23 Facts About Louis Lipsett

Louis Lipsett commanded the 3rd Canadian Division during some of the bitterest battles of the war, taking over in 1916 after his predecessor, Malcolm Mercer, was killed.

In 1918, Lipsett took command of the British 4th Division.

Louis Lipsett was the last British general to be killed during the First World War.

Louis Lipsett was later instrumental in developing military training and education throughout Canada and expanding the shore defences of British Columbia, in response to the threat of the German East Asian Cruiser Squadron.

An experienced and capable officer, Louis Lipsett was popular with both his men and his superiors.

Louis Lipsett's death was considered "a deplorable loss to the [4th] Division".

Louis Lipsett was educated at Bedford School and took the Sandhurst entrance examination against the wishes of his tutors, entering the college and graduating 35th from his class of 120.

In October 1894, Louis Lipsett was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment, and took ship to India where he served for the next five years, mainly with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment, on the Northwest Frontier, participating in the Tirah campaign against the Afridi.

In July 1911, Louis Lipsett responded to the call from the Colonial Office for young staff officers to operate in colonial military academies, as military education had been standardised throughout the British Empire in 1909.

Louis Lipsett was sent to Canada and promoted to major, working hard to improve training in the dominion.

Louis Lipsett instigated numerous new training courses and special schools, establishing close ties with the Canadian military establishment and personally training most of the next generation of Canadian staff officers and generals.

At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 Louis Lipsett was dispatched to British Columbia, the Pacific coastline of which was largely undefended and was believed to be at risk from the German East Asian Cruiser Squadron under Maximilian von Spee, which had embarked on a raiding campaign in the Pacific Ocean that would culminate in the Battle of Coronel and the Battle of the Falkland Islands.

Louis Lipsett recognised that there was no immediate threat to the Canadian coast and calmed fears whilst simultaneously organising the local militia forces and deploying the two submarines purchased by provincial Premier Richard McBride.

Louis Lipsett's task completed in British Columbia, Lipsett took over command and training of the 8th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 'the Little Black Devils'.

Louis Lipsett is credited with issuing the first order to counteract the effects of poison gas, when he ordered his men to urinate on strips of cloth and tie them to their faces to neutralise the chlorine.

Louis Lipsett's battalion was instrumental in holding the line during the action and he was consequently rewarded by being made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier-general in September and given command of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, which he trained during the spring of 1916 to conduct major trench raids on German lines.

On 2 June 1916, Louis Lipsett's commanding officer, Major General Malcolm Mercer, was killed by enemy shellfire at Mount Sorrel in Belgium and Louis Lipsett was given an acting promotion to replace him in command of the 3rd Canadian Division, and a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel.

The Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence Minister Sir Sam Hughes attempted to have him removed from the division in favour of Hughes' son Garnet, but Louis Lipsett was so highly regarded in the Canadian military establishment that Lieutenant General Sir Julian Byng, commanding the Canadian Corps, overruled Hughes.

Louis Lipsett, promoted to the temporary rank of major general in June, soon after receiving the appointment, led his division through the worst of the campaigns in 1916, including extensive operations during the Battle of the Somme.

Louis Lipsett received two more promotions, to brevet colonel in January 1917 and to substantive lieutenant colonel in February, and in April Lipsett's division was instrumental in the Canadian success at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Louis Lipsett was able to stagger back to his own lines but there collapsed from massive blood loss and never regained consciousness.

Louis Lipsett was the last British general to be killed during the First World War.

Louis Lipsett was buried the following day in Queant Communal Cemetery with his funeral attended by dozens of officers from the British and Canadian armies in France including Byng and Louis Lipsett's close friend and corps commander, Currie.