Nickname(s) Kaid Name Andrew Belton Rank Major General | ||
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Born 17 April 1882Cleator Moor, Cumbria, England, UK ( 1882-04-17 ) Died 1970 (aged 88)South Africa | ||
Andrew Belton (17 April 1882 – 1970) was a British Army officer and veteran of campaigns in South Africa and Morocco. He was an early exponent of the use of aircraft for military purposes, enrolling at the Chicago School of Aviation in April, 1911. He was an entrepreneur who registered a number of companies in the newly established Irish Free State.
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Military career
Following the deaths of two of his brothers during the Second Boer War, and though under age, Belton enlisted and saw service in Africa. On his return to England, he became aware of the developing military dispute in Morocco, subsequently known as the First Moroccan Crisis. Having apparently resigned his military commission, he assisted the pretender to the throne Abdelhafid, to overthrow his brother Abdelaziz. This is how he acquired the title 'Kaid', or Commander.
During the Spanish Civil War, he was arrested in Seville having crossed the border from Gibraltar. He was instrumental in establishing the Independent Overseas Command of the Legion of Frontiersmen in Africa.
Broadcasting enquiry
In 1924, Andrew Belton was at the centre of an investigation concerning allegations of Government corruption in the Irish Free State. He came to public attention when a letter from him to the Irish Postmaster General, J.J Walsh was revealed by Walsh. Accusations of impropriety centered around the business relationship between Belton and Deputy Darrell Figgis, and Wireless Broadcasting concessions, which led to Belton almost gaining control of the Irish Broadcasting Company. The ensuing scandal finished Figgis' political career.