Henry O'Donnell (British Army officer)
Henry O'Donnell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 September 1852 |
| Died | 31 October 1928 (aged 76) |
| Branch | British Army |
| Rank | Brigadier-General |
| Unit | West Yorkshire Regiment |
| Commands | 35th Division |
| Conflicts | First World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George |
Brigadier-General Henry O'Donnell CMG (10 September 1852 – 31 October 1928) was a British Army officer who commanded the 35th Division on an acting basis during the First World War.
Military career
O'Donnell was commissioned as a lieutenant into the West Yorkshire Regiment on 10 May 1882.[1]
He was promoted to captain in April 1890[2] and in June 1891 was made an adjutant.[3]
As the Second Boer War was going on, he was promoted to major in April 1901[4] Although this was later antedated to June 1900.[5]
In February 1908 he succeeded Herbert Watts as commanding officer of a battalion of the West Yorks, for which he was raised to the rank of lieutenant colonel.[6]
After four years in command he was placed on half-pay in February 1912.[7] He was also promoted to colonel, backdated to 4 October 1911.[8] In August he reverted to normal pay when he took command of a brigade of the Territorial Force.[9] He was moved to command a district in May 1914.[10]
He saw action during the First World War, became an authority on military training and wrote significant papers entitled "Catechism on Field Training"[11] and "Lectures to Recruits: The training of the soldier, a lecture to recruits, and Intercommunication and passing orders and messages".[12] Promoted in June 1915 to temporary brigadier general,[13] he became commander of the 106th Infantry Brigade on 13 May 1916[14][15] and briefly commanded the 35th Division on an acting basis from 17 September 1916 to 23 September 1916.[16] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1919 Birthday Honours.[17]
References
- ^ "No. 25105". The London Gazette. 9 May 1882. p. 2158.
- ^ "No. 26042". The London Gazette. 15 April 1890. p. 2200.
- ^ "No. 26168". The London Gazette. 2 June 1891. p. 2927.
- ^ "No. 27314". The London Gazette. 17 May 1901. p. 3381.
- ^ "No. 27315". The London Gazette. 21 May 1901. p. 3462.
- ^ "No. 28113". The London Gazette. 25 February 1908. p. 1318.
- ^ "No. 28583". The London Gazette. 23 February 1912. p. 1344.
- ^ "No. 28583". The London Gazette. 23 February 1912. p. 1345.
- ^ "No. 28641". The London Gazette. 3 September 1912. p. 6539.
- ^ "No. 28833". The London Gazette. 22 May 1914. p. 4120.
- ^ O'Donnell, Henry (1914). Catechism on Field Training. Gale & Polden.
- ^ O'Donnell, Henry (1915). Lectures to Recruits: The training of the soldier, a lecture to recruits, and Intercommunication and passing orders & messages. Gale & Polden.
- ^ "No. 29210". The London Gazette. 29 June 1915. p. 6272.
- ^ Davson (2003), p. 114.
- ^ "The King Crater Incident and the Courts Martial: November/December 1916". Western Front Association. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ Davson (2003), p. 64.
- ^ "No. 13453". The Edinburgh Gazette. 5 June 1919. p. 1825.
Sources
- Davson, H. M. (2003) [1926]. The History of the 35th Division in the Great War (Naval & Military Press ed.). London: Sifton Praed & Co. Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84342-643-1.