George Alexander Weir

British Army officer

For other people named George Weir, see George Weir (disambiguation).

Sir George Alexander Weir

Born| (1876-12-01)1 December 1876
Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire
Died| 15 November 1951(1951-11-15) (aged 74)
Allegiance|  United Kingdom
Service/branch|  British Army
Years of service| 1899 - 1938
Rank| General
Commands held| 84th Brigade; Bombay District; 55th (West Lancashire) Division; British Troops in Egypt
Battles/wars| Second Boer War
First World War
Awards| KCB, CMG, DSO, Croix de Guerre
Other work| Deputy Lieutenant of Worcestershire
Vice-Chairman of the Worcester Territorial Army Association

General Sir George Alexander Weir KCB CMG DSO DL (1 December 1876 – 15 November 1951) was a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First World War.

## Early life

[edit]

George Weir was born in Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire, on 1 December 1876 to Dr Archibald Weir of Malvern. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1917, he married Margaret Irene, daughter of Robert More of Bexhill; the couple had a son and a daughter.[1]

## Military career

[edit]

Weir served in South Africa between 1899 and 1901 as a non-commissioned volunteer in the Worcestershire Yeomanry and was mentioned in despatches twice and awarded four clasps to his Queen's Medal. After about six months, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant[1] and transferred into the Regular Army on 11 January 1902 as a captain on probation in the 3rd Dragoon Guards,[2] the appointment being confirmed the following year.[3] He was subsequently seconded for service with a Provisional Regiment of Dragoons from January 1903.[4][5]

By 1914, Weir had passed staff college and attained the rank of major. He was a newly appointed Senior Tactical Instructor at the Cavalry School at the start of the First World War, but he deployed with the 4th Cavalry Brigade, as Staff Captain, to France in the British Expeditionary Force. Soon afterward, in October 1914, he was appointed GSO2 of the newly formed 2nd (Cavalry) Division and in June 1915, he became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles and was slightly wounded in September.[2]

In October 1915, Weir took command of 84th Brigade (and was promoted to Brigadier), which was almost immediately transferred to Salonika as part of the 28th Division.[6]

During his war service during this period, Weir was wounded, mentioned in despatches, and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[1]

After the War, in 1922, Weir was appointed as Commandant of the Equitation School and Inspector of Cavalry. In 1927, he was posted to India as General Officer Commanding, Bombay District, and in 1932 he commanded the 55th (West Lancashire) Division of the Territorial Army. In 1934 he became General Officer Commanding the British Troops in Egypt (re-titled as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in 1936), and was promoted to full general in October 1937.[1]

## Honorary roles and retirement

[edit]

Weir retired from the Army on 12 April 1938 and joined the Officers' Reserve (until December 1943).[1]

Weir held appointments as Honorary Colonel to the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) (September 1929 until December 1946), to the 8th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment (TA) (June 1938 until December 1946) and the 639th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery (The Worcestershire Regiment) (January 1947 until September 1949).[1]

Weir was Deputy Lieutenant of Worcestershire from 26 June 1941 and served as Vice-Chairman of the Worcester Territorial Army Association.[1] He died on 15 November 1951.[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Houtermann, Hans. "British Army Officers, 1939–1945 (G.M.B. Wadsworth to G.A. Weir)". World War II unit histories. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
2. ^ a b Bourne, John. "George Alexander Weir". Lions led by Donkeys. University of Birmingham, Centre for First World War Studies. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
3. ^ "No. 27517". The London Gazette. 20 January 1903. p. 388.
4. ^ "No. 27518". The London Gazette. 23 January 1903. p. 467.
5. ^ Hart′s army list, 1904
6. ^ "28th Division". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 31 May 2020.

Military offices

Preceded by

Harold Higginson

|  GOC 55th (West Lancashire) Division
1932–1934  | Succeeded by

James Cooke-Collis

Preceded by

Sir John Burnett-Stuart

|  GOC-in-C the British Troops in Egypt
1934–1938  | Succeeded by

Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson