (Highlanders) Regiment of FootKCB
Major generalWilliam Smelt28 January 1847103rd Regiment of FootCB
Major generalPhilip Bainbrigge23 May 18527th Regiment of FootCB
Major generalThomas Reed13 September 185412th Light DragoonsCB
Major generalHenry Frederick Lockyer1856186097th (The Earl of Ulster's) Regiment of FootCB, KH
Major generalTerence O'Brien18601865
Major generalStudholme John Hodgson1865186954th Regiment of Foot
Major generalHenry Renny1869187481st Regiment of FootCSI
Major generalJohn Alfred Street1874187968th Regiment of FootCB
Major generalWilliam Wilby18791882King's Own Royal RegimentCB
Major generalJohn Chetham McLeod1882188742nd Regiment of FootKCB
Major generalWilbraham Lennox18871888Royal EngineersVC, CB
Major generalWilliam Massy1888189319th Regiment of FootCB
Major generalW. Clive-Justice1893189775th Regiment of FootCMG
Major generalF. T. Hobson18971902
Major generalHector MacDonald1902190392nd Gordon HighlandersKCB, DSO
Brigadier generalG. L. C. Money19031905Queen's Own Cameron HighlandersCB, DSO
Brigadier generalR .C. B. Lawrence190519091st King's Dragoon Guards
Brigadier generalA. J. Whitacre Allen19091913The BuffsCB
Brigadier generalHenry Huntly Leith Malcolm19131915Queen's Own Cameron HighlandersCB, DSO
Brigadier generalF. Hackett-Thompson19151918Queen's Own Cameron HighlandersCB
Brigadier generalF. A. MacFarlane19181920CB
Colonel commandantClifford Coffin19201924Royal EngineersVC, CB, DSO & Bar
Colonel commandantHarold Higginson19241927Royal Dublin FusiliersCB, DSO & Bar
BrigadierAustin Claude Girdwood19271931Northumberland FusiliersCB, CMG, DSO & Bar[2]
BrigadierE. F. Shewell19311934Royal ArtilleryCMG, DSO[3]
BrigadierC. A. Lyon19341937Royal ArtilleryDSO[4]
Brigadier (local rank)J. O. Thurburn[5]19371941Royal ArtilleryMC
Major generalTim Inskip1941194213th Frontier Force RiflesCB, CIE, DSO, MC
Lieutenant generalHenry Pownall[6]19421943Royal ArtilleryKBE, DSO & Bar, MC
Major generalFrancis Tuker[7]March 1944September 1944Royal Sussex Regiment, 2nd Gurkha RiflesKCIE, CB, DSO, OBE

See also

References
  1. "British Commanders". Ceylondatabase.net. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. Ceylon (1928). The Ceylon Blue Book.
  3. ". THE . LONDON GAZETTE, .1 JUNE, 1928" (PDF). thegazette.co.uk. The London Gazette. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  4. ". THE . LONDON GAZETTE, 1919" (PDF). thegazette.co.uk. The London Gazette.
  5. "THE LONDON GAZETTE, 30 JULY, 1937" (PDF). thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  6. "King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : POWNALL, Lt Gen Sir Henry Royds (1887-1961)". kingscollections.org. King's College London. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. "Officers of the Indian Army 1939-1945 -- T". www.unithistories.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
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