Son of Vice-Admiral The Hon. Sir Montagu Stopford, Lionel Stopford was commissioned into the Clare Militia[1] and then transferred to the Sherwood Foresters.[2] He fought in the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War and, appointed an adjutant in February 1887,[3] took part in the Sikkim Expedition in 1888.[4]
He was promoted to captain in January 1890[5] and vacated his appointment as adjutant in February 1891.[6] He was seconded for service on the staff in April 1892[7] and was promoted from supernumerary captain to captain in December 1893.[8] He attended the Staff College, Camberley, from 1896 to 1897,[9] and was again seconded for staff service in August 1898[10] and appointed a deputy assistant adjutant general in Ireland.[11]
After transferring as a major to the newly created Irish Guards in October 1900,[12] DAAG at army headquarters in April 1901.[13] He was then a DAAG at the Staff College, Camberley in 1905.[2] Made a brevet lieutenant colonel in January 1904,[14] he was in September appointed a deputy assistant quartermaster general at the War Office,[15] before becoming a deputy assistant adjutant general, on augmentation, at the Staff College in May 1905.[16] He was raised to brevet colonel in September 1907, while still in this position.[17] He was then appointed as a GSO1 at the Staff College in May 1908.[18] He went on half-pay after relinquishing this assignment in January 1909[19] before going on to be an AAG at the War Office in 1909 and being raised to colonel soon after taking up this position, in February 1909.[20]
He succeeded Colonel William Capper as commandant of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in January 1911.[21][22] He was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general in January 1913 while serving in this position.[23]
He served in World War I as a brigade commander until June 1916 when he was raided again to temporary brigadier general and became a deputy adjutant and quartermaster general.[24] In August he returned to his post as commandant at Sandhurst, taking over from Brigadier General Stuart Peter Rolt.[4][25] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in January 1916.[26]
In retirement he was deputy lieutenant of Kent.[4]
United Kingdom
British Army