Commander-in-Chief, Scotland

History

Early history

Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of war with France in 1793. The Scottish District was commanded by the Commander-in-Chief, Scotland. In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland’ was published, with the ‘Active Army’ divided into eight army corps based on the District Commands. 8th Corps was to be formed within Scottish Command, based at Edinburgh. This scheme disappeared in 1881, when the districts were retitled ‘District Commands.

Early twentieth century

The 1901 Army Estimates introduced by St John Brodrick allowed for six army corps based on six regional commands. As outlined in a paper published in 1903, VI Corps was to be formed in a reconstituted Scottish Command, with HQ at Edinburgh. Lieutenant General Sir Charles Tucker was appointed acting General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOCinC) of VI Corps in April 1903. Scottish Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in 1955.

First World War

Army Order No 324, issued on 21 August 1914, authorised the formation of a 'New Army' of six Divisions, manned by volunteers who had responded to Earl Kitchener's appeal (hence the First New Army was known as 'K1'). Each division was to be under the administration of one of the Home Commands, and Scottish Command formed what became the 9th (Scottish) Division. It was followed by 15th (Scottish) Division of K2 in September 1914. The 64th (2nd Highland) Division was established in the Command by 1915 after the departure of 51st (Highland) Division for France.

Second World War

In September 1939 consisted of Highland Area with 9th (Highland) Infantry Division and 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, and Lowland Area with 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division and 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, plus other troops. By 1940 during the Battle of Britain the command was responsible to Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces.

As France was capitulating, General Władysław Sikorski. the Polish commander-in-chief and prime minister, was able to evacuate many Polish troops—probably over 20,000—to the United Kingdom. After initially regrouping in southern Scotland these Polish ground units (as I Corps, comprising the 1st Independent Rifle Brigade, the 10th Motorised Cavalry Brigade (as infantry) and cadre brigades largely manned by surplus officers at battalion strength) took over responsibility in October 1940 for the defence of the counties of Fife and Angus; this included reinforcing coastal defences that had already been started. I Corps was under the direct command of Scottish Command. While in this area the Corps was reorganised and expanded.

Post War

In 1950, the 51st/52nd (Scottish) Division was split, restoring the independence of the 52nd Lowland Division, which took regional command of Territorial Army units based in the Scottish Lowlands, including the Territorial infantry battalions of the Lowland Brigade regiments.

In 1948, the 9th Special Communications Unit was formed in Forfar administered by Scottish Command. The 30th Armoured Brigade was reformed in Scotland after the war as a fully Territorial Army formation, known as the 30th (Lowland) Independent Armoured Brigade. It was headquartered in Glasgow.

In 1955, Headquarters Scottish Command moved into modern facilities at Craigiehall, close to Cramond, around 9 km (5.6 mi) west of central Edinburgh. At this time, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief had 92 separate locations under his command, with 2,500 regular service men and women and 8,800 members of the Territorial Army, representing 14% of the total across the UK.

The Command was merged into HQ United Kingdom Land Forces (HQ UKLF) in 1972 and the headquarters in Scotland was downgraded to the status of a district, known as Army Headquarters Scotland. Scotland continued to have district status until 2000 when the last General Officer Commanding Scotland stood down and the Army HQ Scotland was replaced by HQ 2nd Infantry Division with control of troops in Scotland and the North of England.

General Officers Commanding

Commanders-in-Chief have included:

Commander-in-Chief, Scottish Army

1661–1663: John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton

1663–1667: John Leslie, 7th Earl of Rothes

1667–1674: George Livingston, 3rd Earl of Linlithgow (acting)

1674–1677: Sir George Munro

1677–1679: George Livingston, 3rd Earl of Linlithgow

1679–1679: James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth

1679–1685: Tam Dalyell of the Binns

1685–1685: George Douglas, 1st Earl of Dumbarton

1685–1688: William Drummond, 1st Viscount Strathallan

1688–1688: James Douglas

1689–1690: Hugh Mackay

1690–1697: Thomas Livingstone, 1st Viscount Teviot

Commander-in-Chief, Scotland (or North Britain)

1702–1705: George Ramsay

1706–1710: David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven

1710–1712: David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore

1712–1716: John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll

1716–1724: George Carpenter, 1st Baron Carpenter

1724–1740: George Wade

...

1743–1745: Sir John Cope

1745–1745: Roger Handasyd

1745–1746: Henry Hawley (Prince William, Duke of Cumberland in overall command)

1746–1747: William Anne Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle

1747–1752: Humphrey Bland

1752–1753: George Churchill

1753–1756: Humphrey Bland

1756–1767: Lord George Beauclerk

1767–1778: John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne

1778–1780: Sir James Adolphus Oughton

1780–1787: Alexander Mackay

...

1789–1798: Lord Adam Gordon

1798–1799: Sir Ralph Abercromby

Commanding the troops in the North British District

1868–1873: Major-General Randal Rumley

1873–1875: Major-General Sir John Douglas

1875–1878: Major-General John Stuart

1878–1880: Major-General Robert Bruce

1880–1881: Major-General William Hope

1881–1885: Major-General Alastair Macdonald

1885–1888: Major-General Alexander Elliot

1888–1893: Major-General Sir Arthur Lyttelton-Annesley

Commanding the troops in the Scottish District

1893–1894: Major-General Arthur Lyon Fremantle

1894–1896: Major-General Sir Hugh Rowlands

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Scottish District

1896–1901 Lieutenant General Sir Edward Chapman

1901–1903 Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Hunter

1903–1905 Lieutenant General Sir Charles Tucker

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Scottish Command

1905 Lieutenant General Sir Charles Tucker

1905–1909 Lieutenant General Sir Edward Leach

1909–1913 Lieutenant General Sir Bruce Hamilton

1913–1914 Lieutenant General Sir James Wolfe Murray

1914–1918 Lieutenant General Sir Spencer Ewart

1918–1919 Lieutenant General Sir Frederick McCracken

1919–1923 Lieutenant General Sir Francis Davies

1923–1926 Lieutenant General Sir Walter Braithwaite

1926–1930 Lieutenant General Sir William Peyton

1930–1933 General Sir Percy Radcliffe

1933–1937 General Sir Archibald Cameron

1937–1940 General Sir Charles Grant

1940–1941 Lieutenant General Sir Harold Carrington

1941–1945 Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Thorne

1945–1947 Lieutenant General Sir Neil Ritchie

1947–1949 Lieutenant General Sir Philip Christison

1949–1952 Lieutenant General Sir Gordon MacMillan

1952–1955 Lieutenant General Sir Colin Barber

General Officer Commanding, Scotland

1972–1976 Lieutenant General Sir Chandos Blair

1976–1979 Lieutenant General Sir David Scott-Barrett

1979–1980 Lieutenant General Sir Michael Gow

1980–1982 Lieutenant General Sir David Young

1982–1985 Lieutenant General Sir Alexander Boswell

1985–1988 Lieutenant General Sir Norman Arthur

1988–1991 Lieutenant General Sir John MacMillan

1991–1993 Lieutenant General Sir Peter Graham

1993–1995 Major-General Michael Scott

1995–1997 Major-General Jonathan Hall

1997–2000 Major-General Mark Strudwick

Note: There was no General Officer Commanding, Scotland between 2000 and 2012

2012–2015 Major-General Nick Eeles

Military Secretary and General Officer, Scotland

2015–2017 Major-General Nicholas Ashmore

2017–2019 Major-General Bob Bruce

2019–2021 Major-General Tim Hyams

2021–2023 Major-General William Wright

2023–present Major-General Robin Lindsay