George Gordon-Lennox
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir George Charles Gordon-Lennox, KBE
, CB
, CVO
, DSO
(29 May 1908 – 11 May 1988) was a British
soldier.
and a grandson of the 7th Duke of Richmond
. His mother was Evelyn, daughter of Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch
. He was educated at Eton
and was a Page of Honour
to George V
from 1921–1924.
After Eton, he trained at Sandhurst
and was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards
in 1928.
He fought with the Grenadier Guards
in World War II
, where he was wounded, awarded the DSO and mentioned in despatches.
In 1951 Gordon-Lennox was appointed Commanding Officer
of the Grenadier Guards
and in 1952 he was awarded the CVO. In 1952 he also became Commander
of 1st Guards Brigade. He went on to be General Officer Commanding
3rd Division in 1959. In 1960 he became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then Director-General of Military Training at the War Office
in 1963. A year later, he was knight
ed and transferred to Scotland
where he was General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief of the Scottish Command
and Governor of Edinburgh Castle until 1966.
In 1965, he became Colonel
of the Gordon Highlanders and his last post was in retirement, as King of Arms of the Order of the British Empire
from 1968 until 1983.
Bernard Gordon-Lennox).
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...
, CB
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...
, CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(29 May 1908 – 11 May 1988) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier.
Military career
Gordon-Lennox was the eldest child of Lord Bernard Gordon-LennoxLord Bernard Gordon-Lennox
Major Lord Bernard Charles Gordon-Lennox , was a British soldier.Gordon-Lennox was the third son of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond, by his first wife Amy Mary, daughter of Percy Ricardo, of Bramley Park, Guildford, Surrey. Charles Gordon-Lennox, 8th Duke of Richmond and...
and a grandson of the 7th Duke of Richmond
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond
Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond and Lennox KG, GCVO , styled Lord Settrington until 1860 and Earl of March between 1860 and 1903, was a British politician and peer....
. His mother was Evelyn, daughter of Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch
Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch
Henry Brougham Loch, 1st Baron Loch GCB, GCMG was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator.-Military service:He was the son of James Loch, Member of Parliament, of Drylaw, Midlothian...
. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and was a Page of Honour
Page of Honour
While a page is a comparatively low-ranking servant, a Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page...
to George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
from 1921–1924.
After Eton, he trained at Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in 1928.
He fought with the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where he was wounded, awarded the DSO and mentioned in despatches.
In 1951 Gordon-Lennox was appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
and in 1952 he was awarded the CVO. In 1952 he also became Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of 1st Guards Brigade. He went on to be 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...
3rd Division in 1959. In 1960 he became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then Director-General of Military Training at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in 1963. A year later, he was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed and transferred to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where he was 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...
-in-Chief of the Scottish Command
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 until 1966.
In 1965, he became 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 Gordon Highlanders and his last post was in retirement, as King of Arms of the Order of the British Empire
King of Arms of the Order of the British Empire
The King of Arms of the Order of the British Empire is the herald of the Order of the British Empire, established in 1917 and effective since 1918.-Kings of Arms:*1918–1928: General Sir Arthur Henry FitzRoy Paget*1929–1947: Admiral Sir Herbert Leopold Heath...
from 1968 until 1983.
Family
He married Nancy Brenda Darell and they went on together to have two sons (the eldest was Major-GeneralMajor-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Bernard Gordon-Lennox).