# Wilkinson Bird

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British Army general (1869–1943)

Major-General Sir Wilkinson Bird KBE CB CMG DSO Born (1869-05-04)4 May 1869 Died 6 January 1943(1943-01-06) (aged 73) Allegiance United Kingdom Branch British Army Service years 1888–1923 Rank Major-General Unit Queen's Royal Regiment Royal Irish Rifles Commands 7th Brigade 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles Conflicts Second Boer War First World War Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches

[Major-General](/source/Major_general_(United_Kingdom)) **Sir Wilkinson Dent Bird**, [KBE](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire), [CB](/source/Order_of_the_Bath), [CMG](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George), [DSO](/source/Distinguished_Service_Order) (4 May 1869 – 6 January 1943) was an officer of the [British Army](/source/British_Army) during the late-19th century and the [First World War](/source/First_World_War).

## Early life and military career

Dent was born on 4 May 1869, the son of J.D. Bird, a captain in the [20th Hussars](/source/20th_Hussars). After studying at [Wellington](/source/Wellington_College%2C_Berkshire) and the [Royal Military College, Sandhurst](/source/Royal_Military_College%2C_Sandhurst), he took a commission as a [second lieutenant](/source/Second_lieutenant) in the [Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)](/source/Queen's_Royal_Regiment_(West_Surrey)) on 22 August 1888.[1]

He was promoted to [lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant_(British_Army_and_Royal_Marines)) on 1 December 1890, and to [captain](/source/Captain_(British_Army_and_Royal_Marines)) on 21 April 1897.[2][3] That year, he served with the [Niger Expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Niger_Expedition&action=edit&redlink=1), where he was [mentioned in despatches](/source/Mentioned_in_despatches) and received a [brevet promotion](/source/Brevet_promotion) to [major](/source/Major_(British_Army_and_Royal_Marines)) on 6 June 1897. His next posting took him to the [North-Western Frontier](/source/North-Western_Frontier) of India.[4]

Bird served with his regiment in the [Second Boer War](/source/Second_Boer_War), where he was present at the [Relief of Mafeking](/source/Relief_of_Mafeking) and was again mentioned in despatches, but was severely wounded and returned home in 1900. For his service, he was awarded the [Distinguished Service Order](/source/Distinguished_Service_Order) (DSO).[4][5]

Bird was back as a regular captain in his regiment in July 1902.[6] From 1903 to 1905 he was chief instructor at the [School of Musketry](/source/School_of_Musketry), and from 24 June 1905[7] to 1909 a lecturer at the [Staff College, India](/source/Pakistan_Command_and_Staff_College). He was promoted to a brevet lieutenant-colonelcy in December 1909,[8] and appointed a General Staff Officer, Grade 2, at the War Office the following year.[4]

In September 1913 Bird, promoted in September 1910 to major,[9] was transferred from the Queen's to the Royal Irish Rifles (later the [Royal Ulster Rifles](/source/Royal_Ulster_Rifles)) and promoted to lieutenant colonel.[4][10]

## First World War

He was in command of the battalion at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, when it was sent to France with the [7th Brigade](/source/7th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)), [3rd Division](/source/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)).[11] On 26 August, at the [Battle of Le Cateau](/source/Battle_of_Le_Cateau), he assumed command of the 7th Brigade when its commander, Brigadier General [Frederick McCracken](/source/Frederick_McCracken), was disabled by an artillery shell.[12]

Bird was severely wounded at the [First Battle of the Aisne](/source/First_Battle_of_the_Aisne), on 15 September; his leg had to be amputated as a result, and on recovery he returned to the general staff rather than regimental service. He was promoted to brevet colonel in February 1915[13] and appointed a [personal aide-de-camp](/source/Personal_aide-de-camp) to King [George V](/source/George_V).[14] He was made a general staff officer, grade 1 in 1915, and appointed director of staff duties at the [War Office](/source/War_Office) in February 1916, taking over from Major General [Colin Mackenzie](/source/Colin_Mackenzie_(British_Army_officer)).[15] In May 1918, after being promoted to temporary major general,[16] he took up the post of lieutenant governor of the [Royal Hospital, Chelsea](/source/Royal_Hospital%2C_Chelsea).

## Post-war years

He retired from the army in 1923, having received a promotion to major general in 1921.[4] He was appointed the [Lees Knowles Lecturer](/source/Lees_Knowles_Lecturer) at [Trinity College, Cambridge](/source/Trinity_College%2C_Cambridge) for the year 1927.[17]

From December 1929 to 1939, Bird served as the [colonel](/source/Colonel) of the [Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)](/source/Queen's_Royal_Regiment_(West_Surrey)), taking over from General [Sir Charles Monro](/source/Sir_Charles_Monro%2C_1st_Baronet).[4][18]

## Family

Bird married Winifred Barker in early 1902; the couple had two daughters.[4] The eldest daughter was born in Westminster on 1 January 1903.[19]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["No. 25848"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/25848/page/4512). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 21 August 1888. p. 4512.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hart′s Army list, 1903

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Page 2218 | Issue 26844, 20 April 1897 | London Gazette | the Gazette"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26844/page/2218).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Who_Was_Who_4-6) *Who Was Who*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["No. 11296"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/11296/page/466). *[The Edinburgh Gazette](/source/The_Edinburgh_Gazette)*. 23 April 1901. p. 466.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["No. 27477"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27477/page/6150). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 26 September 1902. p. 6150.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["No. 27924"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27924/page/4309). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 22 June 1906. p. 4309.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["No. 28318"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28318/page/9594). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 17 December 1909. p. 9594.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["No. 28421"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28421/page/6977). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 4 October 1910. p. 6977.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["No. 28758"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28758/page/6695). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 23 September 1913. p. 6695.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Edmonds, p. 419

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Edmonds, pp. 172–174

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["No. 12776"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/12776/page/307). *[The Edinburgh Gazette](/source/The_Edinburgh_Gazette)*. 23 February 1915. p. 307.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["No. 29074"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29074/supplement/1687). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 16 February 1915. p. 1687.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["No. 29467"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29467/supplement/1489). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 8 February 1916. p. 1489.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["No. 30707"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30707/supplement/6209). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 24 May 1918. p. 6209.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [Home > About Trinity > Public Lectures > Lees Knowles Lectures > Past Lees Knowles Lecturers](http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=399), [Trinity College, Cambridge](/source/Trinity_College%2C_Cambridge).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["No. 33582"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33582/page/1144). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 21 February 1930. p. 1144.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** "Births". *The Times*. No. 36968. London. 3 January 1903. p. 1.

## References

- *[History of the Great War](/source/History_of_the_Great_War): Military Operations, France and Belgium 1914*, by [J. E. Edmonds](/source/J._E._Edmonds). Macmillan & Co., London, 1922. [Digitised copy](https://archive.org/details/militaryoperatio01edmouoft)

- "BIRD, Major-General Sir Wilkinson Dent". (2007). In *Who Was Who*. Online edition.

- Falls, Cyril (1925). [*The history of the first seven battalions, the Royal Irish Rifles, in the Great War*](http://435728.com/web_documents/fallsrir.htm).

## External links

- [Works by Wilkinson Bird](https://librivox.org/author/16512) at [LibriVox](/source/LibriVox) (public domain audiobooks)

Military offices Preceded by Sir Charles Monro Colonel of the 2nd (The Queen's Royal) Regiment of Foot 1929–1939 Succeeded by Sir Ivo Vesey

Authority control databases VIAF GND WorldCat

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