Robert Pollok (British Army officer)

Robert Pollok
Born	1884 Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland
Died	1979 (aged 94–95)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1903–1941
Rank	Major-General
Unit	15th The King's Hussars Irish Guards
Commands held	1st Battalion, Irish Guards 1st Guards Brigade Senior Officers' School, Sheerness Northern Ireland District 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order

Major-General Robert Valentine Pollok CB CBE DSO (1884–1979) was an Irish-born British Army officer who became General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District.

Military career

Pollok was commissioned into the 15th Hussars in 1903.^[1] He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of United Provinces in India in 1908 and Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Australia in 1913.^[1]

He served in World War I with the Australian Forces in Gallipoli and then transferred to the Irish Guards in 1916.^[1] He became Commanding Officer of 1st Bn Irish Guards in 1917.^[1]

After the War he attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1920–1921, was appointed Brigade Major for the 1st Guards Brigade at Aldershot Command and then, in 1926, he was re-appointed Commanding Officer of 1st Bn Irish Guards.^[1] He was made Commander of the 1st Guards Brigade at Aldershot Command in 1931 and Commandant of the Senior Officer School at Sheerness in 1935.^[1]

He was appointed General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District in 1938^[2] and GOC 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in July 1940.^[1] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in July 1940^[3] and retired in 1941.^[1]

References