James Grierson
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Sir James Moncrieff Grierson KCB
, CMG, CVO
, ADC (27 January 1859 – 17 August 1914) was a British soldier.
in 1877.
He served in the Egyptian War including the actions at Kassassin
and Tel el Kebir, as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General with the India
n contingent in 1882. He was Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General for the Sudan expedition and was involved in actions at Suakin
, Hasheen and Tamai in 1885. He was Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General for 2nd Brigade during the Hazara expedition in 1888. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, Intelligence, at Army Headquarters in 1890 and then became Brigade Major for the Royal Artillery
at Aldershot
from 1895 to 1896 when he became Military Attaché in Berlin
.
He served in the Second Boer War
in 1900 and then became Assistant Quartermaster General for 2nd Army Corps in 1901. He was appointed Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters in 1904, General Officer Commanding
, 1st Division at Aldershot Command
in 1906 and General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Eastern Command
in 1912.
In the Army Manoeuvres of 1912
, he decisively beat Douglas Haig
, despite Haig having the odds in his favour.
In the Army Manoeuvres of 1913
, Grierson acted as Chief of the General Staff (CGS) for Sir John French
. Douglas Haig
noted in his diary, "Sir John French's instructions for moving along the front of his enemy (then halted on a fortified position) and subsequently attacking the latter's distant flank, were of such an unpractical nature that his Chief of the General Staff demurred. Some slight modifications in the orders were permitted, but Grierson ceased to be his CGS on mobilization, and was very soon transferred to another appointment in the BEF."
Grierson died of an aneurism of the heart
on a train, near Amiens at 7:00 a.m. on 17 August 1914. His replacement as commander of II Corps was Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien
. Grierson's body was repatriated, a practice allowed at that time, and is buried in the Glasgow Necropolis
in PRIMUS 38 with his sister, father and mother. These were full interments.
The Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for languages was later established at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
.
George Lyon of Garemount, Dumbartonshire, born 25 August 1793; died 21 February 1872; married at Falkland, 14 June 1825, Jane, daughter of Harry HOPE of Millfield, Fife, and had 9 children:
(issue 3) ALLISON LYON, born 12 February 1829; married, 31 March 1858, GEORGE MONCRIEFF GRIERSON, (Merchant), Glasgow, 2nd son of the (Reverend) JAMES GRIERSON, Doctor of Divinity, (Minister) of Errol, & his wife, MARGARET MONCRIEFF. George died 4 February 1896; issue (3) three sons and six daughters:
: Constable, 1923)
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Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Sir James Moncrieff Grierson KCB
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...
, CMG, 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...
, ADC (27 January 1859 – 17 August 1914) was a British soldier.
Military career
Grierson was commissioned into the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1877.
He served in the Egyptian War including the actions at Kassassin
Kassassin
Kassassin is a village of Lower Egypt by rail, west of Ismailia on the Suez Canal. At this place, on 28 August and again on 9 September 1882 the British force operating against Urabi Pasha was attacked by the Egyptians. Both attacks were repulsed....
and Tel el Kebir, as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General with the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n contingent in 1882. He was Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General for the Sudan expedition and was involved in actions at Suakin
Suakin
Suakin or Sawakin is a port in north-eastern Sudan, on the west coast of the Red Sea. In 1983 it had a population of 18,030 and the 2009 estimate is 43, 337.It was formerly the region's chief port, but is now secondary to Port Sudan, about 30 miles north. The old city built of coral is in ruins...
, Hasheen and Tamai in 1885. He was Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General for 2nd Brigade during the Hazara expedition in 1888. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, Intelligence, at Army Headquarters in 1890 and then became Brigade Major for the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
from 1895 to 1896 when he became Military Attaché in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
He served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in 1900 and then became Assistant Quartermaster General for 2nd Army Corps in 1901. He was appointed Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters in 1904, 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...
, 1st Division at Aldershot Command
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
in 1906 and 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 for Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1912.
In the Army Manoeuvres of 1912
Army Manoeuvres of 1912
The Army Manoeuvres of 1912 was the last exercise of its kind conducted by the British army before the outbreak of the First World War. In the manoeuvres, Sir James Grierson decisively beat Douglas Haig, calling into question Haig's abilities as a field commander.J. E. B...
, he decisively beat Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
, despite Haig having the odds in his favour.
In the Army Manoeuvres of 1913
Army Manoeuvres of 1913
The Army Manoeuvres of 1913 was a large exercise in the Midlands in September 1913. Learning from the Army Manoeuvres of 1912, many more spotter aircraft were used...
, Grierson acted as Chief of the General Staff (CGS) for Sir John French
John French, 1st Earl of Ypres
Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC, PC , known as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a British and Anglo-Irish officer...
. Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
noted in his diary, "Sir John French's instructions for moving along the front of his enemy (then halted on a fortified position) and subsequently attacking the latter's distant flank, were of such an unpractical nature that his Chief of the General Staff demurred. Some slight modifications in the orders were permitted, but Grierson ceased to be his CGS on mobilization, and was very soon transferred to another appointment in the BEF."
Grierson died of an aneurism of the heart
Aortic aneurysm
An aortic aneurysm is a general term for any swelling of the aorta to greater than 1.5 times normal, usually representing an underlying weakness in the wall of the aorta at that location...
on a train, near Amiens at 7:00 a.m. on 17 August 1914. His replacement as commander of II Corps was Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien
Horace Smith-Dorrien
General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien GCB, GCMG, DSO, ADC was a British soldier and commander of the British II Corps and Second Army of the BEF during World War I.-Early life and career:...
. Grierson's body was repatriated, a practice allowed at that time, and is buried in the Glasgow Necropolis
Glasgow Necropolis
The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral . Fifty thousand individuals have been buried here. Typically for the period only a small percentage are named on monuments and not every grave has a stone...
in PRIMUS 38 with his sister, father and mother. These were full interments.
The Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for languages was later established at the Royal Military Academy 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...
.
Medals and Orders
- EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Medal, 1882, clasps for "Tel el Kebir" and "SuakinSuakinSuakin or Sawakin is a port in north-eastern Sudan, on the west coast of the Red Sea. In 1983 it had a population of 18,030 and the 2009 estimate is 43, 337.It was formerly the region's chief port, but is now secondary to Port Sudan, about 30 miles north. The old city built of coral is in ruins...
1885" - Medjedie, 5th Class
- KhediveKhediveThe term Khedive is a title largely equivalent to the English word viceroy. It was first used, without official recognition, by Muhammad Ali Pasha , the Wāli of Egypt and Sudan, and vassal of the Ottoman Empire...
's Star, 1882 - North-West Frontier Medal, clasp for "Hazara 1888"
- Knight of Grace, Order of St. John of Jerusalem
- Saxon Albrecht Order, 2nd Class
- Jubilee Medal, 1897
- Commemoration of Emperor William I Medal, 1897
- Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe 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...
, Member, 1904 Commander - Order of the Prussian CrownOrder of the Crown (Prussia)The Order of the Crown was Prussia's lowest ranking order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an award equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers , but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by non-commissioned officers...
, 2nd Class, with Star, 1904 Grand Cross - Prussian Order of the Red EagleOrder of the Red EagleThe Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements...
, 2nd Class, 1904 with Star - South African War Medal, clasps for "Cape Colony", "Driefontein", "JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
", and "Diamond Hill" - Companion of the Bath (CB), 1911 KCB
- ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
War Medal - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
- CoronationCoronationA coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
Medal, 1902 - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Order of St. AnnaOrder of St. AnnaThe Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
, 2nd Class - French Legion of Honour, Commander
- CoronationCoronationA coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
Medal, 1911 - Order of the Crown of Siam, Knight Grand Cross 1911
- King Rama VI's Coronation Medal, 1911 (Siam)
- Aide de Camp General to the King
Publications by Grierson
- Notes on the Turkish Army Simla 1882 (compiled for the Intelligence Branch, India)
- A Vocabulary of the Arabic Language Roorkee 1882
- The War in Turkomania: Skobeleff's Campaign of 1880-81 Translated from the Russian of Major-General N. I. Grodekov. Simla 1884-85
- The Armed Strength of Russia Two editions: London 1886 and 1892 (compiled for the Intelligence Branch, London)
- The Armed Strength of Japan London 1886 (compiled for the Intelligence Branch, London)
- The Armed Strength of the German Empire Two editions: London 1888 and 1892 (compiled for the Intelligence Branch, London)
- Staff Duties in the Field: With Notes by Lieut.-General H. Brackenbury London 1891
- Handbook of the Military Forces of Russia London 1894 (compiled for the Intelligence Branch, London)
- Umpiring at Field Manoeuvres as practised by various foreign armies (Aldershot Military Society Lectures, No. 51) Aldershot 1894
- Die heere und Flotten der Gegenwart II Gross-Britanien und Irland The British Army. Berlin 1897
- Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force, 1859–1908 Edinburgh and London 1909
- Military Papers and Articles, Translations, Reviews contributed to military journals both British and foreign, and to the daily press.
Family tree
Below is a family history of Sir James Moncrieff Grierson:George Lyon of Garemount, Dumbartonshire, born 25 August 1793; died 21 February 1872; married at Falkland, 14 June 1825, Jane, daughter of Harry HOPE of Millfield, Fife, and had 9 children:
(issue 3) ALLISON LYON, born 12 February 1829; married, 31 March 1858, GEORGE MONCRIEFF GRIERSON, (Merchant), Glasgow, 2nd son of the (Reverend) JAMES GRIERSON, Doctor of Divinity, (Minister) of Errol, & his wife, MARGARET MONCRIEFF. George died 4 February 1896; issue (3) three sons and six daughters:
- (Lieutenant-General) James Moncrieff Grierson, born 27 January 1859; a large, polished-brass plaque is located in the Glasgow Cathedral, dedicated to his memory,
- (Captain) George Lyon Walker Grierson, of Royal Horse Artillery, born 6 February 1861; educated at Glasgow Academy and Woolwich; entered the Royal Artillery in 1880, served in the Afghan[istan] War of that year (medal) and in the Bikanir expedition; went to India in 1891 and died of cholera at LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, 19 October 1892; a polished-brass plaque is located in the Glasgow Cathedral, dedicated to his memory, - Jane Hope Grierson, born 2 February 1863
- Margaret Moncrieff Grierson, born 14 March 1865
- ALLISON Mary Grierson, born 23 January 1867; married, 28 April 1897, THOMAS HARVEY, and has issue a son, THOMAS BARNETT HARVEY, born 11 September 1899
- David Alexander Grierson, born 13 December 1869; died 9 January 1870
- Mary Hope Walker Grierson, born 14 June 1871; married 12 June 1895, JOHN TRAIL CARGILL, and has issue a daughter, ALLISON HOPE CARGILL, born 13 August 1896
- Jessie Moncrieff Grierson, born 13 April 1873; died 3 June 1877
- Robina Constance Grierson, born 31 July 1874.
Further reading
The Life of Sir James Moncrieff Grierson by D.S. Macdiarmid (LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
: Constable, 1923)
External links
- Centre for First World War Studies
- Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- The Army Navy Air Force site has a copyrighted photograph (you will need to scroll down to see it.)
- University of Glasgow Manuscripts Catalogue
- Glasgow Cathedral Picture Tour
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