Arthur Floyer-Acland

Lieutenant General Arthur Nugent Floyer-Acland, CB, DSO, MC, DL (7 September 1885 – 18 February 1980)[1] was a senior officer of the British Army who served in both the First and Second World Wars. He was Military Secretary from 1940 to 1942. In later life, he was High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset.

Arthur Floyer-Acland
Born(1885-09-07)7 September 1885
Died18 February 1980(1980-02-18) (aged 94)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1905–1942
RankLieutenant General
UnitRoyal Warwickshire Regiment
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Commands held43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
3rd Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Battles/warsFirst World War
Waziristan campaign
Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (7)
Croix de Guerre (France)
RelationsStafford Floyer-Acland (son)

Early life

Born Arthur Acland on 7 September 1885, he was the second son of John Edward Acland and his wife Norah Letitia, daughter of Henry Nugent Bankes.[2] He was educated in Blundell's School, located in Tiverton, Devon.[3] In 1928, he assumed by Royal Licence the additional surname Floyer to inherit the estates of George Floyer.[4]

Military career

Floyer-Acland entered the British Army in 1905 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the 5th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.[5] In February 1907, he was transferred to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.[6] He fought in the First World War, receiving the Military Cross in 1915. He was promoted to a brevet-major in 1917,[3] mentioned in despatches seven times during the course of the war,[3] and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1918 and the French Croix de Guerre in 1920.[7][8]

Floyer-Acland attended the Staff College, Camberley in 1921 and was breveted to lieutenant colonel in 1927.[3] Four years later, he received the command of the 1st Battalion of his regiment and in 1934 became colonel,[9] being then attached to the War Office.[3] After two years he came in charge of the 3rd Infantry Brigade and took part in the Waziristan campaign until 1938.[1] He was promoted major general later that year,[10] and became General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, a Territorial Army formation, until February 1940.[11]

In 1940, Floyer-Acland was appointed Military Secretary.[12] In the King's Birthday Honours that July he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[13] He was advanced to a lieutenant general in 1941,[14] and retired from his post in the next year.[15] Floyer-Acland was nominated High Sheriff of Dorset in 1953 and served as Deputy Lieutenant of that county from 1957.[3]

Family

On 6 December 1913, Floyer-Acland married Evelyn Stafford Still, daughter of Stafford Still. His wife died in 1973 and Floyer-Acland survived her until 1980. Their only son was Stafford Floyer-Acland.[16]

References
  1. "Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives – ACLAND, Arthur Nugent Floyer". Retrieved 11 December 2009.
  2. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1929). Armorial Families. vol. I. London: Hurst & Blackett. p. 691.
  3. Who is Who 1963. London: Adam & Charles Black Ltd. 1963. p. 1043.
  4. "No. 33431". The London Gazette. 19 October 1928. p. 6699.
  5. "No. 27779". The London Gazette. 28 March 1905. p. 2364.
  6. "No. 27995". The London Gazette. 15 February 1907. p. 1068.
  7. "No. 30718". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6494.
  8. "No. 32113". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 1920. p. 10742.
  9. "No. 34042". The London Gazette. 17 April 1934. p. 2469.
  10. "No. 34579". The London Gazette. 13 December 1938. p. 7915.
  11. "No. 34579". The London Gazette. 13 December 1938. p. 7917.
  12. "No. 34800". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 February 1940. p. 1151.
  13. "No. 34893". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 July 1940. p. 4244.
  14. "No. 35348". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 November 1941. p. 6621.
  15. "No. 35746". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 October 1942. p. 4481.
  16. Lundy, Darry. "ThePeerage – Lt-Gen Arthur Nugent Floyer-Acland". The Peerage. Retrieved 10 December 2006.
Military offices
Preceded by
Baptist Crozier		 GOC 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
1938–1940		 Succeeded by
Arthur Percival
Preceded by
Sir George Giffard		 Military Secretary
1940–1942		 Succeeded by
Sir Colville Wemyss
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