View source for Robert George Broadwood

{{short description|British Army general}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant-General
| name          = Robert Broadwood
| honorific_suffix = CB
| image         = Robert George Broadwood.png
| caption       = Robert Broadwood
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1862|03|14|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Charterhouse Register, 1872-1900 |date=1904 |publisher=Stedman |page=[https://archive.org/details/charterhousereg00schogoog/page/n110 89] |url=https://archive.org/details/charterhousereg00schogoog |quote=Robert George Broadwood 14 March 1862. |access-date=13 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1917|06|21|1862|03|14|df=yes}}
| placeofburial_label = 
| placeofburial = 
| birth_place   = [[Chelsea, London]]
| death_place   = France
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname      = 
| allegiance    = {{UK}}
| branch        = [[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
| serviceyears  = 1881–1917
| rank          = [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]]
| unit          = 
| commands      = [[Commander British Forces in Hong Kong|Commander of British Troops in South China]]
| battles       = [[Mahdist War]]<br />[[Second Boer War]]<br />[[World War I]]
| awards        = Companion of the [[Order of the Bath]]
| relations     = 
| laterwork     = 
}}
[[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] '''Robert George Broadwood''', [[Order of the Bath|CB]] (14 March 1862 – 21 June 1917) was a [[British Army]] general. A cavalry officer, Broadwood saw service in the Sudan, in the [[Second Boer War]], and in the [[First World War]]. He was killed in action in 1917, while commanding the [[57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division|57th Division]], having earlier been accused of lacking "fighting spirit" for his refusal to sacrifice his troops in attacks he considered to be hopeless.

==Early life==
[[File:Black & White Budget00.jpg|left|Broadwood pictured as a major-general in the [[Black & White (magazine)|''Black & White Budget'']]|thumb]]
Robert was the third son and child of Thomas Broadwood, of Holmbush Park, Surrey, and Mary Athlea Matthews. He was a grandson of [[John Broadwood]], the founder of [[John Broadwood & Sons]], the piano company.

He was educated at [[Charterhouse School]] and the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]].

== Military career ==

=== Early military career ===
After Sandhurst, Broadwood was commissioned into the [[12th Royal Lancers|12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales)]], which was then in [[British Raj|India]], on 22 January 1881.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24926|page=289|date=21 January 1881}}</ref> He became a first lieutenant on 1 July 1881 and a captain on 15 February 1888.

He passed the [[Staff College, Camberley|Staff College]] in December 1890. In 1892, he was appointed [[aide-de-camp]] to Major-General Godfrey Clerk, [[General Officer Commanding]], Belfast District. Later the same year, he was selected for service with the [[Egyptian Army]].

=== Sudan, 1896–1898 ===
In 1896, Broadwood served in the Dongola Expeditionary Force under [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Sir Herbert Kitchener]] and took part in the [[Battle of Firket]] and the operations at Hafir. Appointed to the command of the Egyptian cavalry, in 1897 Broadwood participated in the [[Battle of Abu Hamed]] and the occupation of [[Berber, Sudan|Berber]]. In 1898, he fought at the [[Battle of Atbara]] and at the [[Battle of Omdurman]]. One of Broadwood's staff officers during his time as commander of the Egyptian cavalry was [[Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig|Douglas Haig]], who commanded the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] during the [[First World War]].

For his services in the Sudan, Broadwood was made a [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant-colonel]] in 1897 and a brevet [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]]. He received the [[Queen's Sudan Medal]] and the [[Khedive's Sudan Medal (1897)|Khedive's Sudan Medal]] with five clasps, was appointed to the fourth class of the [[Order of Osmanieh]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27012|page=5863|date=7 October 1898}}</ref> and was [[mentioned in despatches]] several times.

=== Second Boer War ===
Broadwood saw active service again during the [[Second Boer War]], commanding the [[2nd Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|2nd Cavalry Brigade]] (with local rank of [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier-general]]). He took part in the [[Siege of Kimberley|relief of Kimberley]] and the [[Battle of Paardeberg]] in February 1900. In March 1900, Broadwood's force was [[Sanna's Post|ambushed at Sanna's Post]] by the Boers, suffering 571 casualties and losing several guns, though he eventually managed to extricate his troops. Major-General [[Henry Colvile|Sir Henry Colvile]] was ordered to assist him, but was slow in doing so.<ref>[http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol122ms.html Military History Journal – Vol 12 No 2] The South African Military History Society</ref> This incident was one of the two reasons cited for Colvile's removal from command the following year. In the aftermath of the ambush, the Cabinet urged Lord Roberts to supersede Broadwood, which he refused to do.

In December 1900, however, Broadwood was held responsible [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Lord Roberts]] for Major-General [[R. A. P. Clements]]' [[Battle of Nooitgedacht|defeat at Nooitgedacht]] and was sent home to England. He returned to the field the following year. In June 1901, Broadwood captured most of President [[Martinus Theunis Steyn]]'s staff and some of the guns he had lost at Sanna's Post, but Steyn managed to escape.

For his services, Broadwood was mentioned in despatches twice, including by [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Lord Roberts]], who described him as "commanding the 2nd Cavalry Brigade with exceptional ability and dash throughout the operations".<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27282 |page=846 |date=8 February 1901}}</ref> He was appointed a Companion of the [[Order of the Bath]] (CB) on 29 November 1900,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27306 |date=19 April 1901 |pages=2695–2696 }}</ref> but was not invested by King [[Edward VII]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] until 8 August 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular |date=9 August 1902 |page=6 |issue=36842}}</ref> He was appointed an extra aide-de-camp to the King in 1901.

=== South Africa and China ===
In late 1902, Broadwood was appointed Colonel on the Staff to command the Troops in [[Colony of Natal|Natal]], with the substantive rank of colonel, and the local rank of brigadier-general. In 1904, he was appointed Officer Commanding, [[Orange River Colony]] District, serving until 1906, when he was appointed [[Commander British Forces in Hong Kong|General Officer Commanding, South China]], and promoted to major-general.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27973|page=8538|date=4 December 1906}}</ref> He was reportedly popular in [[Hong Kong]] due to his interest in racing, serving as a steward of the Jockey Club. He served as GOC until 1910.

Broadwood was made colonel of his regiment, the 12th Lancers, in 1909. He was promoted to lieutenant-general, dated 7 March 1912 and retired on 3 December 1913.

=== First World War ===
Broadwood returned to active service after the outbreak of the First World War, first as the commanding officer of the [[1st Mounted Division]] from 29 September 1914. In July 1916, he was still in command when the division was reorganized as the [[1st Cyclist Division]].<ref name="Becke1936_1">{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=1}}</ref> He took command of the [[57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division]],<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.1914-1918.net/57div.htm| title = 57th (2nd Lancashire) Division| work = Informational page| access-date =23 February 2006}}</ref> in October 1916. His division went to France in 1917, as part of [[II ANZAC Corps]].

According to Colonel C. J. L. Allanson, the 57th Division's [[GSO1]], Broadwood had been reported by his corps commander, [[Alexander Godley|Sir Alexander Godley]], for "lack of fighting spirit" for refusing to launch attacks he considered hopeless and which he thought would needlessly sacrifice the lives of his best officers. When his division was transferred to XI Corps, the new corps commander, [[Richard Haking|Sir Richard Haking]], made similar remarks. Broadwood was much affected by the comments, and according to Allanson "now seemed determined to get killed".

=== Death ===
On 21 June 1917, Broadwood had planned to visit his artillery group, despite a warning from the group commander that the railway bridge over the [[Lys (river)|River Lys]], the only way to get there, was under German observation. Broadwood nevertheless crossed the bridge, but left behind his staff. The German artillery fired on bridge, severely wounding Broadwood, who lost both of his legs. Before he died, he was reported to have said that "he was glad to go after being told that he had no fighting spirit, and that his wish was to be buried between a soldier and a subaltern."

Broadwood is buried in the Anzac Cemetery near [[Sailly-sur-la-Lys]],<ref>[http://www.webmatters.net/cwgc/sailly_lys_anzac.htm Anzac Cemetery]</ref> between an Australian soldier and a British subaltern.

Broadwood Wood in Hong Kong is named after him.

== Equestrianism ==
Broadwood was a keen horseman who rode in the [[Grand National]]. He was the first president of the South African Polo Association in 1905.

==See also==
*[[List of generals of the British Empire who died during the First World War]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
  | last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
  | year = 1936
  | title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)
  | publisher = [[His Majesty's Stationery Office]]
  | location = London
  | isbn = 1-871167-12-4
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
  | year = 1937
  | title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions
  | publisher = [[His Majesty's Stationery Office]]
  | location = London
  | isbn = 1-871167-00-0
}}
*{{cite book|first1=Frank|last1=Davies|first2=Graham|last2=Maddocks|title=Bloody Red Tabs: General Officer Casualties of the Great War 1914–1918|location=[[Barnsley]], [[South Yorkshire]]|publisher=[[Pen and Sword Books]]|year=2014|orig-year=1995|isbn=978-1-78346-237-7}}

{{Commons category|Robert George Broadwood}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box | before=[[Villiers Hatton]] | title=[[Commander British Forces in Hong Kong|Commander of British Troops in South China]] | years=1906–1910 | after=[[Charles Alexander Anderson|Sir Charles Anderson]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[John Forster (British Army officer)|John Forster]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division|GOC 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division]]|years=1916–1917}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Reginald Barnes]]}}
|-
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef | before=[[John Cecil Russell]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[12th Royal Lancers|Colonel of the 12th (Prince of Wales's Royal) Lancers]] | years=1909–1917}}
{{s-aft | after=[[Walter Howorth Greenly]]}}
{{end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Broadwood, Robert George}}
[[Category:1862 births]]
[[Category:1917 deaths]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Mahdist War]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Second Boer War]]
[[Category:British Army cavalry generals of World War I]]
[[Category:British military personnel killed in World War I]]
[[Category:Broadwood family]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:12th Royal Lancers officers]]
[[Category:British expatriates in China]]
[[Category:People educated at Charterhouse School]]
[[Category:British Army lieutenant generals]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]]
[[Category:People from Chelsea, London]]
[[Category:Burials in Hauts-de-France]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]]
[[Category:British military personnel in Egyptian service]]