Gerald Boyd (British Army officer)


Sir Gerald Farrell Boyd KCB, CMG, DSO, DCM was a senior British Army officer who went on to be Military Secretary.

Military career

Educated at St Paul's School, Boyd enlisted into the Devonshire Regiment in 1895. He fought in the Second Boer War 1899-1901, and took part in the Relief of Ladysmith, including the actions at Colenso; and in the operations in Orange River Colony, including the action at Wittebergen. During the war, he was commissioned into the East Yorkshire Regiment in May 1900, and promoted to lieutenant in that regiment on 26 April 1902. He was mentioned in despatches three times, received the Queen's South Africa Medal, and was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for his war service. He went on to be Brigade Major for 11th Infantry Brigade in 1912.
He served in World War I with 11th Infantry Brigade as part of the British Expeditionary Force. He became a General Staff Officer with 1st Division and with 6th Division before becoming a Brigadier-General on the General Staff of 5th Army Corps in France in 1916. He was made Commander 170th Infantry Brigade in France in July 1918 and General Officer Commanding 46th Division in September 1918. He led the 46th Division when it successfully stormed the Hindenburg Line at Bellenglise during the Battle of St Quentin Canal.
After the War he was made a Brigadier General on the General Staff at General Headquarters of British Army on the Rhine and then General Officer Commanding Dublin District in Ireland in 1920. He was appointed Commandant of the Staff College, Quetta in 1923 and Military Secretary in 1927. He died of cerebral spinal fever in 1930.

Family

In 1913 he married Grace Sophia Burdett and they went on to have two sons.