John Duncan (British Army officer)

Sir John Duncan
Born	24 February 1872[1]
Died	17 September 1948[1]
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1891-1928
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	78th Infantry Brigade 22nd Division 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division Shanghai Defence Force 1st Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Second Boer War World War I
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Service Order

Major-General Sir John Duncan KCB CMG CVO DSO (24 February 1872 – 17 September 1948) was a British Army officer who commanded the Shanghai Defence Force.

Military career

Duncan was educated at the Royal Military College, and joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1891.^[2] He served on the North West Frontier of India before taking part in the Second Boer War (1899–1901).^[3] On 31 January 1902 he was seconded for service on the Staff,^[4] and appointed brigade major of the infantry brigade at Malta.^[5][6]

He served in World War I at Gallipoli before being appointed commander of 78th Infantry Brigade in 1916 and then general officer commanding 22nd Division in Macedonia in 1917.^[3] After the war he became major-general on the General Staff of the Army of the Black Sea in 1919.^[3] He was appointed military attaché in Rome in 1920, general officer commanding 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division in 1923 and general officer commanding the Shanghai Defence Force in China in 1927.^[3] The Shanghai Defence Force was established in January 1927 amidst concerns that British lives and properties were at risk during the unrest in China at the time.^[7] In practice he had to deal with a diplomatic incident when a British military plane made a forced landing on the International Race Course in Jiangwan.^[8] His last appointment was as general officer commanding 1st Infantry Division at Aldershot early in 1928 before retiring later that year.^[3]

After retiring from the army, Duncan was Chief Commissioner of the St John Ambulance Brigade from 1931 to 1943.^[1] He was appointed a Bailiff Grand Cross (the highest grade) of the Venerable Order of St John in 1946.^[9]

References

1. DUNCAN, Maj.-Gen. Sir John, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2015 (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014)
2. The London Gazette: no. 26140. p. 1203. 3 March 1891. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
3. Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
4. The London Gazette: no. 27418. p. 1963. 21 March 1902.
5. The London Gazette: no. 27409. p. 1120. 21 February 1902.
6. "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Tuesday, 7 January 1902. (36658), p. 8.
7. Queen's Royal Surreys
8. Streets of Shanghai
9. The London Gazette: no. 37632. p. 3288. 28 June 1946.