imported>HTDCourtney at 23:42, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T23:42:59Z

New page

{{Short description|British Indian Army officer (1863–1948)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Field Marshal (British Army)|Field Marshal]]
| name = Sir Claud Jacob
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCB|GCSI|KCMG}}
| image = LtGen Claud William Jacob.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt =
| caption = Lieutenant-General Claud Jacob, {{circa| 1916}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1863|11|21}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1948|6|2|1863|11|21}}
| birth_place = [[Mahidpur]], [[British India]]
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| nickname =
| allegiance =
| branch = [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]]
| serviceyears = 1882–1925
| rank = [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]]
| servicenumber =
| unit =
| commands = [[Commander-in-Chief, India]] [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command, India]] [[Chief of the General Staff (India)]] [[II Corps (United Kingdom)|II Corps]] [[21st Division (United Kingdom)|21st Division]] [[106th Hazara Pioneers]] [[Zhob Militia|Zhob Levy Corps]]
| battles = [[Military history of the North-West Frontier|North-West Frontier]] [[First World War]]
| awards = [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]] [[Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India]] [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
| relations = Lieutenant General [[Ian Jacob|Sir Ian Jacob]] (son)
| laterwork =
}}
[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] '''Sir Claud William Jacob''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GCB|GCSI|KCMG}} (21 November 1863 – 2 June 1948) was a [[British Indian Army]] officer. He served in the [[First World War]] as commander of the Dehra Dun Brigade, as General Officer Commanding [[21st Division (United Kingdom)|21st Division]] and as General Officer Commanding [[II Corps (United Kingdom)|II Corps]] in the [[Fifth Army (United Kingdom)|Fifth Army]]. During the [[Battle of the Somme]], his corps undertook the British attack during the [[Battle of Thiepval Ridge]] in September 1916 and the subsequent assault on St Pierre Divion during the [[Battle of the Ancre]] in November 1916. He remained in command of II Corps for the [[Battle of Passchendaele]] in Autumn 1917. After the War he commanded a corps of the [[British Army of the Rhine]] during the [[occupation of the Rhineland|occupation there]] and then served as [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff in India]]. He went on to be General Officer Commanding [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]] in India before temporarily becoming [[Commander-in-Chief, India]] and then taking over as [[Military Secretary to the India Office]].

==Early life==
Jacob was born on 21 November 1863, at [[Mahidpur]] in the [[Bombay Presidency]] of [[British Raj|British India]], to Major-General William Jacob and Eliza Jacob.<ref name=odnb>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/34143?docPos=1 |title=Sir Claud Jacob |publisher=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|accessdate=25 May 2013}}</ref>

==Early military career==
Educated at [[Sherborne School]], he passed into [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst|Sandhurst]] and was commissioned into the [[Worcestershire Regiment]] on 9 September 1882.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25145|page=4178|date=8 September 1882}}</ref>{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=154}} On 16 December 1884, stationed at [[Quetta]], he secured his transfer from the Worcestershire Regiment<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25440|page=576|date=10 February 1885}}</ref> to the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army ]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25568|page=1284|date=16 March 1886}}</ref> and, in July 1886, he became adjutant of the [[130th Baluchis|30th Regiment (Jacob's) Bombay Native Infantry]] also known as 3rd Belooch Regiment (now 12 Baloch).{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}} He first saw action with the Zhob Valley expedition of 1890 after which he was posted to the [[124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry|24th (Baluchistan) Regiment of Bombay Infantry]] (now 6 Baloch) in 1891.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}} Promoted to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] on 9 September 1893<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26458|page=6357|date=14 November 1893}}</ref> and to [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]] on 10 July 1901,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27362|page=6487|date=4 October 1901}}</ref> he was selected to command the Zhob Levy Corps, which kept the peace in the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier Province]] along the [[Waziristan]] and Southern [[Afghanistan]] border.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}} He took part in the blockade of the [[Mahsud]] [[Wazir (Pashtun tribe)|Waziri]] tribe at the end of 1901.<ref name=odnb/> Promoted to [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] on 1 October 1904,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27751|page=151|date=6 January 1905}}</ref> he was given command of the [[106th Hazara Pioneers]].{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}} Promoted to [[Brevet (rank)|brevet]] [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] on 1 October 1908<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28247|page=3389|date=4 May 1909}}</ref> and to full colonel on 1 January 1911,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28487|page=3095|date=21 April 1911}}</ref> he was appointed as a [[Staff (military)|general staff officer grade 1]] (GSO1) of the Meerut Division on 2 September 1912.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28657|page=7869|date=25 October 1912}}</ref>

[[File:General Sir Claud William Jacob, Kcb Art.IWMART1812.jpg|thumb|left|A half length portrait of General Sir Claud Jacob in uniform, 1 March 1917.]]

==First World War==
Shortly after the outbreak of the [[World War I|First World War]] in the summer of 1914, Jacob went with the Meerut Division, part of the Indian Corps, to the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]], where he saw action at the closing stages of the [[Battle of La Bassée]] in October.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}} Promoted to temporary [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier-general]] on 5 January 1915, he was appointed to command the Dehra Dun Brigade,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29075|supp=y|page=1710|date=16 February 1915}}</ref> and led the brigade at the [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]] in March 1915 and then in [[Battle of Aubers Ridge]] in May.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}}

Promoted to temporary [[Major general (United Kingdom)|major general]] on 7 September 1915,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29319|supp=y|page=9871|date=5 October 1915}}</ref> he became [[general officer commanding]] (GOC) of the Meerut Division and led the division at the [[Battle of Loos]] the following month.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}} While the Indian Corps was preparing to leave the Western front, he was appointed to take over as GOC of the [[21st Division (United Kingdom)|21st Division]] of the "New Armies" (see [[Kitchener's Army]]) on 18 November 1915, taking over from Major General [[George Forestier-Walker]].{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=190}}

He was promoted to the substantive rank of major-general on 1 January 1916 "for distinguished service in the Field".<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29438|supp=y|page=568|date=11 January 1916}}</ref>{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|pp=190-191}} He was [[wounded in action]] on 4 March 1916:

{{Quote|Armentières. The enemy bombardment of the town commencing at 5pm. with shells of all calibres up to 5.9'. The bullet of the L-G.O.C. was hit and the G.S.O.1, Lieut.-Colonel Daniell, killed and his G.O.C. wounded.{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=154}}}}

After returning briefly to his division in April he was promoted to temporary [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|lieutenant general]] on 28 May 1916<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29633|supp=y|page=6193|date=20 June 1916}}</ref> and succeeded Lieutenant General [[Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet|Sir Charles Fergusson]] as GOC [[II Corps (United Kingdom)|II Corps]] in the [[Fifth Army (United Kingdom)|Fifth Army]] in September 1916.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=191}} During the [[Battle of the Somme]], his corps undertook the British attack during the [[Battle of Thiepval Ridge]] in September 1916 and the subsequent assault on St Pierre Divion during the [[Battle of the Ancre]] in November.<ref name=odnb/> He remained in command of II Corps, having been promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-general on 3 June 1917,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30111|supp=y|page=5463|date=1 June 1917}}</ref> for the [[Battle of Passchendaele]] in the autumn of 1917 and for the rest of the war and into 1919.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=191}}

[[File:Le général Mangin causant au général (Claud William) Jacob au quartier général anglais à Cologne (5-9-19) - btv1b53029933x.jpg|thumb|left|Jacob and French General [[Charles Mangin]], [[Cologne]], May 1919.]]

==Post-war==
With the war now over, Jacob commanded a corps of the [[British Army of the Rhine]] during the [[occupation of the Rhineland]].{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=191}} He became [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff in India]] in January 1920 and was then both promoted to full [[General (United Kingdom)|general]] and appointed [[aide-de-camp]] to [[George V|King George V]] on 31 May 1920.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32185|supp=y|page=12384|date=14 December 1920}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32185|page=186|date=7 January 1921}}</ref> He returned home to [[England]] in 1924, and in November of that year was given the [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]] in India.{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=191}} When General [[Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson|Lord Rawlinson]] died in March 1925, he acted temporarily as [[Commander-in-Chief, India]], until General Sir [[William Birdwood]] took over that role in August 1925 and Jacob returned home again.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33037|page=2469|date=10 April 1925}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33081|page=5841|date=4 September 1925}}</ref> He took up the appointment of [[Military Secretary to the India Office]] in April 1926 and, having been promoted [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|field marshal]] on 30 November 1926, he remained at the India Office until he retired from the army in May 1930.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33189|page=5206|date=6 August 1926}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33225|page=7814|date=30 November 1926}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33613|page=3572|date=6 June 1930}}</ref>

In retirement Jacob became [[Constable of the Tower|constable]] of the [[Tower of London]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34495|page=1936|date=22 March 1938}}</ref> He was also Colonel of 2nd Battalion, The Baluch Regiment (now 7th Battalion The [[Baloch Regiment]]),<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33447|supp=y|page=8255|date=14 December 1928}}</ref> colonel of the [[106th Hazara Pioneers]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29651|page=6613|date=4 July 1916}}</ref> and colonel of the Worcestershire Regiment.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33265|page=2408|date=12 April 1927}}</ref> In January 1936 he attended the funeral of [[George V|King George V]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34279|supp=y|page=2763|date=29 April 1936}}</ref> and in May 1937 he attended the coronation of [[George VI|King George VI]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34453|supp=y|page=7035|date=10 November 1937}}</ref>

He became honorary colonel of the [[Seaforth Highlanders]] in March 1940.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34802|page=1238|date=27 February 1940|supp=y}}</ref> He died at [[King's College Hospital]] in London on 2 June 1948 at the age of eighty-four.{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=154}}{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=191}}

==Family==
[[File:Chateauwood.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Battle of Passchendaele, at which Jacob commanded II Corps, during the First World War]]
In 1894, he married Clara Pauline Wyatt, daughter of the Reverend J. L. Wyatt, well known as a missionary and student of oriental languages in India, and also a lecturer in Tamil at [[Cambridge University]] from 1895 to 1929. The couple had one son, [[Ian Jacob|Edward Ian Claud Jacob]], who later became Assistant Military Secretary of the War Cabinet and [[Director-General of the BBC]].{{sfn|Miall|1994|p=91–101}}

==Honours==
'''British'''
*[[Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]] – 1 January 1919<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31092|supp=y|page=3|date=31 December 1918}}</ref>
*[[Order of the Star of India|GCSI]] – 3 June 1930<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33611|supp=y|page=3476|date=30 May 1930}}</ref> (KCSI – 1 January 1924<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32893|supp=y|page=4|date=28 December 1923}}</ref>)
*[[Order of the Bath|GCB]] – 3 July 1926<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33179|supp=y|page=4403|date=2 July 1926}}</ref> (KCB – 1917;<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29886|page=2|date=29 December 1916|supp=y}}</ref> CB – 1915)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29202|page=6111|date=22 June 1915|supp=y}}</ref>
* Knight of Grace of the [[Venerable Order of Saint John]] – 19 June 1926<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33174|page=4037|date=22 June 1926}}</ref>
'''Foreign'''
*[[Order of Saint Vladimir]], 4th Class, with Swords (Russia) - 25 August 1915<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=29275 |supp=y |date=25 August 1915 |page=8504}}</ref>
*Grand Officer of the [[Order of the Crown (Belgium)|Order of the Crown]] (Belgium) – 11 March 1918<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30568|supp=y|page=3094|date=8 March 1918}}</ref>
*Grand Officer of the [[Legion of Honour]] (France) – 15 December 1919<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31688|supp=y|page=15577|date=12 December 1919}}</ref>
*[[Croix de Guerre]] (France) – 7 January 1919<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31109|supp=y|page=313|date=3 January 1919}}</ref>
*[[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]] (United States) – 12 July 1919<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31451|supp=y|page=8938|date=11 July 1919}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |title=Bloody Red Tabs: General Officer Casualties of the Great War 1914–1918 |last=Davies |first=Frank |year=1997 |publisher=Pen & Sword Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-85052-463-5}}
*{{cite book| first=Tony| last=Heathcote|title=The British Field Marshals 1736–1997| publisher=Pen & Sword| location=Barnsley (UK)| year=1999| isbn=0-85052-696-5}}
*{{cite book| last = Miall| first = Leonard |author-link=Leonard Miall | title = Inside the BBC: British Broadcasting Characters | publisher = Weidenfeld and Nicolson| year = 1994| isbn = 0-297-81328-5 }}

==External links==
*[https://generals.dk/general/Jacob/Claud_William/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]
*[https://archive.today/20240524170803/https://www.webcitation.org/5ko41SEjA?url=http://www.geocities.com/myjacobfamily/CLAUDE Images of Claud Jacob]
*[http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/c_jacob Profile on Worcestershire Regiment site]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George Forestier-Walker]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[21st Division (United Kingdom)|GOC 21st Division]]|years=1915–1916}}
{{s-aft|after=[[David Campbell (British Army officer)|David Campbell]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet|Charles Fergusson]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[II Corps (United Kingdom)|GOC II Corps]]|years=1916–1919}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alexander Godley|Sir Alexander Godley]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George Macaulay Kirkpatrick|Sir George Kirkpatrick]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief of the General Staff (India)]]|years=1920–1924}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Andrew Skeen|Sir Andrew Skeen]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William Birdwood|Sir William Birdwood]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Northern Command (India)|GOC-in-C, Northern Command, India]]|years=1924–1925}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alexander Cobbe|Sir Alexander Cobbe]]}}
|-
{{succession box | title=[[Commander-in-Chief, India]] | before=[[Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson|Sir Henry Rawlinson]] | after = Sir William Birdwood| years=1925}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Alexander Cobbe|Sir Alexander Cobbe]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Military Secretary to the India Office]]|years=1926–1930}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir Alexander Cobbe}}
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George Milne, 1st Baron Milne|Baron Milne]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Constable of the Tower|Constable of the Tower of London]]|years=1943–1948}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Philip Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode|Baron Chetwode]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Commander-in-Chief, India}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacob, Claud}}
[[Category:1863 births]]
[[Category:1948 deaths]]
[[Category:Foreign recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States)]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Worcestershire Regiment officers]]
[[Category:British field marshals]]
[[Category:British Commanders-in-Chief of India]]
[[Category:Indian Army generals of World War I]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
[[Category:People educated at Sherborne School]]
[[Category:Constables of the Tower of London]]
[[Category:Members of the Council of the Governor General of India]]
[[Category:British military personnel in colonial India]]
[[Category:19th-century British Army personnel]]
[[Category:People from Ujjain]]
[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]

Claud Jacob - Revision history

imported>HTDCourtney at 23:42, 26 March 2026