Colin Robert Ballard
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General Colin Robert Ballard, CB
, CMG (1868–1941) was a Brigadier-General in the British Army, a knight of the Order of the Star of Romania
, recipient of the collar of the Order of Carol I
and a military author. Ballard was the second son of General John Archibald Ballard
(1829–1880), and his wife Joanna, the daughter of Robert Scott-Moncrieff, and was born at Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland on 20 July 1868. Ballard spent his early life in Scotland and then in Kent before attending the United Services College
, Westward Ho!
, Devon in 1885.
According to the records of the India Office
, Ballard was granted a Queen's India Cadetship (IOR/L/MIL/9/300/40) in 1887 but he must have decided against service in the Indian Army
as he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Norfolk Regiment
in 1888 with a subsequent promotion to Lieutenant
in 1890. The Regiment were posted to Burma for 1891–1892 for which Ballard received the Burma Medal and Clasp and were posted to India in 1895 for which he received the India Medal
] with Relief of Chitral
clasp. Subsequent service in the Tirah Campaign
during 1897 and 1898 saw him mentioned in dispatches
and promoted to Captain
.
The Norfolks were then posted to South Africa where Ballard was Station Commandant during 1899 and early 1900 before becoming a Staff Officer with a field rank of Brevet-Major
in the Mounted Infantry Corps Mobile Column through to 1902. In this period he received the Queen's South Africa Medal
with 6 clasps and the King's South Africa Medal
with both 1901 and 1902 Clasps. It was not long, however, before the Regiment was on the move again and this time Ballard found himself as Transport Officer for the Somaliland Field Force during 1903 and 1904 before being appointed Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General in Ceylon in 1905 and then Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General in Ceylon from 1905 until 1908.
Substantive promotion to Major
finally occurred in 1908 and he then took up the post of a General Staff Officer Grade 2 at the 2nd London Division for 1909 and 1910 before moving as a General Staff Officer to the Staff College from 1911 to 1913. Promotion to Lt Colonel
came in 1913, giving him the opportunity to formally wear his father's "Colonel's Sword" bequeathed to him in 1880, and he was appointed Commander, 1st Norfolk Regiment and later 7th, 95th and 14th Infantry Brigades, British Expeditionary Force, France and Belgium, 1914-1916. It was whilst he was General Officer Commanding 57th Infantry Brigade in 1916 that he was wounded at the Battle of the Somme. His service in France & Flanders earned him three mentions in dispatches, a brevet Colonel promotion and, in common with his father and with his older brother Admiral George Alexander Ballard
, appointment as a Companion of the Bath. Ballard recovered from his wounds and was posted as Military Attaché
to Romania from 1917 to 1918. For his services there, the Romanian government appointed him a Knight of the Order of the Star of Romania
and he received the Collar of the Order of Carol I
, the British Government appointed him a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
.
For two years after the First World War, Ballard was Officer Commanding No 2 District, Scottish Command, 1919–1920 and from 1920 to 1923 he held the post of President of the Allied Police Commission in Constantinople
. He retired in 1923 and occupied his time in writing a number of books. Ballard died in 1941 and was survived by his wife Lizzie Emelia A Jones whom he had married in 1902. They had no children.
CB
-Architectural/engineering:* Block coefficient , determining fullness of ship's hull* Chrysler Building, a skyscraper in New York City, New York* Concrete block/cinder block, also breeze block [UK], foundation block [US], see concrete masonry unit...
, CMG (1868–1941) was a Brigadier-General in the British Army, a knight of the Order of the Star of Romania
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
, recipient of the collar of the Order of Carol I
Order of Carol I
The Order of Carol I is a chivalric order of the Kingdom of Romania instituted on the 10 May 1909 by King Carol I of Romania to celebrate his jubilee of 40 years of reign. Until the fall of the monarchy in 1947, the order was the highest ranking order of the kingdom...
and a military author. Ballard was the second son of General John Archibald Ballard
John Archibald Ballard
Lieutenant General John Archibald Ballard CB LLD RE was a British soldier. He was born in Portbury, Somerset, the second son of George Ballard, a Calcutta Merchant, and Jane Tod daughter of Alexander Tod and Charlote Bruere...
(1829–1880), and his wife Joanna, the daughter of Robert Scott-Moncrieff, and was born at Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland on 20 July 1868. Ballard spent his early life in Scotland and then in Kent before attending the United Services College
United Services College
United Services College was an English private boys' public boarding school for the sons of military officers, located at Westward Ho! near Bideford in North Devon...
, Westward Ho!
Westward Ho!
Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England. The A39 road provides access from the towns of Barnstaple, Bideford and Bude...
, Devon in 1885.
According to the records of the India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
, Ballard was granted a Queen's India Cadetship (IOR/L/MIL/9/300/40) in 1887 but he must have decided against service in the Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
as he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Norfolk Regiment
Royal Norfolk Regiment
The Royal Norfolk Regiment, originally formed as the Norfolk Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The Norfolk Regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as the county regiment of Norfolk...
in 1888 with a subsequent promotion to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1890. The Regiment were posted to Burma for 1891–1892 for which Ballard received the Burma Medal and Clasp and were posted to India in 1895 for which he received the India Medal
India Medal
The India Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1896 for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies.The India Medal was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, chiefly for service on the North-West Frontier during 1895 to 1902. This medal replaced the India General...
] with Relief of Chitral
Chitral Expedition
The Chitral Expedition was a military expedition in 1895 sent by the British authorities to relieve the fort at Chitral which was under siege after a local coup.-Background to the conflict:Chitral was at the extreme north west of British India...
clasp. Subsequent service in the Tirah Campaign
Tirah Campaign
The Tirah Campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah Expedition, was an Indian frontier war in 1897–98. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country.-Rebellion:...
during 1897 and 1898 saw him mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
and promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
.
The Norfolks were then posted to South Africa where Ballard was Station Commandant during 1899 and early 1900 before becoming a Staff Officer with a field rank of Brevet-Major
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
in the Mounted Infantry Corps Mobile Column through to 1902. In this period he received the Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
with 6 clasps and the King's South Africa Medal
King's South Africa Medal
The King's South Africa Medal was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.The KSA was awarded only to those...
with both 1901 and 1902 Clasps. It was not long, however, before the Regiment was on the move again and this time Ballard found himself as Transport Officer for the Somaliland Field Force during 1903 and 1904 before being appointed Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General in Ceylon in 1905 and then Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General in Ceylon from 1905 until 1908.
Substantive promotion to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
finally occurred in 1908 and he then took up the post of a General Staff Officer Grade 2 at the 2nd London Division for 1909 and 1910 before moving as a General Staff Officer to the Staff College from 1911 to 1913. Promotion to Lt Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
came in 1913, giving him the opportunity to formally wear his father's "Colonel's Sword" bequeathed to him in 1880, and he was appointed Commander, 1st Norfolk Regiment and later 7th, 95th and 14th Infantry Brigades, British Expeditionary Force, France and Belgium, 1914-1916. It was whilst he was General Officer Commanding 57th Infantry Brigade in 1916 that he was wounded at the Battle of the Somme. His service in France & Flanders earned him three mentions in dispatches, a brevet Colonel promotion and, in common with his father and with his older brother Admiral George Alexander Ballard
George Alexander Ballard
Admiral George Alexander Ballard, CB was an officer of the Royal Navy and a historian. Ballard was the eldest son of General John Archibald Ballard , and his wife Joanna, the daughter of Robert Scott-Moncrieff, and was born at Malabar Hill, Bombay on 7 March 1862...
, appointment as a Companion of the Bath. Ballard recovered from his wounds and was posted as Military Attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Romania from 1917 to 1918. For his services there, the Romanian government appointed him a Knight of the Order of the Star of Romania
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
and he received the Collar of the Order of Carol I
Order of Carol I
The Order of Carol I is a chivalric order of the Kingdom of Romania instituted on the 10 May 1909 by King Carol I of Romania to celebrate his jubilee of 40 years of reign. Until the fall of the monarchy in 1947, the order was the highest ranking order of the kingdom...
, the British Government appointed him a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
.
For two years after the First World War, Ballard was Officer Commanding No 2 District, Scottish Command, 1919–1920 and from 1920 to 1923 he held the post of President of the Allied Police Commission in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. He retired in 1923 and occupied his time in writing a number of books. Ballard died in 1941 and was survived by his wife Lizzie Emelia A Jones whom he had married in 1902. They had no children.
Publications
- Russia in rule and misrule (John Murray, London, 1920)
- Napoleon, an outline (Duckworth and Co, London, 1924),
- Military genius of Abraham Lincoln (Oxford University Press, London, 1926),
- The great Earl of Peterborough (Skeffington and Son, London, 1926);
- Kitchener (Faber and Faber, London, 1930),
- Smith-Dorrien (Constable and Co, London, 1931);