Gilbert Acland-Troyte
British soldier and Conservative Party politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gilbert John Acland-Troyte, CMG, DSO, JP (4 September 1876 – 27 April 1964[1]) of Huntsham Court, near Tiverton, Devon, was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician.
Sir Gilbert Acland-Troyte | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Acland-Troyte by Oswald Birley, 1945 | |
| Member of Parliament for Tiverton | |
| In office 29 October 1924 – 15 June 1945 | |
| Preceded by | Francis Dyke Acland |
| Succeeded by | Derick Heathcoat-Amory |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 September 1876 |
| Died | 27 April 1964 (aged 87) |
| Resting place | All Saints Church, Huntsham |
| Party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Gwladys Quicke (m. 1909) |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
Background
He was the third son of Colonel Charles Arthur William Troyte of Huntsham Court, by his wife Katherine Mary Walrond, daughter of Sir John Walrond, 1st Baronet[2] of Bradfield House, Uffculme, Devon. Acland-Troyte was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge.[3] He inherited the family seat, Huntsham Court, following the early deaths of his two elder brothers.[4]
Career
Military
Acland-Troyte was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on 11 November 1896.[5] He transferred to the regular army with appointment as second lieutenant in the 4th battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps on 8 February 1899,[6] and fought with his battalion in the Second Boer War one year later, where he was promoted to lieutenant on 25 January 1900,[7] and was later dangerously wounded. He was with his regiment in Somaliland between 1903 and 1904 and was afterwards promoted to lieutenant.[8] He rose to captain by 1905, for services to the Colonial Office.[9]
During the First World War, Acland-Troyte was mentioned in despatches seven times.[10] He was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General in the beginning of 1915[11] and was promoted to major in September.[12] In 1916 Acland-Troyte was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order[13] and in 1917 was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).[14] After the war he received the French Croix de Guerre in January 1919[15] and retired as brevet lieutenant-colonel a few months later.[16] At the outbreak of the Second World War he was reactivated and in 1940 joined the Home Guard.[17]
Political
Acland-Troyte contested unsuccessfully the parliamentary seat of Tiverton in a by-election in 1923 and in the following general election.[17] He was however successful the next year and was elected MP for Tiverton in 1924, which seat he held until 1945.[1]
Retirement
Following his retirement from politics he was knighted[18] and in 1946 accepted the office of Master of the Tiverton Foxhounds which he fulfilled until 1950. He was a Justice of the Peace and alderman of Tiverton.[2] In 1937 he was elected president of the Country Landowners Association, which post he left after two years.[17]
Marriage
On 12 October 1909 he married Gwladys Eleanor Quicke (d.1968), daughter of Ernest Henry Godolphin Quicke of Newton House, Newton St Cyres, Devon.[19]
Death
Acland-Troyte died in 1964. He is buried at All Saints' Church, Huntsham in Devon.