Arthur Blair

Arthur Blair was the son of Captain J Blair, an Indian Army cavalry officer. He was commissioned in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers on 9 March 1890. He passed Staff College in 1897. He was in the same syndicate as his fellow Scot, Douglas Haig, with whom he got on better than anyone else. Haig was eight years Blair’s senior and seems to have treated him like a clerk. Shortly after Blair graduated, Kitchener asked Sir Evelyn Wood to recommend three officers who had recently passed Staff College for service in Egypt. Wood recommended Blair, Haig and ‘Tommy’ Capper. Blair saw active service on the Nile Expedition (1898) and in the South African War (1899-1902), in which he was severely wounded, winning a DSO.

In the years before the outbreak of the European War his career became firmly established on the Staff path. He was Staff Captain GSO3 War Office (1907-8), Brigade Major 10th Brigade (1908-11), GSO2 South Africa (1912), GSO2 Egypt (1912-6 August 1914) and GSO2 War Office (November-December 1914). As a trained Staff Office who survived the heavy casualties of the early fighting, he was well placed to succeed, but his wartime career never took off. He was DAA&QMG (December 1914-June 1915) and GSO1 23rd Division (June 1915-February 1916), when he was appointed BGGS (chief of staff) V Corps. But he held this post only until June when he was sent home. The dynamic Gerry Boyd replaced him.

Blair spent the rest of the war in the United Kingdom. He was GOC 201st Brigade, 67th Division (October 1916-February 1917) and GOC Tees Garrison (1918-19). Brigadier-General Arthur Blair retired from the Army on 16 June 1920.

In retirement he rekindled his relationship with Haig, becoming the first General Secretary of the Earl Haig Fund.