James Walter Sandilands
Encyclopedia
Major-General
James Walter Sandilands CB
CMG
DSO
(1874–1959) was Commander of British Troops in South China
.
in 1897 and fought in the Mahdist War
for which he was mentioned in despatches in 1898.
He served in the Second Boer War
for which he was again mentioned in despatches and during which he was wounded: he was evacuated under fire from the battlefield by Sergeant
Donald Farmer
who was awarded the Victoria Cross
for this act of bravery.
He also served in World War I as a Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General. Later he became Military Attaché
in Berlin.
He was appointed Commander of British Troops in South China
in 1929 and retired in 1933.
Major-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...
James Walter Sandilands 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...
CMG
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....
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...
(1874–1959) was Commander of British Troops in South China
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
.
Military career
Sandilands was commissioned into the Manchester Regiment in 1895. He transferred to the Queen's Own Cameron HighlandersQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
in 1897 and fought in the Mahdist War
Mahdist War
The Mahdist War was a colonial war of the late 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and the Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt. The British have called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign...
for which he was mentioned in despatches in 1898.
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...
for which he was again mentioned in despatches and during which he was wounded: he was evacuated under fire from the battlefield by Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Donald Farmer
Donald Dickson Farmer
Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Dickson Farmer VC MSM was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.He joined the Cameron Highlanders on the 29 March 1892, and served...
who was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for this act of bravery.
He also served in World War I as a Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General. Later he became 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...
in Berlin.
He was appointed Commander of British Troops in South China
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
in 1929 and retired in 1933.
Further reading
- The History of the 7th Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders by James Walter Sandilands, Richardson Publishing, 2009, ISBN 978-1115565929