Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gilbert John Acland-Troyte CMG, DSO, JP (4 September 1876 – 27 April 1964)[1] was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician.
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He was the third son of Colonel Charles Arthur William Troyte and his wife Katherine Mary Walrond, daughter of Sir John Walrond, 1st Baronet.[2] Acland-Troyte was educated at Eton College and then at Trinity College, Cambridge[3]
In 1896, Acland-Troyte served as second lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment[4] He was transferred to the King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1899[5] and fought in the Second Boer War one year later, where he was dangerously wounded.[6] He was with his regiment in Somaliland between 1903 and 1904 and was afterwards promoted to lieutenant.[7] He became captain already in 1905, for services to the Colonial Office.[8]
During the First World War, Acland-Troyte was mentioned in despatches seven times.[9] He was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in the beginning of 1915[10] and was promoted to major in September.[11] In the following year, Acland-Troyte was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order[12] and in 1917, he was awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).[13] After the war, he received the French Croix de Guerre in January 1919[14] and retired as brevet lieutenant-colonel only few months later.[15] With the begin of the Second World War, he was reactivated and joined the British Home Guard in 1940.[16]
Acland-Troyte contested Tiverton unsuccessfully in a by-election in 1923.[16] He entered the British House of Commons for the constituency in the following year, sitting for it until 1945.[1] Following his retirement from politics, he was knighted[17] and a year later was nominated Master of Foxhounds of Tiverton, Devon, an office he held until 1950.[6] He represented the latter county as Justice of the Peace and alderman.[2] In 1937, Acland was elected president of the Central Landowners Association, which post he left after two years.[16]
On 12 October 1909, he married Gwladys Eleanor Quicke, daughter of Ernest Henry Godolphin Quicke.[6] Acland-Troyte died in 1964, childless and was survived by his wife for your years.[6]
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by Francis Dyke Acland |
Member of Parliament for Tiverton 1924 – 1945 |
Succeeded by Derick Heathcoat Amory |