Willoughby Gwatkin

Who was Willoughby Gwatkin?

Lieutenant-General Sir Willoughby Garnons Gwatkin KCMG CB was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff of the Canadian Militia during the First World War.

The son of a barrister, Gwatkin was born in Twickenham, Middlesex, and was educated at Shrewsbury School, King's College, Cambridge, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the Manchester Regiment in 1882. In 1905 he was posted to Canada as a staff officer and in 1907 he returned to Britain to attend Staff College and was promoted Colonel. In July 1913 he was appointed Chief Staff Officer, Canada, the first to be appointed by the Dominion Government instead of by the British War Office. In 1916 he was given the temporary rank of Major-General. He retired from the Army in 1920 and was allowed to retain the honorary rank of Major-General. He then served as Inspector-General of the Canadian Air Force until 1922 with the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. In this role he provided advice and guidance to Air Commodore Arthur Tylee, the Air Officer Commanding the Canadian Air Force. In 1922 Gwatkin was promoted honorary Lieutenant-General in the Canadian Militia Reserve of Officers.