Allegiance United Kingdom Died February 18, 1980 | Name Arthur Floyer-Acland Years of service 1905-1942 Rank Lieutenant-general | |
Commands held 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry3rd Infantry Brigade43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division Awards Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross | ||
Lieutenant General Arthur Nugent Floyer-Acland CB, DSO, MC, DL (7 September 1885 – 18 February 1980) was a senior officer of the British Army who served in both World War I and World War II. He was Military Secretary from 1940 to 1942. In later life, he was High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Dorset.
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Background
Born Arthur Acland, he was the second son of John Edward Acland and his wife Norah Letitia, daughter of Henry Nugent Bankes. He was educated in Blundell's School, located in Tiverton, Devon. In 1928, he assumed by Royal Licence the additional surname Floyer to inherit the estates of George Floyer.
Military career
Floyer-Acland entered the British Army in 1905 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the 5th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. In February 1907, he was transferred to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He fought in the First World War, receiving the Military Cross in 1915 and was promoted to a brevet-major two years later. During the war he was mentioned in despatches seven times and thereafter was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order in 1918 and the Croix de Guerre in 1920. Floyer-Acland went to the Staff College, Camberley in 1921 and was breveted to lieutenant-colonel in 1927.
Four years later he received the command of the 1st Battalion of his regiment and in 1934 became colonel, being then attached to the War Office. After two years he came in charge of the 3rd Infantry Brigade and took part in the Waziristan campaign until 1938. Subsequently Floyer-Acland was promoted to major-general and became General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, a Territorial Army (TA) formation, until February 1940.
In 1940, he was appointed Military Secretary and upon the Birthday Honour's in July was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He was advanced to a lieutenant-general in 1941 and retired from his post in the next year. Floyer-Acland was nominated High Sheriff of Dorset in 1953 and served as Deputy Lieutenant of that county from 1957.
Family
On 6 December 1913, he married Evelyn Stafford Still, daughter of Stafford Still. His wife died in 1973 and Floyer-Acland survived her until 1980. Their only son was Stafford Floyer-Acland.