VII
LIEUT.-GEN. SIR WILLIAM RIDDELL
BIRDWOOD
K.C.B., K.C.S.I., K.C.M.G., C.I.E., D.S.O.
SIR WILLIAM BIRDWOOD was born on September 13th, 1865, the son of a distinguished Indian civilian. He was educated at Clifton and at Sandhurst, and in 1883 entered the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Two years later he went to the Cavalry—the 12th Lancers—and a year later to the 11th Bengal Lancers. In the South African War he rose to be Military Secretary to Lord Kitchener, then Commander-in-Chief. In 1902 he was Assistant Military Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief in India, and three years later was again Lord Kitchener's Military Secretary. In 1909 he commanded a Brigade on the Indian Frontier. In 1912 he was Quartermaster-General in India, and later Secretary to the Government of India, Army Department, and Member of the Viceroy's Legislative Council.
He has seen many campaigns besides the present. Apart from South Africa he served in the Hazara Expedition of 1891, the Isazai Expedition of 1892, and the Tirah Campaign of 1897-98. In South Africa he was severely wounded, and five times mentioned in despatches. In 1908 he was the Chief Staff officer of the Mohmand Expedition.
In the present war he has won an almost legendary fame as Commander of the Anzac Corps. From that April day when they landed on the beaches above Gaba Tepe he was the inspiration of one of the hardest fought campaigns in all history. Wholly free from formality and red tape, and willing to find in every soldier a man and a brother, he could yet maintain a perfect battle discipline and keep the hearts of his men steady under the most desperate conditions. To his cool brain, also, were due
