Henry O'Donnell (British Army officer)

Brigadier-General Henry O'Donnell CMG (10 September 1852 – 31 October 1928) was a British Army officer who commanded the 35th Division on an acting basis during the First World War.

Henry O'Donnell
Born	10 September 1852
Died	31 October 1928 (aged 76)
Branch	British Army
Rank	Brigadier-General
Unit	West Yorkshire Regiment
Commands	35th Division
Battles / wars	First World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Military career

O'Donnell was commissioned into the West Yorkshire Regiment on 10 May 1882.^[1]

In February 1908 he succeeded Herbert Watts as commanding officer of a battalion of the West Yorks, for which he was raised to the rank of lieutenant colonel.^[2]

He saw action during the First World War, became an authority on military training and wrote significant papers entitled "Catechism on Field Training"^[3] and "Lectures to Recruits: The training of the soldier, a lecture to recruits, and Intercommunication and passing orders and messages".^[4] Promoted in June 1915 to temporary brigadier general,^[5] he became commander of the 106th Infantry Brigade on 13 May 1916^[6][7] and briefly commanded the 35th Division on an acting basis from 17 September 1916 to 23 September 1916.^[8] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1919 Birthday Honours.^[9]