William Kinsey Bolton

Brigadier General William Kinsey Bolton CBE, VD (2 November 1861 – 8 September 1941) was an Australian soldier, politician and a founding member of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (RSSILA), forerunner of the present Returned and Services League of Australia. Bolton commanded the 8th Battalion early on in the First World War, including during the landing and initial battles of the Gallipoli Campaign. Bolton's Ridge on the right flank of Anzac Cove was named after him. He returned to Australia due to ill health in September 1915, was elected the inaugural National President of the RSSILA (1916–19), and served as a Nationalist Senator from Victoria from 1917 to 1923.

William Bolton CBE, VD
Lieutenant Colonel William Bolton c.1917
Senator for Victoria
In office 1 July 1917 – 30 June 1923
Personal details
Born	2 November 1861 Lostock Gralam, England
Died	8 September 1941 (aged 79) Brighton, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Nationalist Party of Australia
Occupation	Soldier
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Citizens Military Force Australian Imperial Force
Years of service	1878–1920
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands	8th Battalion (1914–15) Queenscliff Fort (1914) 70th Regiment (1912–14)
Battles/wars	First World War Gallipoli Campaign Second Battle of Krithia
Awards	Commander of the Order of the British Empire Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration

Sources

• Lieutenant Colonel William Kinsey Bolton, CBE, VD
• Australian War Memorial
• The 2nd Brigade on the 400 Plateau Chapter 17 of Official Histories – First World War

Volume I – The Story of ANZAC from the outbreak of war to the end of the first phase of the Gallipoli Campaign, 4 May 1915 (11th edition, 1941) C E W Bean

• Official Histories – First World War

Volume I – The Story of ANZAC from the outbreak of war to the end of the first phase of the Gallipoli Campaign, 4 May 1915 (11th edition, 1941) C E W Bean