Alexander Boswell (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir Alexander Crawford Simpson Boswell (born 1928) KCB
CBE
DL
is a former British Army
officer. He joined the Army as junior officer in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
shortly after the Second World War, and after a series of regimental and staff postings was second-in-command of his battalion during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. He later commanded a battalion, then an infantry brigade, before taking command of 2nd Armoured Division in 1978. He was later the General Officer Commanding in Scotland
and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
before retiring in 1990.
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Boswell was commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
in 1948. He remained with his regiment until 1959, when he attended the Staff College, Camberley
, and on completion of the course in 1960 was posted to the Berlin Brigade
as a military assistant to the commanding officer. In 1962 he returned to his battalion as a company commander, later second-in-command, and was mentioned in despatches for his services in Borneo
during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.
Following Borneo he spent four years on the staff of the Staff College, Camberley
, before rejoining his battalion in 1968 as the commanding officer, a posting he held until 1971. He then served on the general staff for a year before taking up the command of 39th Infantry Brigade
in 1972. 39th Brigade was one of the units permanently stationed in Northern Ireland
during the Troubles
, and for his work there Boswell was appointed CBE
in 1974.
In 1974 he was appointed chief of staff
to I (British) Corps in Germany, then posted to Canada, before becoming General Officer Commanding
2nd Armoured Division in 1978. He held divisional command until 1980, when he was appointed Director of the Territorial Army and of Cadets. In 1982 he was appointed the General Officer Commanding in Scotland
and Governor of Edinburgh Castle, then in 1985 Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
, before retiring in 1990.
From 1972 to 1982 he was the ceremonial colonel
of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and from 1982 to 1986 the colonel commandant
of the Scottish Division
. In 1993 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant
for East Lothian
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
is a former British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer. He joined the Army as junior officer in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
shortly after the Second World War, and after a series of regimental and staff postings was second-in-command of his battalion during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. He later commanded a battalion, then an infantry brigade, before taking command of 2nd Armoured Division in 1978. He was later the General Officer Commanding in Scotland
Scottish Command
-History:The Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in the early 1950s.Since 1936 the General Officer Commanding Scottish Command has also always been appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle....
and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
before retiring in 1990.
Military career
After an education at Merchiston Castle SchoolMerchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Boswell was commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
in 1948. He remained with his regiment until 1959, when he attended the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
, and on completion of the course in 1960 was posted to the Berlin Brigade
Berlin Brigade
After the end of World War II, under the conditions of the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, Allied forces occupied West Berlin. This occupation lasted throughout the Cold War...
as a military assistant to the commanding officer. In 1962 he returned to his battalion as a company commander, later second-in-command, and was mentioned in despatches for his services in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.
Following Borneo he spent four years on the staff of the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
, before rejoining his battalion in 1968 as the commanding officer, a posting he held until 1971. He then served on the general staff for a year before taking up the command of 39th Infantry Brigade
39th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The British 39th Infantry Brigade was a military formation of the British Army that was first established during World War I and reformed in the 1950s.-World Wars:...
in 1972. 39th Brigade was one of the units permanently stationed in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, and for his work there Boswell was appointed CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1974.
In 1974 he was appointed chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to I (British) Corps in Germany, then posted to Canada, before becoming General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
2nd Armoured Division in 1978. He held divisional command until 1980, when he was appointed Director of the Territorial Army and of Cadets. In 1982 he was appointed the General Officer Commanding in Scotland
Scottish Command
-History:The Command was established in 1905 at Edinburgh Castle but moved to Craigiehall in the early 1950s.Since 1936 the General Officer Commanding Scottish Command has also always been appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle....
and Governor of Edinburgh Castle, then in 1985 Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
, before retiring in 1990.
From 1972 to 1982 he was the ceremonial colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and from 1982 to 1986 the colonel commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the Scottish Division
Scottish Division
The Scottish Division is a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. The Scottish Division was formed on July 1, 1968 with the amalgamation of the Lowland Brigade and Highland Brigade...
. In 1993 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
.