William Scotter
Encyclopedia
General
Sir William Norman Roy Scotter, KCB
, OBE
, MC
(1922 - February 5, 1981) was Commander-in-Chief
, British Army of the Rhine
, from September 1978 until October 1980.
He was educated at St. Bees School
, Cumberland. In June 1941 He joined and served in ranks of the Scots Guards
. In 1942 attained the rank of Lance Corporal
after attending the Royal Military Academy, Dehra Dun, India
, and was commissioned into 7 Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army. He served with the Gurkha Rifles
in India from 1943 until 1944, first as temporary Captain, then as lieutenant
. Then later in Burma from 1944 until 1945 when he was wounded in action. It was for his actions in Burma that he was awarded the MC
.
to the 2nd Battalion Border Regiment in 1946, initially as a Regular Officer. After service in Malaya
with the 1st Battalion, 2 Gurkha Rifles, from 1948 to 1951 and graduating from Staff College, Camberley
, Surrey
, he was Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and by July 1967 he was promoted to Brigadier
and had been appointed commander of 19th Infantry Brigade. In 1965 was awarded the OBE
, and in 1970 he was promoted to Major General
and appointed Chief of Staff Headquarters Southern Command
. In 1972 he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters UK Land Forces. By this time he was also Colonel
of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment. Later in 1972 he became Director of Military Operations at the Ministry of Defence
.
By 1975 William Scotter was appointed as Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB
), and promoted to Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff at the Ministry of Defence
in Whitehall
in the rank of Lieutenant General.
In 1976 he became Colonel Commandant of the Army Physical Training Corps
Aldershot
. From September 1978 was promoted to General, as Commander-in-Chief
, British Army of the Rhine
, a role he held until October 1980 when he was replaced by General Sir Michael Gow
, KCB, ADC.
with full military honours.
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General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir William Norman Roy Scotter, 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...
, OBE
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...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1922 - February 5, 1981) was Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
, British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, from September 1978 until October 1980.
Early years
William (Bill) Scotter was born in Birkenhead, Wirral on 2 February 1922, the son of Claude Norman Scotter (born Ulverston, Cumbria in 1889, died 1978 in Hampshire) and Hilda Marie Scotter (née Turner)(1892–1948). He had two brothers and one sister. William was the grandson of Canon William Henry Scotter, one time Vicar at Ulverston and his wife Emma Gordon Dill. William was also the great nephew of Sir Charles Scotter, Baron Walford, Chairman and Managing Director of the London and South Western Railway.He was educated at St. Bees School
St. Bees School
St. Bees School is a co-educational independent school in the West Cumbrian village of St Bees. Founded in 1583 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal as a boys' "free grammar school", today it is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference with around 300 pupils aged...
, Cumberland. In June 1941 He joined and served in ranks of the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
. In 1942 attained the rank of Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
after attending the Royal Military Academy, Dehra Dun, 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...
, and was commissioned into 7 Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army. He served with the Gurkha Rifles
Gurkha Rifles
Gurkha Rifles may refer to any of a number of regiments of Gurkhas:* 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles * 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles * 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles...
in India from 1943 until 1944, first as temporary Captain, then as 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...
. Then later in Burma from 1944 until 1945 when he was wounded in action. It was for his actions in Burma that he was awarded the MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
England
Having returned to England, he was transferred from the Indian ArmyIndian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
to the 2nd Battalion Border Regiment in 1946, initially as a Regular Officer. After service in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
with the 1st Battalion, 2 Gurkha Rifles, from 1948 to 1951 and graduating from Staff College, Camberley
Camberley
Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles southwest of central London, in the corridor between the M3 and M4 motorways. The town lies close to the borders of both Hampshire and Berkshire; the boundaries intersect on the western edge of the town where all three counties...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, he was Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and by July 1967 he was promoted to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
and had been appointed commander of 19th Infantry Brigade. In 1965 was awarded the OBE
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...
, and in 1970 he was promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and appointed Chief of Staff Headquarters Southern Command
Southern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Second Army Corps and was initially based at Tidworth but in 1949 moved to Fugglestone Farm near Wilton in Wiltshire....
. In 1972 he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters UK Land Forces. By this time he was also 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 King's Own Royal Border Regiment. Later in 1972 he became Director of Military Operations at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
.
By 1975 William Scotter was appointed as Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (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...
), and promoted to Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
in the rank of Lieutenant General.
In 1976 he became Colonel Commandant of the Army Physical Training Corps
Army Physical Training Corps
The Royal Army Physical Training Corps is the British Army corps responsible for physical fitness and physical education. Its members are all Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructors ....
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 September 1978 was promoted to General, as Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
, British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, a role he held until October 1980 when he was replaced by General Sir Michael Gow
Michael Gow (British Army officer)
General Sir James Michael Gow GCB is a retired British Army General who reached high office in the 1980s.-Military career:Educated at Winchester College, Gow was commissioned into the Scots Guards during World War II...
, KCB, ADC.
Death
He was appointed to become Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) in April 1981 . But he died in February 1981 before he had the opportunity to take up this appointment. He was buried at Aldershot Military CemeteryAldershot Military Cemetery
Aldershot Military Cemetery, is a burial ground for military personnel, or ex-military personnel. It is located in Aldershot Military Town, Hampshire...
with full military honours.
Memorials
- A plaque to his memory is displayed in the Kings Own Border Regiment Chapel in Carlisle CathedralCarlisle CathedralThe Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, otherwise called Carlisle Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It is located in Carlisle, in Cumbria, North West England...
- His uniform and medals are displayed in the Kings Own Border Regiment Museum in Carlisle CastleCarlisle CastleCarlisle Castle is situated in Carlisle, in the English county of Cumbria, near the ruins of Hadrian's Wall. The castle is over 900 years old and has been the scene of many historical episodes in British history. Given the proximity of Carlisle to the border between England and Scotland, it...
.
External links
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