Sir Iain Colquhoun, 7th Baronet, 29th Laird of Luss,[1]KT, DSO & Bar, FRSE (20 June 1887 – 12 November 1948), was a Scottish landowner and British Army soldier during the First World War.
During the First World War, Colquhoun served in the Scots Guards. In 1914, the opposing troops on the Western Front had unofficially observed a Christmas truce. The following year, however, when the 28-year-old Captain Colquhoun agreed to a German officer's request for a short truce on Christmas Day, lasting about an hour, he was brought before a court-martial.[2][3] He was defended by Raymond Asquith, son of Prime MinisterH. H. Asquith (the Prime Minister was Colquhoun's wife's uncle).[2] On 17 January 1916, he was found guilty after a five-hour trial, but received the lightest possible sentence, a reprimand.[2] The sentence was remitted shortly afterwards by General Sir Douglas Haig, as Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, in view of Colquhoun's former distinguished conduct in the field.[4]
By 1918 he was Commanding Officer of 2/4th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment in 59th (2nd North Midland) Division. When the German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918, the division's forward defences were quickly overrun. 2/4th Leicesters had only just come out of the line after 24 hours of continuous trench duty, but were sent straight back up to assist in the defence. The battalion could get no further forward than the rear of the Battle Zone where the 'line' was no more than a yet-to-be-dug trench marked out with the turf removed and no barbed wire. The men extended along the line even though they were completely exposed in the open. Under the inspiring leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Colquhoun and Regimental Sergeant-Major 'African Joe' Withers, the battalion held off the Germans for the rest of the day, with modest casualties.[5][6]
Colquhoun was the son and heir of Sir Alan John Colquhuon, 6th baronet, and his first wife, Justine Henrietta Kennedy.[10] He succeeded his father as the 7th baronet in 1910, as Sir Iain Colquhoun of Luss and Chief of the Clan Colquhoun. Sir Iain married Geraldine Bryde (Dinah) Tennant (a granddaughter of Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet) on 10 February 1915, and they had two sons (the elder succeeded his father as 9th baronet) and three daughters. One of their daughters, Fiona, a Segrave Trophy winner, married the 8th Earl of Arran[11] (1910–1983), an Irish peer; the present 9th Earl is their son.
Notesedit
^"Sir Iain Colquhoun of Luss (1887–1948) | Art UK". artuk.org. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
^ abcAlastair Macdonald (24 December 2014). "How Christmas Truce led to court martial". Reuters.
^Crocker, Terri Blom (2015). The Christmas Truce: Myth, Memory, and the First World War. University Press of Kentucky. p. 249. ISBN9780813166162.
^'The Private Papers of Douglas Haig 1914-1919', edited by Robert Blake (Pub. Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1952), P.124-126.
^(PDF). Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
^Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage pg. 480
^Steven, Alasdair (10 June 2013). "Obituary: Countess Arran, power-boat champion". The Scotsman. Johnston Press.
Referencesedit
Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, various editions.
Brig-Gen Sir James E. Edmonds, History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1918, Vol I, The German March Offensive and its Preliminaries, London: Macmillan, 1935/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1995, ISBN0-89839-219-5.
Martin Middlebrook, The Kaiser's Battle, 21 March 1918: The First Day of the German Spring Offensive, London: Allen Lane, 1978/Penguin, 1983, ISBN0-14-017135-5.
External linksedit
"Sir Iain Colquhoun's Hand-Written Diary of Events Leading to his Court Martial". valeofleven.org.uk.
iain, colquhoun, baronet, 29th, laird, luss, frse, june, 1887, november, 1948, scottish, landowner, british, army, soldier, during, first, world, portrait, contents, military, career, post, family, notes, references, external, linksmilitary, career, editduring. Sir Iain Colquhoun 7th Baronet 29th Laird of Luss 1 KT DSO amp Bar FRSE 20 June 1887 12 November 1948 was a Scottish landowner and British Army soldier during the First World War Portrait of Sir Iain Colquhoun 7th Baronet Contents 1 Military career 2 Post war 3 Family 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksMilitary career editDuring the First World War Colquhoun served in the Scots Guards In 1914 the opposing troops on the Western Front had unofficially observed a Christmas truce The following year however when the 28 year old Captain Colquhoun agreed to a German officer s request for a short truce on Christmas Day lasting about an hour he was brought before a court martial 2 3 He was defended by Raymond Asquith son of Prime Minister H H Asquith the Prime Minister was Colquhoun s wife s uncle 2 On 17 January 1916 he was found guilty after a five hour trial but received the lightest possible sentence a reprimand 2 The sentence was remitted shortly afterwards by General Sir Douglas Haig as Commander in Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in view of Colquhoun s former distinguished conduct in the field 4 By 1918 he was Commanding Officer of 2 4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment in 59th 2nd North Midland Division When the German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918 the division s forward defences were quickly overrun 2 4th Leicesters had only just come out of the line after 24 hours of continuous trench duty but were sent straight back up to assist in the defence The battalion could get no further forward than the rear of the Battle Zone where the line was no more than a yet to be dug trench marked out with the turf removed and no barbed wire The men extended along the line even though they were completely exposed in the open Under the inspiring leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Colquhoun and Regimental Sergeant Major African Joe Withers the battalion held off the Germans for the rest of the day with modest casualties 5 6 Colquhoun was wounded during the war and awarded the Distinguished Service Order 1916 and Bar 1918 and a Mention in Dispatches After the war he was Honorary Colonel of the 9th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Glasgow University Officer Training Corps and President of the Dunbartonshire Territorial Association 7 Post war editHe was Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire from 1919 until his death Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1932 1940 and 1941 and Lord Rector of Glasgow University from 1934 to 1937 8 He was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1937 8 He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1938 and resigned in 1942 9 Family editColquhoun was the son and heir of Sir Alan John Colquhuon 6th baronet and his first wife Justine Henrietta Kennedy 10 He succeeded his father as the 7th baronet in 1910 as Sir Iain Colquhoun of Luss and Chief of the Clan Colquhoun Sir Iain married Geraldine Bryde Dinah Tennant a granddaughter of Sir Charles Tennant 1st Baronet on 10 February 1915 and they had two sons the elder succeeded his father as 9th baronet and three daughters One of their daughters Fiona a Segrave Trophy winner married the 8th Earl of Arran 11 1910 1983 an Irish peer the present 9th Earl is their son Notes edit Sir Iain Colquhoun of Luss 1887 1948 Art UK artuk org Retrieved 5 June 2020 a b c Alastair Macdonald 24 December 2014 How Christmas Truce led to court martial Reuters Crocker Terri Blom 2015 The Christmas Truce Myth Memory and the First World War University Press of Kentucky p 249 ISBN 9780813166162 The Private Papers of Douglas Haig 1914 1919 edited by Robert Blake Pub Eyre amp Spottiswoode 1952 P 124 126 Middlebrook pp 251 2 Edmonds pp 228 34 Burke s a b Sir Iain Colquhoun 7th Baronet University of Glasgow Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783 2002 PDF Royal Society of Edinburgh July 2006 Archived from the original PDF on 24 January 2013 Retrieved 27 October 2015 Burke s Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of Peerage Baronetage and Knightage pg 480 Steven Alasdair 10 June 2013 Obituary Countess Arran power boat champion The Scotsman Johnston Press References editBurke s Peerage Baronetage and Knightage various editions Brig Gen Sir James E Edmonds History of the Great War Military Operations France and Belgium 1918 Vol I The German March Offensive and its Preliminaries London Macmillan 1935 Imperial War Museum and Battery Press 1995 ISBN 0 89839 219 5 Martin Middlebrook The Kaiser s Battle 21 March 1918 The First Day of the German Spring Offensive London Allen Lane 1978 Penguin 1983 ISBN 0 14 017135 5 External links edit Sir Iain Colquhoun s Hand Written Diary of Events Leading to his Court Martial valeofleven org uk Honorary titlesPreceded byThe Lord Inverclyde Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire1919 1948 Succeeded byAlexander Telfer SmollettAcademic officesPreceded byCompton Mackenzie Rector of Glasgow University1934 1937 Succeeded byDick SheppardMasonic officesPreceded byThe Lord Saltoun Grand Master of theGrand Lodge of Scotland1935 1936 Succeeded byThe Duke of York later King George VIBaronetage of Great BritainPreceded byAlan John Colquhoun Baronet of Luss 1910 1948 Succeeded byIvar Iain Colquhoun Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sir Iain Colquhoun 7th Baronet amp oldid 1194941813, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
