Alan MacDougall Ritchie

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Alan MacDougall Ritchie

OBE
Born(1893-06-25)June 25, 1893
DiedApril 30, 1964(1964-04-30) (aged 70)
AllegianceBritish
Service/branchArmy
RankBrigadier
UnitArgyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Commands held1st Royal Scots
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsOrder of the Redeemer
Alma materHighgate School

Alan MacDougall Ritchie OBE (25 June 1893 – 30 April 1964) was an officer in the British Army during the First and the Second World Wars.

Ritchie was educated at Highgate School and attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. During the Great War he was a Captain in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was mentioned in dispatches and was awarded the Order of the Redeemer.[1]

He was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Royal Scots from 1918-1919 and of the 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1937.[1] He won a DSO for service in Palestine in 1939[2] and became a brigade commander of the and the 21st (East Africa) Infantry Brigade in the King's African Rifles during the East African Campaign. As commander of the 21st (East Africa) Brigade (11th African Division), Ritchie was detached to 1st South African Division from 27 February until 6 April and, thereafter, to the 12th African Division. In later life he was Assistant Commissioner in Chief of the St John Ambulance Brigade from 1950 to 1957 and was awarded an OBE in the 1958 Birthday Honours.[3]

Command history[]

  • 1940 to 1941 Commanding Officer, Area, Middle East
  • 1941 Commanding Officer, 26th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade, 12th (African) Division, East Africa
  • 1941 Commanding Officer, 21st (East Africa) Infantry Brigade, 11th (African) Division, East Africa
  • 1941 to 1943 Commanding Officer, 21st (East Africa) Infantry Brigade, East Africa and Ceylon

See also[]

  • East African Campaign

References[]

  1. ^ a b Hughes, Patrick; Davies, Ian F (ed) (1965). Highgate School Register 1833-1964 (6th ed.). p. 160.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "London Gazette (supplement 22 December 1939 p8529".
  3. ^ "Supplement to London Gazette 12 June 1958" (PDF). Retrieved 22 June 2015.
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