Webb Gillman

General Sir Webb Gillman, KCB, KCMG, DSO (26 October 1870 – 20 April 1933) was a British Army general during the First World War.

Sir Webb Gillman
Lieutenant Webb Gillman c.1896
Born	26 October 1870 Galle, Ceylon
Died	20 April 1933 (aged 62) London, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1889–1933
Rank	General
Commands held	Eastern Command Royal Military Academy, Woolwich 17th Indian Division
Battles/wars	Second Boer War Siege of Kimberley Battle of Paardeberg Battle of Driefontein Anglo-Aro War First World War Retreat from Mons First Battle of the Marne First Battle of the Aisne Gallipoli Campaign Mesopotamian campaign Macedonian front
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches (11)

Personal life

Webb Gillman was born on 26 October 1870 in Galle, Ceylon, the second son of Herbert Webb Gillman CCS and Annie née Mackwood.[1]

On 8 February 1911 he married Caroline Grace Elizabeth Rube, the daughter of Charles Rube. They had three children: Herbert Charles Rube (1912-1970), who fought in the Second World War, was appointed a MBE and awarded the Croix de Guerre, reaching the rank of Colonel in the Royal Artillery; Catherine Anne Rube (1913-?) and Susan Elizabeth (1915-1961).[2]

Military career

Educated at Dulwich College, Gillman was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery in July 1889.[3] He was promoted to lieutenant on 27 July 1892, and to captain (supernumerary to the establishment) on 9 October 1899. He served in the Second Boer War 1899-1900, where he took part in the Relief of Kimberley, and the following battles of Paardeberg (late February 1900), Poplar Grove, and Driefontein (March 1900).[4] In late 1901 he was in Southern Nigeria, where he was attached as a staff officer to the columns taking part in the Aro-Anglo war (November 1901 to March 1902), for which he was mentioned in despatches by the officer in command as an "invaluable officer, cool and full of energy".[5] He was also appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for services during the war.[6] In May 1902 he received a regular appointment as captain of the 119 Battery of the Field Artillery.[7] He later spent time in Southern Nigeria in 1902.[3]

He served in the First World War as a General Staff Officer in 13th Division and then as a brigadier with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force sent to Gallipoli in 1915.[3] He was then a major general with the British Salonika Force from 1916 to 1917 before becoming commander of 17th Indian Division in August 1917.[3] He became Chief of General Staff for the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force later on in 1917.[3]

After the war he became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1920, Inspector of Artillery at the War Office in 1924 and Master-General of the Ordnance in 1927.[3] In 1927 he spent three months in Singapore assessing the defence capability of the Naval Base there.[8] Finally he was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for Eastern Command in 1931; he died in office in 1933.[3]

References

1. Burke, Bernard; Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1912). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland. Dalcassian Publishing Company. p. 267.
2. Gillman, Alexander William (1895). Searches into the history of the Gillman or Gilman family : including the various branches in England, Ireland, America and Belgium. London: Elliot Stock. p. 89-92.
3. Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
4. Hart´s Army list, 1903
5. "No. 27473". The London Gazette. 12 September 1902. pp. 5879–5886.
6. "No. 27473". The London Gazette. 12 September 1902. p. 5887.
7. "No. 27444". The London Gazette. 20 June 1902. p. 4051.
8. Gillman Village