Sir John George Ramsay

John George Ramsay was the son of Commander J D Ramsay RN. He was commissioned in the West Yorkshire Regiment (then the 14th Foot) on 11 February 1875, transferring to the 24th Punjabis, Indian Army, in 1877. He served in the Afghan War (1878-80), the Hazara Expedition (1888), on the North West Frontier (1897-8), in China (1900) and in the Mohmand Expedition (1908). He was GOC 3rd (Bangalore) Brigade (1907-11) and was knighted in 1911. He retired in 1912.

On 19 September 1914 he was ‘dug out’ of retirement at the age of 57 to raise and train 24th Division. This inexperienced formation was thrown into the battle of Loos, on 26 September 1915, in chaotic and controversial circumstances over which Ramsay had no control and suffered cruelly. Ramsay, perhaps recognising his own limitations as a field commander, resigned on 3 October 1915. He held no further commands.