Cecil Faber Aspinall-Oglander

Cecil Faber Aspinall-Oglander (08 February 1878 – 23 May 1959)[1] was a 20th Century British military historian, noted for his works on the First World War.

Early life

Cecil Faber Aspinall was born in Wrexham, Wales in 1878, the eldest son of Henry Edmund Aspinall and Kate née Williams. He received his formal education at the Isle of Wight College, and Rugby School.[2] He started his military careers with commissions in the Volunteer Force and the Militia (United Kingdom), prior to receiving a regular service commission in the Royal Munster Fusiliers.

First World War

In March 1915, he was informed that he would be joining the staff of Sir Ian Hamilton's Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He was one of Sir Ian Hamilton’s most trusted aides during the Gallipoli campaign (1915–1916), where his actions saw him mentioned in despatches over a dozen times.[3] In 1916 he was appointed Chief Staff Officer of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, involved in the final phase of the Somme operations. In November 1917, Aspinall moved up to be Brigadier-General General Staff of VIII Corps and remained in this role for the remainder of the war.

Postwar and military retirement

Aspinall retired from the Army in 1920 and was employed by the Historical Section of the British Committee of Imperial Defence, researching and writing the text of several volumes of the British History of the Great War.

During the Second World War he raised and commanded the 20th (East Wight) Battalion, Hampshire Home Guard.[4]

Death

Falls died in his 81st year at Nunwell, on the Isle of Wight, on 23 April 1959. This location was long associated with the Oglander baronets. His second wife, Joan Oglander, came from a long line of descendants that had lived at Nunwell.

Publications
  • Aspinall-Oglander, Cecil Faber (1929). Military Operations Gallipoli: Inception of the Campaign to May 1915. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Committee of Imperial Defence. I (1st ed.). London: William Heinemann. OCLC 464479053.
  • Aspinall-Oglander, C. F. (1932). Military Operations Gallipoli: May 1915 to the Evacuation. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Committee of Imperial Defence. II. London: William Heinemann. OCLC 278615923.

References
  1. "Aspinall-Oglander, Brig.-Gen. Cecil Faber, (8 Feb. 1878–23 May 1959)". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 December 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. "LOT 506 Orders and decorations and medals to Brigadier-General Cecil Faber Aspinall-Oglander". Woolley and Wallis auctioneers. April 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020. The regimentally unique group of orders and decorations to Brigadier-General Cecil Faber Aspinall-Oglander, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Munster Fusiliers, chief of staff of the Royal Naval Division in France, and more widely known as one of General Sir Ian Hamilton's most trusted aides throughout the Gallipoli campaign, of which he was author of the Official History.
  3. "Islander's military medals sold at auction for £30,000". Island Echo. Ryde, Isle of Wight. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  4. "An impressive set of medals awarded to the official historian of the Gallipoli campaign has sold at auction for £30,000". Woolley and Wallis auctioneers. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020. Medals sold at auction for £30,000 An impressive set of medals awarded to the official historian of the Gallipoli campaign has sold at auction [on 1 May 2019] for £30,000.Brigadier-General Cecil Faber Aspinall-Oglander, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. is remembered as one of Sir Ian Hamilton’s most trusted aides during the campaign, and his actions saw him mentioned in despatches over a dozen times.

Further reading
  • Green, A. (2003). "chapter 5: Military Operations Gallipoli, Part I and chapter 6: Military Operations Gallipoli Part II". Writing the Great War: Sir James Edmonds and the Official Histories, 1915–1948. London: Routledge. pp. 85–143. ISBN 978-0-7146-5495-9.
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