Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott

Major General Robert Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott, CB, CBE, DSO, MC, DL (21 August 1897 – 15 December 1966) was a senior British Army officer who served in both the First World War and the Second World War.

He was educated at Fettes College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He joined the British Army in 1914, being commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Black Watch and served in the First World War, where he was mentioned in dispatches. His major wartime appointments include Palestine 1938–1939, GSOII Staff College 1938, commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade in the Italian Campaign 1943–1944 and the 78th Infantry Division 1944–1946.

After the war, he served as Chief of the British Military Mission to the Egyptian Army in 1946, Chief of Staff of Scottish Command in 1948–1949, Commander of the Highland District and 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (Territorial Army) 1949–1952, and retired from the British Army in 1952 as a major general.

Coat of Arms of the Viscounts of Arbuthnott.

Education

• Fettes College
• Royal Military College, Sandhurst
• Staff College 1931

War service

• 14 July 1915   commissioned into the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
• 1915–1918   served First World War (France & Belgium, 19 September 1916 – 18 April 1918) (wounded)
• 3 December 1917 – 16 January 1918   Company Commander, The Black Watch
• March 1931   student, Junior Division, Staff College, Camberley
• 21 January 1933 – 6 December 1934   Adjutant, 2nd Battalion The Black Watch (UK)
• 7 December 1934 – 15 October 1936   General Staff Officer 3rd grade (GSO3), War Office
• 16 October 1936 – 18 December 1937   Brigade Major, 7th Infantry Brigade (Southern Command, UK)
• 16 December 1938 – 17 June 1940   General Staff Officer 2nd grade (GSO2), Staff College, Camberley (temporary; local Lt.Col.)
• 4 August 1941 – 18 June 1942   Colonel General Staff
• 19 June 1942 – 9 May 1943   Brigadier General Staff
• 10 May 1943 – 24 September 1943   Commander, 198th Infantry Brigade (UK)
• 29 September 1943 – 10 October 1944   Commander, 11th Infantry Brigade (Italy, Egypt, Italy), also:
• 9 July 1944 – 30 July 1944   acting General Officer Commanding, 78th Infantry Division (Italy, Egypt)
• 1 August 1944 – 21 August 1944   acting General Officer Commanding, 78th Infantry Division (Egypt)
• 10 October 1944 – 17 November 1944   acting General Officer Commanding, 78th Infantry Division (Italy, Egypt)
• 17 November 1944 – 1945   General Officer Commanding, 78th Infantry Division (Italy, Austria)
• 1946–1947   Chief of British Military Mission to the Egyptian Army
• 1948–1949   Chief of Staff, Scottish Command
• 1949 – 1 November 1952   General Officer Commanding, 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, Territorial Army and Highland District
• 1 November 1952 – 21 August 1957   Regular Army Reserve of Officers
• Honorary Colonel of The Black Watch (Territorial Army), 20 June 1952-19??
• Colonel of The Black Watch, 31 March 1960 – 1 June 1964

Military ranks

• 2nd Lieutenant   14 July 1915 [13522]
• Lieutenant   15 January 1917
• A/Captain   3 December 1917 – 16 January 1918, 17 February 1918 – 10 July 1919
• Captain   2 January 1924
• Major   1 August 1938
• A/Lt.Colonel   18 June 1940 – 17 September 1940
• T/Lt.Colonel   18 September 1940 – 3 February 1942
• WS/Lt.Colonel   4 February 1942
• Lt.Colonel   1 October 1944
• A/Colonel   4 August 1941 – 3 February 1942
• T/Colonel   4 February 1942 – 1 January 1945
• Colonel   2 January 1945
• A/Brigadier   19 June 1942 – 18 December 1942
• T/Brigadier   19 December 1942 – 9 October 1945
• A/Maj.General   10 October 1944 – 9 October 1945
• T/Maj.General   10 October 1945
• Maj.General   22 December 1946, seniority 27 March 1945 (retd 29 November 1952)

Decorations

• Companion of the Order of the Bath awarded 5 July 1945 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy.^[1]
• Commander of the Order of the British Empire awarded 21 December 1944 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy
• Distinguished Service Order awarded 1939? Palestine
• Military Cross awarded 22 April 1918 for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a raiding party. He took an active part in the preliminary reconnaissances and training and led his men with great success in the raid, inspiring them by his courage and keenness.
• Mentioned in Despatches 24 May 1918 ?
• Mentioned in Despatches 25 April 1939 Palestine
• Mentioned in Despatches 24 August 1944 for gallant and distinguished services in Italy
• Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA) awarded 2 August 1945 for distinguished services in the cause of the Allies.^[2]

Titles

• Colonel of the Black Watch (RHR; 1960–1964)
• Awarded the Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA)
• Deputy Lieutenant (DL), Kincardineshire (1959)
• Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire (1960–1966)

Family

Lord Arbuthnott married, 10 January 1924, Ursula Collingwood (died 20 December 1989), daughter of Sir William Collingwood, KBE of Dedham Grove, Colchester, Essex. They had three sons (including John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott, KT who succeeded him) and one daughter.

References

• Bing, Hon Mrs Christy (1999). The Lairds of Arbuthnott. Agnate Press. ISBN 0-9535923-0-8. 

Footnotes

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Viscount of Arbuthnott
• Family tree
• British Army Officers 1939–1945