Alexander Wilson (British Army officer)

Major-General Sir Alexander Andrew Wilson KCB (29 October 1858 – 7 July 1937) was a senior British Army officer, Colonel of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Lieutenant Governor of Jersey between the years 1916 and 1920.[1]

Sir Alexander Wilson
Birth nameAlexander Andrew Wilson
Born29 October 1858
Framsden, Suffolk, England
Died7 July 1937(1937-07-07) (aged 78)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankMajor General
Commands held1 Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; Indian Expeditionary Force E
Battles/warsAnglo-Zulu War
Second Boer War
World War I
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Military career

Educated at Lancing College,[2] Wilson was gazetted into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1879 and served with the regiment through the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 before being appointed Commandant of Colonial Forces, Western Australia in 1895.[2]

Wilson returned from Australia to fight with his regiment during the Second Boer War and was appointed commander of the 1st Battalion after the Battle of Magersfontein in 1899.[2] He served under Sir John Maxwell in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (World War I) as General Officer Commanding Indian Expeditionary Force E, Canal Defences and was mentioned in dispatches whilst commanding the Suez Canal defences against the Turkish attack through 1915–1916. He was also appointed KCB at around this time.[3]

In later life he became Colonel of the Regiment (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) and was made Lieutenant Governor of Jersey.[4]

He married Jane Leith-Hay Graham, daughter of Robert Graham, 14th of Fintry. Their son Alexander Robert Graham Wilson DSO was commander of the 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.[1]

References
  1. "Obituary: Major-Gen. Sir A. Wilson". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 8 July 1937. p. 18.
  2. A Register of St Nicholas College Lancing
  3. Defence of the Suez Canal 1915
  4. "Jersey Heritage Trust". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Alexander Rochfort		 Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
1916–1920		 Succeeded by
Sir William Smith
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