General Officer Commanding, Ceylon

General Officer Commanding, Ceylon (also known as Commander of Troops) 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 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

No. Portrait Rank Name Appointment Left office Unit Decorations
1ColonelJames Stuart1796
2Major generalWelbore Ellis Doyle1 January 1797
3ColonelPeter Bonnevaux30 June 179710th Madras Native Infantry
4Brigadier generalPierre Frédéric de Meuron12 July 1797
5ColonelJosiah ChampagnéFebruary 1799
6Major generalHay MacDowall19 July 1799
7Major generalDavid Douglas Wemyss1804
8Major generalSir Thomas Maitland180562nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of FootGCB, GCH
9Major generalJohn Wilson1811
10Lieutenant generalSir Robert Brownrigg18129th (East Norfolk) Regiment of FootGCB
11Major generalAlexander Cosby Jackson181266th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot
12Major generalSir Edward Barnes182047th (Lancashire) Regiment of FootGCB
13Major generalSir James Campbell22 July 1822
14Major generalSir Hudson Lowe1826GCMG, KCB
15Major generalSir John Wilson14 October 1831
16Major generalSir Robert Arbuthnot183976th Regiment of FootKCB
17Lieutenant generalSir Colin Campbell16 April 184178th (Highlanders) Regiment of FootKCB
18Major generalWilliam Smelt28 January 1847
19Major generalPhilip Bainbrigge23 May 1852
20Major generalThomas Reed13 September 1854
21Major generalHenry Frederick Lockyer1856
22Major generalTerence O'Brien1860
23Major generalStudholme John Hodson1865
24Major generalHenry Renny1869
25Major generalJohn Alfred Street1874
26Major generalWilliam Wilby18791886
Brigadier generalHenry Huntly Leith Malcolm19131915
Lieutenant generalSir Henry Royds Pownall [2]19421943
Major generalSir Francis Ivan Simms Tucker[3]March 1944September 1944

See also

References

  1. "British Commanders". Ceylondatabase.net. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. "King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : POWNALL, Lt Gen Sir Henry Royds (1887-1961)". kingscollections.org. Kings College London. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  3. "Officers of the Indian Army 1939-1945 -- T". www.unithistories.com. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
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