general sir february march senior british_army officer best known role commander world war born chatham joined british_army fought boer war served number staff positions england went new_zealand commandant promoted temporary major general reorganised country military establishment following outbreak world war new_zealand government appointed commander led duration war gallipoli campaign commanded composite new_zealand taking command australian final stages campaign promoted lieutenant general brief period command given command corps led corps service western regarded cold commander popularity october insisted continuing offensive weather ground conditions favourable corps suffered heavy losses ensuing battle designated led remainder war war spent time occupied germany commander firstly british_army rhine promoted general general officer commanding appointed order bath governor gibraltar years retirement second world war commanded platoon died age early life born chatham kent england february eldest son british_army captain irish heritage father brother founder canterbury new_zealand father died leaving family dire financial straits intended enter royal_navy changed mind chose pursue career british_army aid family connections educated entered commissioned following year lieutenant unit adjutant enthusiastic engaged hunting polo extremely proficient sport later played international polo match england argentina buenos_aires supplement pay trained polo remained time promoted captain appointed adjutant later year volunteered service assisted suppression rebellion province serving returned england following year promoted major boer war attended staff college following outbreak boer war ended studies early volunteer service africa officers helped raise irregular mounted regiments later adjutant colonel present chief staff officer lieutenant colonel later commanded transferred irish guards appointed staff commander years later transferred commanding commandant colonel serving staff 2nd division accepted position commandant known reservations new appointment line command infantry brigade concerned posted remote new_zealand detrimental career arrived new_zealand duties december promoted temporary major general fourteen british_army officers tasked military establishment country compulsory military training recently introduced government little thought implementation drew heavily recommendations lord visited new_zealand earlier year inspection tour established replaced outdated recently disbanded volunteer force organised structure military districts district capable raising infantry mounted brigade districts specified number battalions regiments organised lines british_army formed train administer quality small arms personal equipment provided country military personnel improved orders placed new artillery pieces machine guns men involved divisional level training camps years previously manpower logistical constraints force battalion level camps achieved general visited new_zealand impressed level country military reflected positively work appointed knight commander order michael year began putting plans place rapid deployment new zealand expeditionary force event war europe anticipated likely enemy envisaged deployment europe possibly egypt counter likely threat suez_canal event turkey aligned germany envisioned expected deployment australian chief brigadier general possibility composite division discussed question germany possessions raised agreed new_zealand responsibility australia dealt german new_guinea arrangements place deployment soon test world war began new_zealand occupation force quickly assembled occupy world war new_zealand government authorised formation service war support great_britain having relinquished position commandant general commander retain command duration war making regular reports new_zealand minister defence october consisted men embarked wellington europe intended service western diverted egypt transit following entry turkey war egypt underwent intensive period training supervision despite strict approach training discipline relatively commander time established drinking disease treatment centres men gallipoli prior start commander new_zealand composite formation infantry brigades new command infantry divisions newly formed australian commanded general extremely competent administrator reservations new_zealand government following appointment commander division allen publicly supportive privately believed alternative commander found division completed training distant remote divisional commander popular soldiers command favoured professional officers british_army drawn day landing gallipoli april came ashore gallipoli midday consulting afternoon view allied forces dealing expected resistance evacuated ahead expected attack turkish forces morning bridges agreed commander sir ordered hold fast continued divisional commander campaign gallipoli tall stature constant tours line amidst jokes communication trenches needed dug deeply allow height visit personally directed troop deployments counter potential turkish counterattack despite reputation rank file division improve offensive operations sound august offensive lack oversight allowed brigade commanders brigadier general british_army officer deployment reinforcements morning august possession required support consolidate position order reinforcements forward later day crucial momentum lost later recaptured turks took command newly formed commander australian final stages gallipoli campaign promoted temporary lieutenant general november appointment corps commander effectively took responsibility administration month decided evacuate allied forces gallipoli detailed planning evacuation left chief staff brigadier general closely inspected plans giving approval evacuation successfully carried nights december departing night following withdrawal knight commander services gallipoli recommendation general sir replaced hamilton commander chief reforming egypt returned egypt following withdrawal gallipoli number reinforcements new_zealand australia bring existing divisions strength january proposed forming new divisions surplus reinforcements australian 4th new formations existing divisions formed renamed australian named commander included original divisions 1st 2nd divisions newly formed divisions engaged defensive duties suez_canal following german attack february decided planned western corps france march exchanged commands took western consisted australian 4th 5th divisions took defensive duties australian divisions relatively raw oversaw intensive training formations end considered divisions equal 1st 2nd australian divisions time western following month divisions began departing france went leave short time period transition corps july returned duty took section line previously occupied near later month 5th division participated support neighbouring later transferred rank lieutenant general substantive september continued lead corps engaged october joined previously based england corps attached performed major engagement writing allen battle regarded capture greatest success war far achieved lighter casualties incurred despite success august poor standing publicly raised member visited earlier year serving western continued fulfill role overall commander addition corps command september reinforcements new_zealand continued arrive western replace casualties lost major battles previous years allen minister defence concerned drain new_zealand manpower allen considered australia canada making proper contributions war effort response pointed australian divisions seen action new played important role offensive october following success corps battle october believed morale germans low pushed attacks secure concert preference commander superior officer general preferred halt offensive weather deteriorated immediately battle attack october 49th divisions british formations attached hampered poor weather showed signs achieved limited gains despite urging attack planned october time ground sea mud lack preparation corps headquarters hampered preliminary movements attacking divisions supporting artillery plans attack overly ambitious scale previous operations mounted earlier month better weather ground conditions time prepare operation october proved failure limited gains heavy losses attacking divisions battle losses amounted casualties gains official correspondence allen friend assistant private secretary king efforts allen raised concerns extent new_zealand contributions war relative australia sought explanation new_zealand losses october allen beginning quality british raised prospect replaced commander proposed major general commander successor remained commander disbandment late january australian contingent transferred redesignated months later transferred corps composed largely british_army divisions small contingent new_zealand corps units involved defence allied positions german spring offensive late march participated french command second battle july temporary commander battle saint early phase days offensive august returning command close war mentioned despatches times received number foreign decorations result war service award french appointed grand having previously awarded serbian great officer cross order white eagle swords october crown belgian postwar career war commander based germany occupation army remained responsible administration november military secretary secretary state war returned germany commander chief british_army rhine promoted general following year appointed commander august appointed governorship gibraltar position remained retirement considered immediate post war governors interfering politics royal hunt king removed master hunt creating large divisions repaired successor took charge held new_zealand soldiers high esteem respect tours new_zealand order bath january included coat arms image new_zealand late considered possible candidate governorship new_south_wales ultimately appointed position retirement wrote number professional articles memoirs life irish soldier published later wrote published south_america june wife married died england couple childless lived new_zealand term commandant accompanied egypt war egypt mentioned despatches work setting running hospital alexandria new_zealand soldiers sent funeral new_zealand government behalf citizens following outbreak second world war offered services new_zealand government got response later commanded platoon died age rest home oxford march remains cremated funeral service held march memorial service held royal military chapel wellington barracks london march service attended representative publications sir life irish soldier general sir new_york company alexander sir south_america london
Alexander Godley