Gordon MacMillan

2022-12-19T22:26:53Z

107.127.46.50:

{{Short description|British Army general (1897–1986)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Sir Gordon MacMillan
|image=Gordon MacMillan, portrait by Leonard Boden, A&SH Museum, Stirling Castle.png
|caption=General Sir Gordon MacMillan – portrait by Leonard Boden, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, Stirling Castle.
|birth_date={{birth date|1897|01|07|df=yes}}
|death_date={{death date and age|1986|01|21|1897|01|07|df=yes}}
|birth_place=[[Bangalore]], Kingdom of Mysore, India
|death_place=[[Renfrewshire]], Scotland
|placeofburial=[[Newington Cemetery]], Edinburgh, Scotland
|nickname="Babe"
|allegiance=United Kingdom
|branch=[[British Army]]
|serviceyears=1915–1955
|servicenumber=5880
|rank=[[General (United Kingdom)|General]]
|unit=[[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]]
|commands=[[Governor of Gibraltar]] [[Scottish Command]] [[Palestine Command|British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan]] [[51st (Highland) Division|51st (Highland) Infantry Division]] [[49th (West Riding) Infantry Division]] [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division]] [[152nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|152nd Infantry Brigade]] [[12th Armoured Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|12th Infantry Brigade]] [[199th (Manchester) Brigade|199th Infantry Brigade]]
|battles=[[First World War]] [[Irish War of Independence|Anglo-Irish War]] [[Second World War]] [[Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine|Palestine Emergency]]
|awards=[[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] [[Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]] [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Distinguished Service Order]] [[Military Cross]] & [[Medal bar|Two Bars]] [[Mentioned in Despatches]] (2) [[Order of Orange-Nassau|Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau]] (Netherlands)
|relations=[[John MacMillan (British Army officer)|Sir John MacMillan]] (son)
|laterwork=
}}
[[General (United Kingdom)|General]] '''Sir Gordon Holmes Alexander MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCB|KCVO|CBE|DSO|MC2}} (7 January 1897 – 21 January 1986) was a professional soldier who rose to become a general in the [[British Army]]. As a young officer during the [[First World War]], he displayed outstanding bravery and was awarded a [[Military Cross]] and two [[Medal bar|Bars]]. At the age of 19 and while still a [[second lieutenant]], he was appointed [[Acting (rank)|acting]] [[adjutant]] of the 2nd Battalion, [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]]. Between the World Wars, MacMillan remained in the army, occupying posts of increasing seniority. He married Marian Blakiston Houston in 1929, and they had one daughter and four sons.

During the [[Second World War]], MacMillan served initially in England, putting in place defensive strategies against a [[Operation Sea Lion|possible invasion]] by the Germans. He was appointed Brigadier General Staff [[IX Corps (United Kingdom)|IX Corps]] in December 1941, remaining in this post during the [[Operation Torch]] landings in [[North African Campaign|North Africa]] and through to the [[Tunisia Campaign|fall of Tunis]] in May 1943. He was given command of the [[152nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|152nd Brigade]] in June 1943 and led it during the successful [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily campaign]]. Upon return to Britain, he was assigned command of the [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division|15th (Scottish) Division]] and led the formation during the [[Operation Overlord|Battle of Normandy]], [[Operation Epsom]] and [[Operation Bluecoat]], towards the end of which he was wounded. Once recovered, in November 1944, he returned to mainland Europe as [[General officer commanding|GOC]] [[49th (West Riding) Infantry Division|49th (West Riding) Division]] near [[Nijmegen]]. Upon the death of Major-General [[Tom Rennie|Thomas Rennie]], he assumed command of the [[51st (Highland) Division]] immediately following the [[Operation Plunder|crossing of the Rhine]] on 23 March 1945.

After the war, MacMillan served as the army's Director of Weapons and Development. In February 1947 he was appointed GOC [[Palestine Command|British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan]]. Soon after his arrival, the British Government decided to bring to an end its [[Mandate for Palestine|Mandate in Palestine]]. This decision triggered an escalation of violence in the territory, leading to the withdrawal of all British forces by 30 June 1948. He then served as GOC [[Scottish Command]] (1949–52). His final army posting was as Governor and Commander-in-Chief [[Gibraltar]] (1952–55).

Gordon MacMillan was hereditary Chief of the [[Clan MacMillan]].<ref>{{London Gazette|city=e|issue=16868|page=333|date=29 June 1951}}</ref> After retirement, he remained Colonel of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders until 1958. Following his retirement, he immersed himself in Scottish life and society, being appointed chairman of several institutions. Much of his time was devoted to the upkeep of the house, gardens and woodlands at [[Finlaystone House|Finlaystone]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.Finlaystone.co.uk|title=Welcome to Finlaystone Country Estate|publisher=Finlaystone Country Estate|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> the family house in the West of Scotland.

==Early life and First World War==
Gordon Holmes Alexander MacMillan was born near [[Bangalore]], Kingdom of Mysore, [[British Raj|India]], on 7 January 1897. His father, Dugald MacMillan,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p17106.htm#i171060|title=General Sir Gordon Holmes Alexander MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap|publisher=The Peerage.com|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> was a coffee plantation owner. However, when he was three years old, his parents, both of Scottish origin, decided to return to Britain to bring up their only son.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=13}} At the age of ten, he joined [[St Edmund's School, Canterbury]], from where he won a Prize Cadetship to attend a shortened course at the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], in April 1915, several months after the outbreak of the [[World War I|Great War]].<ref>St. Edmund's School, Canterbury, Archives</ref>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=203}}

MacMillan was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[second lieutenant]] into the [[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]] on 11 August 1915.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29258|page=7905|date=10 August 1915}}</ref>{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=17}}<ref name="Officers of the British Army">{{cite web|url=https://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_M01.html#MacMillan_GHA|title=British Army officer histories|publisher=Unit Histories|access-date=2022-07-19}}</ref>

Due to not having reached the age of 19, he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Argylls, a training unit, stationed near [[Edinburgh]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=17}} In April 1916 he was sent to the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where he joined the 2nd Battalion (the 93rd), a [[Standing army|Regular Army]] unit which was then serving as part of the [[98th Brigade (United Kingdom)|98th Brigade]] of the [[33rd Division (United Kingdom)|33rd Division]], in Northeast France, and immediately became involved in fierce [[trench warfare]] at Brickstacks.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=18}}

This was followed by engagements, as part of the battles of the [[Battle of the Somme|Somme]] and [[First Battle of Passchendaele|Passchendaele]], at [[Cuinchy]], Bazentin-le-Petit, [[High Wood]], Mametz Wood, [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Arras]], Le Cateau and the [[Selle (Somme tributary)|Selle]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=26}}

While still only 19 years old and a second lieutenant, he was appointed [[Acting rank|acting]] [[adjutant]] of the battalion in November 1916.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=22}} He was promoted to [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|lieutenant]] in April 1917,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30123|page=5711|date=8 June 1917|supp=y}}</ref> and formally confirmed as adjutant in June.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30247|page=8671|date=21 August 1917|supp=y}}</ref><ref name="Officers of the British Army" /> He remained in this post for the rest of the war, serving seven different [[commanding officer]]s (CO).{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|pp=23−24}} The casualties were immense and, at one time, while a second lieutenant, he found himself by default commanding the battalion.<ref>MacMillan's own account of the First World War can be found in: Leeds University Library, Liddle Collection, Reference GS 1032, Gordon MacMillan.</ref> MacMillan wrote "I would say that I was fortunate to belong to the best battalion in the Army, with an unbreakable spirit. You can see this from the record of their operations – and then look at the casualty list: 63 officers and 1175 men killed, and ready for anything at the end of it all".{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=26}}

MacMillan was one of only 168 soldiers to receive the [[Military Cross]] (MC) and two [[Medal bar|Bars]] in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/military_cross/mc.htm|title=The Military Cross|publisher=North East Medals|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> His MCs were awarded for exceptional gallantry in the battles of High Wood (July 1916), Arras (April 1917) and Le Cateau (October 1918)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=13877|page=1957|date=22 December 1922|city=e}}</ref><ref>Full citations for these and other medals are quoted in MacMillan, George etc'' ''(See Reference 1)</ref><ref name="Officers of the British Army" />{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=203}}

==Between the wars==
After the war, MacMillan, having gained a Regular commission in 1915, remained in the army, continuing to serve as his battalion's adjutant until December 1920, when the battalion was stationed in [[Ireland]] during "[[The Troubles|the troubles]]".{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=35}} He was promoted to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] on 28 August 1924,<ref name="Officers of the British Army" /> serving periodically as a [[company commander]] before entering the [[Staff College, Camberley]] from 1928 to 1929, where among his fellow students there in his year included several future high-ranking officers, such as [[Alexander Galloway]], [[Gerard Bucknall]], [[John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton|John Harding]], [[Richard McCreery]], [[Philip Gregson-Ellis]], [[William Holmes (British Army officer)|William Holmes]], [[Claude Nicholson (British Army officer)|Claude Nicholson]], [[Charles Murison (British Army officer)|Charles Murison]], [[Alexander Maurice Cameron|Alexander Cameron]], [[Gerald Templer]], [[Thomas Needham Furnival Wilson|Thomas Wilson]], [[I. S. O. Playfair]] and [[Leslie Beavis]]. His instructors included [[Henry Pownall]], [[Wilfrid Gordon Lindsell|Wilfrid Lindsell]], [[Richard O'Connor]], [[Harold Franklyn]], [[Bernard Paget]], [[George Giffard]] and [[Bernard Montgomery]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=39}} On 10 August 1929, MacMillan married Marian Blakiston Houston; they had three children.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=40}} He went on to serve successively as captain, [[staff captain]] and [[Staff (military)|General Staff Officer Grade 3]] (GSO3) in the [[War Office]] in the early 1930s.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33585|page=1418|date=4 March 1930}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33589|page=1729|date=18 March 1930}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33800|page=1128|date=1 February 1932}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34030|page=1530|date=6 March 1934}}</ref>

Having rejoined his regiment, from August to October 1934 (with the rank of [[Brevet (military)|brevet major]]),<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33844|page=4469|date=8 July 1932|supp=y}}</ref> he commanded the Guard for the Royal Family at [[Balmoral Castle|Balmoral]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=45}} His next appointment, in 1935, was as an instructor (GSO 2) at the [[Royal Military College of Canada]] in Kingston, Ontario,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34144|page=1982|date=22 March 1935}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34390|page=2554|date=20 April 1937}}</ref> where he served for two years before rejoining his regiment and then returning to the War Office as a GSO 2 in the Training Branch.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34446|page=6511|date=22 October 1937}}</ref> He was promoted to major on 1 August 1938,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34538|page=5026|date=5 August 1938|supp=y}}</ref> and, from 10 January 1939, served as a GSO2 to the staff of HQ [[Eastern Command (United Kingdom)|Eastern Command]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34588|page=215|date=10 January 1939}}</ref><ref name="Officers of the British Army" />

==Second World War==
On 10 April 1940, seven months after the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], MacMillan was promoted to acting lieutenant-colonel and appointed as GSO1 in HQ [[55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division|55th (West Lancashire) Motor Division]], a first line [[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] (TA) formation. The division was commanded by [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Vivian Majendie]], who was some eleven years MacMillan's senior, and was serving in [[Northern Command (United Kingdom)|Northern Command]] (soon moving to Eastern Command).{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=58}}{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} The division was a [[Motorized infantry|motorised infantry]] formation composed of only two, rather than three, brigades, and was amongst several responsible for coastal defence and for engaging any possible enemy airborne landings in the event of a [[Operation Sea Lion|German invasion]]. In late June, after the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) was [[Dunkirk evacuation|evacuated from Dunkirk]] and the [[Armistice of 22 June 1940|fall of France]], the division – composed initially of the [[164th (North Lancashire) Brigade|164th]] and [[165th (Liverpool) Brigade|165th Infantry Brigade]]s with supporting divisional troops – was reorganised as a standard infantry division with the addition of the [[199th (Manchester) Brigade|199th Infantry Brigade]] from the disbanded [[66th Division (United Kingdom)|66th Infantry Division]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}}

In May the following year, with the division, now under Major-General [[William Duthie Morgan|William Morgan]] and serving in [[East Anglia]] under [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Hugh Massy (British Army officer)|Hugh Massy]]'s [[XI Corps (United Kingdom)|XI Corps]], being still concerned mainly with home defence, MacMillan was promoted, on 1 May 1941, to the acting rank of [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier]] (and acting [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] on the same date) and took up command of the 55th Division's 199th Brigade.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=60}}{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} He trained the brigade very hard over the next few months in numerous large-scale [[Military exercise|exercise]]s until, in late December 1941, he was chosen to be [[Staff (military)|Brigadier General Staff]] (BGS) in the HQ of [[IX Corps (United Kingdom)|IX Corps District]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} Initially the corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General [[Francis Nosworthy]], was involved in coastal defences, supporting Eastern Command, but was soon to become engaged in preparing itself for the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] invasion of [[French North Africa]], codenamed [[Operation Torch]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=62}}{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}}

===North Africa and Sicily===
The corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General [[John Crocker]] (nine years younger than Nosworthy) from September 1942, embarked from the [[Tail of the Bank]] in February 1943 and set themselves up near [[Algiers]] in [[French North Africa]] on 24 March as part of the [[18th Army Group]] reserve.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} The corps, serving as part of Lieutenant-General [[Kenneth Anderson (British Army officer)|Kenneth Anderson]]'s [[First Army (United Kingdom)|British First Army]], fought three major battles (Fondouk, [[Goubellat]] and Kournine) during the final stages of the [[Tunisian campaign]] against [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German troops]] and travelled 470 miles over six weeks before entering [[Tunis]] on 7 May, just days before the campaign ended, with almost 250,000 [[Axis powers|Axis]] soldiers surrendering.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=63}} On 27 April Crocker, the corps commander, was badly injured and unable to continue in command. He was replaced temporarily by Lieutenant-General [[Brian Horrocks]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} MacMillan was later appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) for what Crocker described in his citation as his "very high order" of service in the command structure of IX Corps during the campaign. The CBE was awarded on 5 August 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36120|page=3522|date=5 August 1943|supp=y}}</ref>

With IX Corps HQ disbanded, MacMillan was transferred briefly as BGS to the First Army headquarters, whose responsibilities included arranging for the victory parade on 20 May 1943 which involved some 26,000 [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] troops of various nationalities.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=68−69}} Following the parade, on 17 June, he was posted to command the [[12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (United Kingdom)|12th Infantry Brigade]], taking over from Brigadier [[Richard Hull]], part of the [[4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|4th Mixed Division]], then commanded by Major-General [[John Hawkesworth (British Army officer)|John Hawkesworth]]. The division had come under IX Corps command for the final stages of the campaign and so MacMillan was familiar with it.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} However, just eight days later, he was given command of the [[152nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|152nd Infantry Brigade]], one of three brigades – the others being the [[153rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|153rd]] under Brigadier [[Horatius Murray]] and the [[154th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|154th]] under Brigadier [[Tom Rennie|Thomas Rennie]] – making up the veteran [[51st (Highland) Division|51st (Highland) Infantry Division]], which was then commanded by Major-General [[Douglas Wimberley]]{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} Under Wimberley's command the division had fought during the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] and throughout North Africa, notably in [[Egypt]], [[Libya]] and [[Tunisia]], as an integral part of the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]], commanded by [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]], who had been one of MacMillan's instructors at the Staff College, Camberley in the late 1920s, and had formed a good opinion of him.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}}

The 51st Division was selected by Montgomery to take part in the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]], codenamed Operation Husky, where it came under Lieutenant-General [[Oliver Leese|Sir Oliver Leese]]'s [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=277}} Just 19 days after his appointment, MacMillan led the brigade in the Allied landings in Sicily at Portopalo Bay on 10 July.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=70}} Initially facing little resistance, the brigade's first major action was on 13 July at the village of [[Francofonte|Francoforte]] against [[Fallschirmjäger (World War II)|German paratroopers]] of the [[1st Fallschirm-Panzer Division Hermann Göring|Hermann Göring Division]] and, although the village was eventually taken after very difficult fighting, the brigade suffered very heavy casualties.<ref name="Mead278">Mead, p. 278</ref> The 152nd Brigade then, having suffered less casualties than the 153rd and 154th Brigades, led the division's drive forward to [[Paternò]] on 31 July, part of an attempt to break out towards [[Mount Etna]].<ref name="Mead278"/> The following day it was clear that the Germans were on the retreat and later abandoned Sicily, with little major combat being seen afterwards and the campaign ending on 17 August.<ref name="Mead278"/> He was also awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] (DSO) for his performance in this campaign, awarded on 18 November 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36251|page=5061|date=16 November 1943|supp=y}}</ref> The award was recommended by General Montgomery and General [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|The Hon. Sir Harold Alexander]], commanding the Allied [[15th Army Group]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=73}}

===Northwest Europe===
Soon after returning to the United Kingdom from Sicily, MacMillan received a promotion to acting major-general on 27 August 1943<ref>{{London Gazette|page=4295|date=24 September 1943|issue=36186|supp=y}}</ref> and received his first divisional command of the war when he succeeded Major-General [[Charles Bullen-Smith]] as the [[General Officer Commanding]] (GOC) of the [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division]], a second line TA formation.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=73}} The division was created in September 1939 as a second line TA duplicate of the first line [[52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division]], initially composed of the [[44th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|44th]], [[45th Brigade (United Kingdom)|45th]] and [[46th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|46th Infantry Brigade]]s and supporting divisional troops.<ref name="Mead278"/> However, in November 1941, the division had been placed on the Lower Establishment, meaning the division received a low priority for equipment and supplies and, throughout 1942, had had to supply drafts for British forces in the [[Middle East]] and the [[Far East]].<ref name="Mead278"/> In January 1943 the [[6th Guards Tank Brigade (United Kingdom)|6th Guards Tank Brigade]] replaced the 45th Brigade and the division, raised in March to the Higher Establishment, was then converted into a mixed division, of one armoured and two infantry brigades.<ref name="Mead278"/> A month after MacMillan's assumption of command, the division was reconstituted as a standard infantry division of three brigades, composed now of the 44th, 46th and [[227th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|227th Infantry Brigade]]s, and containing battalions from eight of the ten Scottish infantry regiments.<ref name="Mead278"/>

Slated for participation in [[Operation Overlord]], codename for the Allied [[Normandy landings|invasion of Normandy]], the 15th Division, under MacMillan, was engaged in highly intensive training in [[North Yorkshire Moors|North Yorkshire]], before moving to [[Sussex]] in April 1944 in preparation for the invasion.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=75}}<ref name="Mead278"/> The division formed part of [[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|VIII Corps]], then commanded by Lieutenant-General [[John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton|John Harding]], a fellow student at the Staff College in the late 1920s, itself forming part of the [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|British Second Army]], under Lieutenant-General Sir Kenneth Anderson. Both VIII Corps and the Second Army formed part of the [[21st Army Group]], initially commanded by General [[Bernard Paget|Sir Bernard Paget]], who had been an instructor at the Staff College. However, in January 1944, Harding, Anderson and Paget were all replaced.<ref name="Mead278"/> Harding was succeeded by Lieutenant-General [[Richard O'Connor|Sir Richard O'Connor]], another ex-Staff College instructor who greatly admired MacMillan, Anderson by Lieutenant-General [[Miles Dempsey]], and Paget by General Sir Bernard Montgomery. MacMillan was briefly appointed as acting GOC of VIII Corps while O'Connor arrived to replace Harding.{{sfn|Baynes|1989|p=184}}

The division landed in [[Normandy]], near the city of [[Caen]], on 13 June 1944, just a week after the [[Normandy landings|D-Day landings]] (delayed by six days due to storms in the [[English Channel]]), and deployed west of Caen in preparation for Montgomery's upcoming offensive, [[Operation Epsom]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=75}}<ref name="Mead278"/> O'Connor's VIII Corps, with the [[11th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|11th Armoured]] and [[43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division|43rd (Wessex) Division]]s, in addition to the 15th Division, under command, was given the role of attacking between Caen and [[Tilly-sur-Seulles]], crossing the [[Odon (river)|river Odon]] and advance to the [[Orne (river)|river Orne]].<ref name="MacMillan78"/><ref name="Mead278"/> MacMillan's division, with each of his brigades being supported by a [[Churchill tank]] equipped regiment of the [[31st Armoured Brigade|31st Tank Brigade]], was to play a major role and his plan was for the 46th and 44th Brigades to capture the villages of [[Cheux]] on the right and Saint-Mauvieux on the left.<ref name="Mead278"/> This would allow the 227th Brigade to pass through and seize the bridges across the Odon at [[Gavrus]] and Tourmaville. However, the Normandy [[bocage]] countryside was ideal for defence, and, despite strong artillery support, the 44th and 46th Brigades encountered heavy resistance on 26 June, the first day of the operation.<ref name="Mead278"/> On the evening of the following day, the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (of 227th Brigade), ignoring the threat to their flanks, dashed to the Tourmaville bridge, which the battalion captured intact.<ref name="MacMillan78">MacMillan 2013, p. 78</ref> The battalion had created a small [[bridgehead]], allowing elements of the 11th Armoured Division to pass through and seize Hill 112, beyond the Odon river.<ref name="Mead278"/> The battalion then captured the Gavrus bridge but immediately came under heavy attack. The "Scottish Corridor", which the Argylls' bridgehead across the river Odon marked the end, and which was now 2,500 yards wide, forced O'Connor, the corps commander, to send in reinforcements to hold it.<ref name="Mead278"/> The operation, although unsuccessful in its objective of penetrating as far as the Orne, it had drawn in the Germans' armoured reserves.<ref name="Mead278"/> MacMillan's division was relieved and sent to a more peaceful area, where the division, which had sustained some 2,300 casualties, including 288 killed, began to re-equip and absorb battle casualty replacements.<ref name="MacMillan80">MacMillan 2013, p. 80</ref> Despite the very heavy losses, the division was believed by MacMillan's superiors to have performed very well, with Montgomery on 3 July sending him a message stating "I would like to congratulate you personally, and the 15th Division as a whole on the very fine performance put up during the past week's fighting. The Division went into battle for the first time in this war, but it fought with great gallantry and displayed a fine offensive spirit. Scotland can feel pride in the 15th (Scottish) Division and the whole Division can be proud of itself".<ref name="MacMillan80"/> Dempsey, the army commander, and O'Connor, MacMillan's corps commander, gave similar praise.<ref name="MacMillan80"/>

The next two weeks the division supported the 43rd Division during its attempts to capture Hill 112 in [[Operation Jupiter (1944)|Operation Jupiter]], which was followed by its participation in Operation Greenline, part of the [[Second Battle of the Odon]].<ref name="Mead278"/> Like Epsom, it again attracted German armour but did not succeed.<ref name="Mead278"/> After a brief rest the division, on 23 July, transferred to XXX Corps, under Lieutenant-General [[Gerard Bucknall]], another fellow student at the Staff College in the late 1920s, and saw further very tough action to secure the Bois du Homme as part of [[Operation Bluecoat]] at the end of July/beginning of August.<ref>MacMillan 2013, p. 82</ref> On 3 August, MacMillan was wounded in the knee by shrapnel and evacuated to England, later Broadstone Hospital, Port Glasgow.<ref name="MacMillan86">MacMillan, p. 86</ref> That evening, Lieutenant-General O'Connor, GOC VIII Corps, who greatly admired MacMillan wrote in the following words to his wife: "''Babe'' is slightly wounded. It is a tragedy as he has been the mainstay of this party, and stands out head and shoulders above everyone else. He is one of the best, if not the best, and commands the best lot out here. This is beyond dispute. I shall miss him as a friend, collaborator and adviser. Most of the success out here has been the result of his initial efforts."{{sfn|Baynes|1989|p=221}} Command of the division passed to Brigadier [[Colin Muir Barber|Colin Barber]], formerly commander of the 46th Brigade.<ref name="MacMillan86"/> MacMillan was appointed a [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]] for "his excellent example and untiring efforts" during the period following the landings.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36917|page=669|date=30 January 1945 |supp=y}}</ref>

[[File:The Life and work Edward G Malindine, Photojournalist and Official Army Photographer 1906 - 1970 HU102819.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] poses for a group photograph with his staff, corps and divisional GOCs at Walbeck, Germany, 22 March 1945. Pictured standing in the back row, fifth from the right, is Major-General Gordon MacMillan.]]

Once pronounced fit in November, MacMillan, whose rank of major-general was made temporary on 27 August 1944, became GOC of the [[49th (West Riding) Infantry Division]], succeeding Major-General [[Evelyn Barker]], another fellow Staff College student who was promoted to become GOC of VIII Corps in place of O'Connor, who was being sent to India.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=279}}

Like MacMillan's former command, the 49th Division (nicknamed "The Polar Bears" due to its divisional insignia), with Major [[Christopher Welby-Everard]] (later a lieutenant-general) as its GSO1, was another TA formation, composed of the [[56th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|56th]], [[146th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|146th]] and [[147th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|147th Infantry Brigade]]s and supporting divisional troops. The division, serving as part of [[Lieutenant-general (Canada)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Guy Simonds]]'s [[II Canadian Corps]], part of [[General (Canada)|General]] [[Harry Crerar]]'s [[First Canadian Army]], was assigned to hold an area known as "the Island", near [[Nijmegen]] in the [[Netherlands]], against German advances in the aftermath of [[Operation Market Garden]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=88}} Several minor skirmishes took place during the wet and bitterly cold winter. The division had just launched an offensive to drive the Germans out of their remaining positions when MacMillan was ordered to become GOC of the 51st (Highland) Division in place of his friend, Major-General Tom Rennie, who had commanded the 154th Brigade in Sicily when MacMillan commanded the 152nd Brigade. Rennie had been killed by mortar fire during the [[Operation Plunder|crossing of the Rhine]] on 23 March.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=91}}{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=279}}

[[File:Germany Under Allied Occupation BU6563.jpg|thumb|right|Lieutenant-General [[Brian Horrocks]], GOC XXX Corps, Major-General Gordon MacMillan, GOC 51st Division, and [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[Charles H. Gerhardt]], GOC [[29th Infantry Division (United States)|U.S. 29th Division]], on the saluting base during the ceremony to mark the handover of Bremerhaven by British to American forces.]]

Assuming command the day after, the division, serving as part of Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks's XXX Corps, itself part of Dempsey's British Second Army, was engaged in a number of hard-fought battles as it [[Western Allied invasion of Germany|moved swiftly north-eastwards into Germany]] until the German surrender on 8 May 1945 and the [[end of World War II in Europe]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=279}} MacMillan then led his troops in the victory parade in [[Bremerhaven]] on 12 May.<ref>History of 51st (Highland) Division http://51hd.co.uk/history</ref> He was subsequently made a Grand Officer of the Dutch [[Order of Orange-Nassau]] for his "exceptional valour, leadership, loyalty and outstanding devotion to duty and great perseverance" during the liberation of the Netherlands.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=96}} He was also [[mentioned in despatches]] for "gallant and distinguished service" on two occasions, on 9 August 1945 and 4 April 1946.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37213|page=4044|date=7 August 1945|supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37521|page=1672|date=2 April 1946|supp=y}}</ref>

==After the war==
[[File:Major General Macmillan GOC. Palestine 1947.png|thumb|left|MacMillan in Palestine, 1947.]]

As soon as the war ended, MacMillan was ordered to return to the United Kingdom and, handing over the 51st Division to Major-General [[James Cassels (British Army officer)|James Cassels]],{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=279}} was appointed Director of Weapons and Development on the General Staff at the War Office in London.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=107}} He was also made [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on 1 October 1945.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37303|page=5012|date=9 October 1945|supp=y}}</ref>{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=108}}

MacMillan was promoted to the acting rank of lieutenant-general on 10 February 1947,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37891|page=959|date=25 February 1947|supp=y}}</ref><ref name="Officers of the British Army" /> and, three days later, took up his duties as GOC [[Palestine Command|British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan]],<ref>Letter to MacMillan from War Office, dated 24 October 1946 (Imperial War Museum, Private papers of General Sir Gordon MacMillan, Cat. No. 12052)</ref> replacing Lieutenant-General [[Evelyn Barker|Sir Evelyn Barker]], who he had succeeded as GOC of the 49th Division in November 1944, and who was then being sent home amid allegations of having had an affair and his [[antisemitism|antisemitic]] order following the [[King David Hotel Bombing]] in July 1946.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=119}} While there, MacMillan was promoted to lieutenant-general on 17 November 1947.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38130|page=5573|date=21 November 1947|supp=y}}</ref> One unnamed journalist described this as "perhaps the most unpleasant job that has ever fallen to the lot of a British general" but went on to observe that the newly promoted Lieutenant-General MacMillan is "quiet, efficient, yet capable of divine wrath when the need arises: he is a great leader and is both loved and respected by his subordinates."<ref>From scrapbook amongst MacMillan private papers retained at Finlaystone</ref>

Just five days after his arrival, the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] was informed that the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]] had decided to place the question of the future of Palestine before the [[United Nations]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1947/feb/18/palestine-conference-government-policy|title=Palestine Conference (Government Policy)|publisher=Hansard (House of Commons Debate) Vol 433, cc985-94|date=18 February 1947|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> This meant that MacMillan would be the last GOC. It set the stage for the end of the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate in Palestine]] in May 1948 and for an increasingly violent struggle between the [[Palestinian Jews|Jews]] and the [[Arabs]].<ref>Collins and Lapierre, Chapter 23</ref>

The head of the civilian government in Palestine was the [[High Commissioners for Palestine and Transjordan|High Commissioner]], [[Alan Cunningham|Sir Alan Cunningham]],<ref>Sir Alan Cunningham's private papers, relating to his time in Palestine, are deposited at St. Antony's College, Oxford, Middle East Centre Archives. They include many references to MacMillan.</ref> while the GOC was responsible for maintaining law and order with a force of over 100,000 troops, an army of more or less the same size as the whole British Army at the beginning of the 21st century.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=123}} His period in Palestine was marked by increasingly divergent views between the local administration and the British Cabinet in London on the role of the army.<ref>See Motti, Golani,''The End of the British Mandate in Palestine, 1948: The Diary of Sir Henry Gurney, ''Palgrave 2009</ref> MacMillan recognised the increasing futility of trying to keep the peace between two parties committed to war rather than to cohabitation, and the need to prioritise arrangements for the safe, orderly and timely evacuation of all troops and other British residents as well as 270,000 tons of military equipment and stores.<ref>Events during his tenure in Palestine were summarised in his report, written in Fayid (Egypt) and dated 3 July 1948, under the title:'' Palestine:Narrative of Events from February 1947 until the Withdrawal of All British Troops. ''(Imperial War Museum. Private Papers of General Sir Gordon MacMillan, catalogue no. 12052). '' ''</ref> He was the target of three assassination attempts by Palestinian Jews,{{sfn|Ben-Yehuda|1992|p=279−280}} and he was criticised fiercely by Arabs and Jews respectively for his failure to intervene in time to stop the [[Deir Yassin]] massacre and the attack on the [[Hadassah convoy massacre|Hadassah convoy]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=131}}

Following the end of the British Mandate and the [[Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel]] (both on 14 May 1948), the pace of British withdrawal increased. MacMillan boarded a naval launch in [[Haifa]] that would take him to {{HMS|Phoebe|43|6}} on 30 June 1948, "the last man of the British Forces to leave Palestine".<ref>''The Planning of the Evacuation of Palestine, ''Notes by the Chief of Staff, Haifa, 30 June 1948. (Imperial War Museum, MacMillan papers (see above))</ref>

[[File:Gordon MacMillan.png|thumb|right|General Sir Gordon MacMillan as Governor of Gibraltar.]]

In January 1949 MacMillan was knighted as a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] and appointed GOC-in-C of [[Scottish Command]] and [[Governor of Edinburgh Castle]],<ref>{{London Gazette|city=e|issue=16628|page=106|date=11 March 1949}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=39492|page=1529|date=14 March 1952|supp=y}}</ref> where his office was located. This came at a time when the army was adjusting to peacetime conditions.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=138}}

From 1952 until his retirement from the army in 1955, he served as [[Governor of Gibraltar|Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the City and Garrison of Gibraltar]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=39531|page=2368|date=2 May 1952}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40503|page=3311|date=7 June 1955|supp=y}}</ref> On 1 January 1954 MacMillan was promoted to the rank of [[General (United Kingdom)|general]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40106|page=1145|date=19 February 1954|supp=y}}</ref><ref name="Officers of the British Army" /> This was a period of rising tension between [[Spain under Franco]] and Britain over the sovereignty of Gibraltar, which was not eased by the visit in 1954 of the [[Queen Elizabeth II|Queen]] and the [[Duke of Edinburgh]] on the last leg of their tour of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=148}} During this visit, the Queen invested MacMillan on the [[Royal Yacht Britannia]] as a [[Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]] (KCVO) on 25 May 1954.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40181|page=3071|date=25 May 1954}}</ref><ref name="Officers of the British Army" />

==Retirement==
[[File:The grave of Gordon Holmes MacMillan, Newington Cemetery, Edinburgh.JPG|thumb|left|The grave of General Sir Gordon MacMillan, [[Newington Cemetery]], Edinburgh.]]

From 1955 MacMillan lived at [[Finlaystone House|Finlaystone]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.finlaystonehouse.com/|title=Finlaystone House and Gardens|access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref> his wife's family home on the southern bank of the [[River Clyde]], near the village of [[Langbank]] in Scotland. His family, consisting of his wife Marian, daughter Judy and four sons, George, [[John MacMillan (British Army officer)|John]], David and Andrew, had been based here during the Second World War and the Palestine assignment. Apart from doing much, including a lot of manual work, to maintain and improve the house, its garden and the surrounding estate, he immersed himself in Scottish affairs. He continued as Colonel of the A&SH until 1958,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=41508|page=5957|date=26 September 1958|supp=y}}</ref> and subsequently led a successful campaign to save the regiment from disbandment in 1968. He also served for many years as one of the Commissioners of the [[Queen Victoria School]], Dunblane, of which he had been ex-officio Chairman when GOC Scotland.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=144}}

Relieved of his military duties, MacMillan was able to devote more time to [[Clan MacMillan]] matters, arranging gatherings at Finlaystone and frequently visiting Clan members in North America. He was appointed Her Majesty's [[Vice-Lieutenant]] for the [[County of Renfrew]] in 1955.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40656|page=7071|date=16 December 1955}}</ref>

MacMillan also served as Chairman of the [[Greenock]] Harbour Trust and of the Firth of Clyde Drydock at the time of its establishment.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=180}} He was appointed the first Chairman of the [[Cumbernauld]] Development Corporation, responsible for building a "[[New towns in the United Kingdom|new town]]" between [[Glasgow]] and [[Stirling]].{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=183}} From 1955 to 1980, he also chaired the executive committee of Erskine Hospital which had been created as a hospital and care home for ex-service men and women in the First World War.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=185}} Other voluntary work involved him as chairman of the Scottish Police Dependants' Fund and the City of Glasgow Council of Social Service.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=187}} He was awarded an honorary doctorate in law ([[Legum Doctor|LLD]]) by the [[University of Glasgow]] in 1969.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=187}}

MacMillan died in a car accident on 21 January 1986, just two weeks after his eighty-ninth birthday.{{sfn|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|MacMillan|2013|p=212}}

He is buried against the north wall in the highly overgrown section of [[Newington Cemetery]] in [[Edinburgh]] but a path has been created to his grave.<ref>As shown in the image of his grave</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{Cite book|last=Baynes|first= John|title= The Forgotten Victor: General Sir Richard O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO, MC|publisher= Brassey's, London |year=1989|isbn=978-0080362694}}
*{{cite book|last=Ben-Yehuda|first=Nachman|title= Political Assassination by Jews: a rhetorical device for justice|publisher= State University of New York Press |year=1992|isbn=978-0791411667}}
*{{cite book|last1=Collins|first= Larry|last2= Lapierre|first2= Dominique|title= Oh Jerusalem! |publisher=Simon and Schuster, New York |year=1972|isbn=978-8401812675}}
*{{cite book|last1=MacMillan|first1=George|last2=MacMillan|first2=John|last3=MacMillan|first3=Judy|last4=MacMillan|first4=David|last5=MacMillan|first5=Andrew|title=General Sir Gordon MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap, KCB KCVO CBE DSO MC LLD: The Babe, (1897–1986)|publisher=FastPrint Publishing, Peterborough |year=2013 |isbn= 978-178035-577-1}}
*{{cite book|last=Motti|first= Golani|title=The End of the British Mandate in Palestine, 1948: The Diary of Sir Henry Gurney|publisher= Palgrave|year= 2009|isbn=978-0230209862}}
*{{cite book| first=Richard| last=Mead| title=Churchill's Lions: A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II| location=Stroud| publisher=Spellmount| year=2007|isbn=978-1-86227-431-0}}
*{{cite book| first=Nick| last=Smart| title=Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War| isbn=1844150496| year=2005| location=Barnesley| publisher=Pen & Sword}}

==External links==
*[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_M01.html#MacMillan_GHA British Army Officers 1939–1945]
*[https://www.generals.dk/general/MacMillan/Gordon_Holmes_Alexander/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Charles Bullen-Smith]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division|GOC 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division]]|years=1943–1944}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Colin Muir Barber|Colin Barber]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Evelyn Barker]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[49th (West Riding) Infantry Division|GOC 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division]]|years=1944–1945}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Stuart Blundell Rawlins|Stuart Rawlins]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Tom Rennie|Thomas Rennie]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[51st (Highland) Division|GOC 51st (Highland) Infantry Division]]|years=March–May 1945}}
{{s-aft|after=[[James Cassels (British Army officer)|James Cassels]]}}
|-
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gervase Thorpe]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders|Colonel of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]]|years=1945–1958}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Frederick Clarence Campbell Graham|Frederick Graham]]}}
|-
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Evelyn Barker|Sir Evelyn Barker]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Palestine Command|GOC British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan]]|years=1947–1948}}
{{s-aft|after=End of British mandate}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Philip Christison|Sir Philip Christison]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Scottish Command|GOC-in-C Scottish Command]]|years=1949–1952}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Colin Muir Barber|Sir Colin Barber]]}}
|-
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Kenneth Anderson (British Army officer)|Sir Kenneth Anderson]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of Gibraltar]]|years=1952–1955}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Harold Redman|Sir Harold Redman]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Governors of Gibraltar}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacMillan, Gordon}}
[[Category:1897 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders officers]]
[[Category:British Army generals of World War II]]
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[[Category:British military personnel of the Palestine Emergency]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Governors of Gibraltar]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]]
[[Category:People educated at St Edmund's School Canterbury]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Bangalore]]
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[[Category:Scottish generals]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish businesspeople]]

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Gordon MacMillan