Gilbert Acland-Troyte

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 – 5 July 1945
Preceded by	Francis Dyke Acland
Succeeded by	Derick Heathcoat-Amory
Personal details
Born	September 4, 1876
Died	April 27, 1964 (aged 87)
Resting place	All Saints Church, Huntsham
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Gwladys Quicke ​ (m. 1909)​
Residence	Huntsham Court
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]

Career

Military

Acland-Troyte was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on 11 November 1896.[4] He transferred to the regular army with appointment as second lieutenant in the 4th battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps on 8 February 1899,[5] and fought with his battalion in the Second Boer War one year later, where he was promoted to lieutenant on 25 January 1900,[6] and was later dangerously wounded.[7] 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.[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.[7] 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[7] of Newton House, Newton St Cyres, Devon.[19]

Death

Acland-Troyte died in 1964, childless and was survived by his wife for four years.[7] He is buried at All Saints' Church, Huntsham in Devon.[20]

References

1. "Leigh Rayment - British House of Commons, Tiverton". Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
2. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1929). Armorial Families. vol. II. London: Hurst & Blackett. pp. 1966–1967.
3. "Troyte (or Acland-Troyte), Gilbert John Acland (TRT895GJ)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
4. "No. 26801". The London Gazette. 8 December 1896. p. 7233.
5. "No. 27049". The London Gazette. 7 February 1899. p. 793.
6. "No. 27175". The London Gazette. 20 March 1900. p. 1879.
7. "ThePeerage - Lt-Col Sir Gilbert John Acland-Troyte". Retrieved 10 February 2006.
8. "No. 27674". The London Gazette. 6 May 1904. p. 2926.
9. "No. 27801". The London Gazette. 6 June 1905. p. 4033.
10. Snowden, Kathryn Louise (2001). British 21st Infantry Division on the Western Front 1914-1918. University of Birmingham. p. 171.
11. "No. 29041". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 January 1915. p. 486.
12. "No. 29284". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 1915. p. 8809.
13. "No. 29438". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 1916. p. 571.
14. "No. 30111". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1917. p. 5459.
15. "No. 31109". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1919. p. 312.
16. "No. 31357". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 May 1919. p. 6465.
17. Who is Who 1963. London: Adam & Charles Black Ltd. 1963. p. 12.
18. "No. 36943". The London Gazette. 16 February 1945. p. 943.
19. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, pp.2290-1, pedigree of Acland-Troyte of Huntsham Court; pp.1875-6, pedigree of Quicke of Newton St Cyres
20. "FindaGrave - Sir Gilbert John Acland-Troyte CMG DSO". Retrieved 9 July 2018.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Gilbert Acland-Troyte