Lieutenant-General Herbert William Lumsden, & Bar, MC (8 April 1897 – 6 January 1945) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the First and Second World Wars. He commanded the 1st Armoured Division in the Western Desert campaign, and later commanded the X Corps at the Second Battle of El Alamein, before being relieved by his superior, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery. He was killed in action by the Japanese in early 1945, becoming the most senior combat casualty of the British Army of the Second World War. Early life and military career Herbert Lumsden was born in Santiago, Chile on 8 April 1897, the son of John and Anna Lumsden, née Dimalow. He was sent to England and was educated at The Leys School. At the outbreak of the First World War, in August 1914, he was only 17 years old. He served in the ranks with the Territorial Force (TF) for ten months before passing into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from where he was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery on 13 August 1916. On 26 July 1918 Lumsden was awarded the Military Cross. The citation read: Between wars On 19 April 1923, Lumsden married Alice Mary Roddick in Northaw. They had two sons, Jack and Peter. Lumsden continued to serve in the Royal Artillery until 24 June 1925, when he transferred to the cavalry regiment 12th Royal Lancers. In August, he was promoted from lieutenant to captain after almost eight years in the former rank. He was an ardent horseman, despite his 6 ft height, and participated in a number of Grand Nationals. In 1926, he won the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown riding Foxtrot. In 1929, Lumsden attended and passed the Staff College, Camberley course. Promoted to major in 1931, he held staff appointments in the cavalry for the next four years, being GSO3 of Aldershot Command and then brigade major of the 1st Cavalry Brigade. After a period of not being employed he became GSO2 at the Staff College, Camberley before being given command, in 1938, of his old regiment, the 12th Royal Lancers in succession to Colonel Richard McCreery. He was still in command of the regiment, now converted to armoured cars, at the outbreak of the Second World War. Second World War Lumsden was widely praised for his command of his regiment during the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940 as