General Sir Robert Archibald Cassels, GCB, GCSI, DSO (15 March 1876 – 23 December 1959) was a British Indian Army officer. He was the father of Field Marshal Sir James Cassels.
Sir Robert Cassels | |
---|---|
Born | Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India | 15 March 1876
Died | 23 December 1959 83) Battle, England, United Kingdom | (aged
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Indian Army |
Years of service | 1896–1941 |
Rank | General |
Commands | Commander-in-Chief, India Northern Command, India Peshawar District 18th Indian Division 11th Indian Cavalry Brigade |
Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) |
Relations | Field Marshal Sir James Cassels (son) |
Military career
Educated at Sedbergh School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Cassels was commissioned into the Indian Staff Corps as a second lieutenant on 22 January 1896.[1] He received promotion to lieutenant on 22 April 1898,[2] to captain on 22 January 1905[3] and to major on 22 January 1914.[4] Whilst serving in India, Cassels made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the Europeans cricket team against the Parsees at Bombay in the 1902–03 Bombay Presidency Match.[5] Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed for 2 runs in the Europeans first innings by Ardeshir Mehta, whilst in their second innings he was dismissed without scoring by Maneksha Bulsara.[6]
He went on to serve in the First World War, receiving rapid and successive promotion to temporary lieutenant colonel on 19 January 1916,[7] brevet lieutenant colonel on 3 June 1916,[8] brevet colonel in June 1917,[8] and to temporary brigadier general on 6 August 1917.[9][10][11] In November 1917 he was appointed Commander of 11th Indian Cavalry Brigade and took his brigade on a great turning movement up the left bank of the River Tigris, outflanking the Turks and helping to bring the Mesopotamian Campaign to an end.[12] Following the war, he briefly commanded the 18th Indian Division while it was stationed in the Middle East.[13]
Cassels was promoted to major general on 1 January 1919[14] in the Cavalry in India when he was appointed Commander of Peshawar District.[11] He became Adjutant-General, India in 1928, and was promoted to lieutenant general on 14 April (back-dated to 1 May 1927).[15][16] He was promoted to general on 15 October 1929[17] and appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command, India in 1930.[11] He was next made Commander-in-Chief, India and a Member of the Executive Council of the Governor-General of India in 1935.[11] He continued in that post into the Second World War and retired in 1941.[11]
Honours
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath – 3 June 1933[18] (KCB – 3 June 1927;[19] CB – c.1918)
- Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India – 11 July 1940[20] (CSI – c.1919)
- Distinguished Service Order – c.1919
- Officer of the Legion of Honour – 7 June 1919[21]
References
Bibliography
External links
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