1. At thirteen, young William won a scholarship to Charterhouse School and became a top-ranking classical scholar and a keen student of ancient military campaigns.
19 Facts About William Dobbie
1. 2.
William Dobbie was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 6 August 1899.
3.
William Dobbie joined the Second Boer War shortly after the funeral of Queen Victoria in February 1901, and was promoted to lieutenant while in South Africa, on 1 April 1902.
4.
William Dobbie was wounded, and returned to the United Kingdom shortly after the end of hostilities, arriving in Southampton in July 1902.
5.
William Dobbie later opined that the Second Boer War was a rather unjust war.
6.
William Dobbie attended the Staff College, Camberley, from 1911 to 1912.
7.
William Dobbie was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in November 1914 and appointed a GSO 3rd Grade on 1 April 1915.
8.
William Dobbie was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 14 January 1916, promoted to major on 1 April 1916, promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 19 August 1916 and brevetted to lieutenant colonel on 1 January 1917.
9.
William Dobbie was graded a temporary lieutenant colonel on 18 April 1920 and brevetted to colonel on 1 July 1922.
10.
William Dobbie was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 January 1925 and to colonel on 18 January 1926.
11.
William Dobbie was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1930 New Year Honours List.
12.
William Dobbie reverted to his permanent rank of colonel and ceased to be employed from 15 July 1932, being placed on half-pay.
13.
William Dobbie was appointed General Officer Commanding Malaya Command on 8 November 1935, holding the post to 1939.
14.
William Dobbie, then holding the rank of major general, was informed that after Malaya he would be retired, because new War Office regulations deemed him too old for a further position.
15.
William Dobbie himself received the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.
16.
William Dobbie was a member of the Protestant Plymouth Brethren, and when living in The Paragon, Blackheath, attended the large Brethren assembly in Nightingale Vale, Woolwich Common, London SE18.
17.
William Dobbie was a member of the Board of Governors of Monkton Combe School in Somerset from 1942 to 1964.
18.
William Dobbie died on 3 October 1964 in Kensington, London, England, at the age of 85 years.
19.
William Dobbie was buried in Charlton Cemetery, near the Chindit memorial of his nephew Major General Orde Wingate.