Thomas William Glasgow KCB CMG

Biography
Thomas William 'Bill' Glasgow was born on 6th June 1876 in Tiaro, near Maryborough, Queensland (Australia). He was the third son of Samuel Glasgow and Mary Margaret Trotter Anderson. Queensland Birth Index #C4606/1876 (https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research) 'Bill' Glasgow was educated at the One-Mile State School, Gympie, and Maryborough Grammar School. In 1893 he started work as a junior clerk in the office of a mining company at Gympie and later became a clerk in the Queensland National Bank there. Amongst his friends in Gympie was (future General Sir) Brudenell White, a clerk in a rival bank. They both joined the 2nd Queensland (Wide Bay and Burnett) Regiment, Queensland Mounted Infantry.
Her Majesty's empire
With nineteen others Glasgow travelled to London in 1897 to represent Queensland at the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Glasgow volunteered for service in South Africa in the Second Boer War and served as a Lieutenant in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry Contingent. He participated in the relief of Kimberley, the capture of Cronje's laager on the Modder and the occupation of Bloemfontein in 1900. On 16th April 1901 he was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Thomas William Glasgow; accessed 17 Apr 2018 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1449356) Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Lieutenant Thomas William Glasgow DSO; accessed 6 Mar 2019 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1510608) He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal for his service in South Africa.

After returning to Australia, Glasgow formed a partnership with his younger brother Alexander, and they took over their father's grocery store in Gympie. 

Bill married Annie Isabel Stumm, daughter of Jacob Stumm, the Federal member for Lilley, on 21st April 1904 in the Presbyterian Church, Gympie, Queensland. Queensland Marriage Index #C919/1904 (https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research) They had two daughters.

In 1903, Glasgow organised the 13th Light Horse Regiment at Gympie. He was promoted to Captain in 1906 and Major in 1912. 

Being the adventurer, Bill tired of storekeeping and bought a cattle station in central Queensland. But with the outbreak of another war, the farm would have to wait ...
the (supposed) war to end all wars
When the First World War broke out in 1914, he was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force with the rank of Major in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment on 19 August 1914. Australian War Memorial Nominal roll: Thomas William Glasgow (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2334390); accessed 17 Apr 2018 He embarked for Egypt where his regiment trained until called forward for dismounted service at Gallipoli. In August 1915, Glasgow lead an attack on Dead Man's Ridge; the ridge had sweeping views of The Nek. After the failed attack on the Nek, Glasgow, realising that the ridge would now be attacked by the full force of the Turkish army, ordered a retreat. Glasgow covered the retirement, finally making it back carrying one of his wounded troopers. Of the 200 men in the attack, four officers and 56 other ranks had been killed and seven officers and 87 other ranks wounded. Every officer except Glasgow had been killed or wounded. The next day he was appointed to command the regiment with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

In March 1916 Glasgow was appointed commander of the 13th Infantry Brigade on the Western Front, which he commanded at Mouquet Farm, Messines, Polygon Wood and Dernancourt, where the brigade helped stop the German advance. In June 1918, Glasgow was appointed to command the 1st Division. For his services during the war, Glasgow was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Major Thomas William Glasgow CMG; accessed 6 Mar 2019 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1607430) Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Colonel Thomas William Glasgow CB; accessed 6 Mar 2019 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1615537) and was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1919 New Year Honours. Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Major General Thomas William Glasgow KCB; accessed 6 Mar 2019 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1510614) He was Mentioned in Despatches nine times and was appointed Officier de la Légion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre by the French Government (gazetted in London 29th January 1919 on page 1445 at position 3) Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Thomas William Glasgow, Officier de la Légion d'Honneur; accessed 6 Mar 2019 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1510829) and the Croix de Guerre from the Belgian Government. For his war service he was also awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Returning to the Militia after the war, Glasgow commanded the 4th Division from 1921. He led the annual Anzac Day parade in Brisbane for twenty years. 
parliament: a different type of fighting
Glasgow was elected to the Senate in 1919, representing Queensland, as a Nationalist. He was no orator but his rugged common sense was appreciated and he quickly made his mark in Melbourne. He became Minister for Home and Territories in 1926, and then from 1927 to 1929 was Minister for Defence. In this period the government completed its five-year defence programme which increased the citizen army to 45,000 and modernised and expanded the Royal Australian Air Force.

In 1931 Glasgow resumed his pastoral interests as well as becoming a director of several companies and president of the Queensland branch of the United Australia Party.
diplomatic service
90px|center
On 24th December 1939, Glasgow was appointed first Australian High Commissioner to Canada. Canada thus became only the fifth country in which Australia had diplomatic representatives. Glasgow won the trust of the Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King and built good relations with the ministers for external affairs, defence, and munitions and supply; concluding a "mutual aid" agreement between the two countries. His work included negotiation on matters of policy regarding the Empire Air Training Scheme and he regularly visited the far-flung camps and schools in Canada where Australians were training or awaiting embarkation. He made sure the airmen had good conditions and that mail and other amenities were promptly distributed. He established Anzac clubs in Ottawa and Halifax. The University of Manitoba awarded him an honorary Doctors of Laws (LLD) in 1942. He attended the Quebec Conferences in 1943 and 1944 between US President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, where he represented Australian interests.
last post
Glasgow returned to Australia in 1945 and once again resumed his pastoral and business interests. 

Aged 79 years, he passed away on 4th July 1955 in Brisbane, Queensland. Queensland Death Index #1955/B/8507 (https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research) He was given a state funeral after a service at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Brisbane.

In 1966, a bronze statue of Glasgow was unveiled at the junction of Roma and Turbot streets in Brisbane. At the ceremony, Sir Arthur Fadden described him as 'one of the most distinguished soldiers of our age and generation'. During 2008, the statue was moved to the much more central and popular Post Office Square (opposite ANZAC Square).
 one of the most distinguished soldiers of our age and generation - Sir Arthur Fadden, parliamentary leader of the Country Party 
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SourcesSee also
*Harry, Ralph. Glasgow, Sir Thomas William (1876–1955). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1983, accessed online 17 Apr 2018 by Clare Spring (http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/glasgow-sir-thomas-william-6397/text10935).
*Australian War Memorial: Major General Thomas William (Bill) Glasgow; accessed 6 Mar 2019 (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P11013529).
*Wikipedia_William_Glasgow Wikipedia: Thomas William Glasgow; accessed 4 Jun 2018 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Glasgow_(general)).
*WikiTree: Australian Knights and Dames; accessed 13 Jul 2024.

[[Category: Australia, Ministers for Defence]]
[[Category: Australia, Notables in Government]]
[[Category: Australian High Commissioners to Canada]]
[[Category: Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category: Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
[[Category: Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 (Belgium)]]
[[Category: Officiers de la Légion d'honneur]]
[[Category:Australian Army Generals]]
[[Category: Mentioned in Despatches]]
[[Category: Queensland, Senators]]
[[Category: Australian Army Generals, World War I]]
[[Category: Anglo Boere Oorlog 1899-1902 (Second Boer War)]]
[[Category: 2nd Queensland (Wide Bay and Burnett) Regiment]]
[[Category: Anglo Boer War 1899-1902 (Second Boer War)]]
[[Category: 1st Battalion, Queensland Mounted Infantry]]
[[Category: 1st Light Horse Regiment, Australian Imperial Force, World War I]]
[[Category: 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Australian Imperial Force, World War I]]
[[Category: Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, World War I]]
[[Category: Headquarters 1st Division, Australian Imperial Force, World War I]]
[[Category: Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category: Tiaro, Queensland]]
[[Category: Australia, Farmers]]
== Biography ==
{{Notability|category=Australia, Notables in the Military|text=Major General Sir Thomas Glasgow KCB CMG DSO VD was a senior Australian Army officer and politician.  He was a brigade and divisional commander on the Western Front; having earlier served in the Boer War.  He was elected to the Australian Senate and served as Minister for Defence.  He was appointed Australian High Commissioner to Canada throughout the Second World War.}}


{{Australia Born in Colony|colony=Colony of Queensland}} 
{{ANZAC|World War One|AU}}
'''Thomas William 'Bill' Glasgow''' was born on 6th June 1876 in Tiaro, near Maryborough, Queensland (Australia).  He was the third son of [[Glasgow-785|Samuel Glasgow]] and [[Anderson-37968|Mary Margaret Trotter Anderson]]. <ref>[https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research Queensland Birth Index #C4606/1876]</ref>  'Bill' Glasgow was educated at the One-Mile State School, Gympie, and Maryborough Grammar School.  In 1893 he started work as a junior clerk in the office of a mining company at Gympie and later became a clerk in the Queensland National Bank there.  Amongst his friends in Gympie was [[White-22314|(future General Sir) Brudenell White]], a clerk in a rival bank.  They both joined the 2nd Queensland (Wide Bay and Burnett) Regiment, Queensland Mounted Infantry.


=== Her Majesty's empire ===
{{Veteran Recognition|badge-image = Military_Badges_and_Insignia-21.png|nationality =Queensland|branch =Military Force|start-year =1893|end-year =1901|text =1st Queensland Mounted Infantry}}
With nineteen others Glasgow travelled to London in 1897 to represent Queensland at the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.  Glasgow volunteered for service in South Africa in the Second Boer War and served as a Lieutenant in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry Contingent.  He participated in the relief of Kimberley, the capture of Cronje's laager on the Modder and the occupation of Bloemfontein in 1900.  On 16th April 1901 he was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). <ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1449356 Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Thomas William Glasgow; accessed 17 Apr 2018]</ref><ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1510608 Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Lieutenant Thomas William Glasgow DSO; accessed 6 Mar 2019]</ref>  He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal for his service in South Africa.
<br>
{{Veteran Recognition|badge-image = Military_Badges_and_Insignia-23.png|nationality =Australian|branch =Army|start-year =1901|end-year =1945|text =Commonwealth Military Force; Australian Imperial Force; }}
After returning to Australia, Glasgow formed a partnership with his younger brother [[Glasgow-791|Alexander]], and they took over their father's grocery store in Gympie.    

Bill married [[Stumm-77|'''Annie Isabel Stumm''']], daughter of Jacob Stumm, the Federal member for Lilley, on 21st April 1904 in the Presbyterian Church, Gympie, Queensland. <ref>[https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research Queensland Marriage Index #C919/1904]</ref>  They had two daughters.

In 1903, Glasgow organised the 13th Light Horse Regiment at Gympie.  He was promoted to Captain in 1906 and Major in 1912.  

Being the adventurer, Bill tired of storekeeping and bought a cattle station in central Queensland.  But with the outbreak of another war, the farm would have to wait ...


=== the (supposed) war to end all wars ===
When the First World War broke out in 1914, he was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force with the rank of Major in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment on 19 August 1914.<ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2334390 Australian War Memorial Nominal roll: Thomas William Glasgow]; accessed 17 Apr 2018</ref>  He embarked for Egypt where his regiment trained until called forward for dismounted service at '''Gallipoli'''.  In August 1915, Glasgow lead an attack on Dead Man's Ridge; the ridge had sweeping views of The Nek.  After the failed attack on the Nek, Glasgow, realising that the ridge would now be attacked by the full force of the Turkish army, ordered a retreat.  Glasgow covered the retirement, finally making it back carrying one of his wounded troopers.  Of the 200 men in the attack, four officers and 56 other ranks had been killed and seven officers and 87 other ranks wounded.  Every officer except Glasgow had been killed or wounded.  The next day he was appointed to command the regiment with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

In March 1916 Glasgow was appointed commander of the 13th Infantry Brigade on the '''Western Front''', which he commanded at Mouquet Farm, Messines, Polygon Wood and Dernancourt, where the brigade helped stop the German advance.  In June 1918, Glasgow was appointed to command the 1st Division.  For his services during the war, Glasgow was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG),<ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1607430 Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Major Thomas William Glasgow CMG; accessed 6 Mar 2019]</ref>  Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB),<ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1615537 Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Colonel Thomas William Glasgow CB; accessed 6 Mar 2019]</ref> and was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1919 New Year Honours.<ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1510614 Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Major General Thomas William Glasgow KCB; accessed 6 Mar 2019]</ref>  He was Mentioned in Despatches nine times and was appointed ''Officier de la Légion d'Honneur'' and ''Croix de Guerre'' by the French Government (gazetted in London 29th January 1919 on page 1445 at position 3)<ref>[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1510829 Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Thomas William Glasgow, Officier de la Légion d'Honneur; accessed 6 Mar 2019]</ref> and the ''Croix de Guerre'' from the Belgian Government.  For his war service he was also awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Returning to the Militia after the war, Glasgow commanded the 4th Division from 1921.  He led the annual Anzac Day parade in Brisbane for twenty years.  


=== parliament: a different type of fighting ===
Glasgow was elected to the Senate in 1919, representing Queensland, as a Nationalist.  He was no orator but his rugged common sense was appreciated and he quickly made his mark in Melbourne.  He became Minister for Home and Territories in 1926, and then from 1927 to 1929 was Minister for Defence.  In this period the government completed its five-year defence programme which increased the citizen army to 45,000 and modernised and expanded the Royal Australian Air Force.

In 1931 Glasgow resumed his pastoral interests as well as becoming a director of several companies and president of the Queensland branch of the United Australia Party.


=== diplomatic service ===
[[image:Photos-195.gif|90px|center]]
On 24th December 1939, Glasgow was appointed first '''Australian High Commissioner''' to Canada.  Canada thus became only the fifth country in which Australia had diplomatic representatives.  Glasgow won the trust of the Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King and built good relations with the ministers for external affairs, defence, and munitions and supply; concluding a "mutual aid" agreement between the two countries.  His work included negotiation on matters of policy regarding the Empire Air Training Scheme and he regularly visited the far-flung camps and schools in Canada where Australians were training or awaiting embarkation.  He made sure the airmen had good conditions and that mail and other amenities were promptly distributed.  He established Anzac clubs in Ottawa and Halifax.  The University of Manitoba awarded him an honorary Doctors of Laws (LLD) in 1942.  He attended the Quebec Conferences in 1943 and 1944 between US President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, where he represented Australian interests.


=== last post ===
Glasgow returned to Australia in 1945 and once again resumed his pastoral and business interests.  

Aged 79 years, he passed away on 4th July 1955 in Brisbane, Queensland. <ref>[https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research Queensland Death Index #1955/B/8507]</ref>  He was given a state funeral after a service at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Brisbane.

In 1966, a '''bronze statue''' of Glasgow was unveiled at the junction of Roma and Turbot streets in Brisbane.  At the ceremony, Sir Arthur Fadden described him as 'one of the most distinguished soldiers of our age and generation'.  During 2008, the statue was moved to the much more central and popular Post Office Square (opposite ANZAC Square).
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Monotype Corsiva; font-size: 18pt">'''one of the most distinguished soldiers of our age and generation'''<br>- Sir Arthur Fadden, parliamentary leader of the Country Party</span></div>
[[Image:Photos-493.jpg|60px|center]]
<div style="text-align:left;">


== Sources ==
<references />


== See also ==
*[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/glasgow-sir-thomas-william-6397/text10935 Harry, Ralph. ''Glasgow, Sir Thomas William (1876–1955)''. Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1983, accessed online 17 Apr 2018 by [[Spring-570|Clare Spring]]].
*[https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P11013529 Australian War Memorial: Major General Thomas William (Bill) Glasgow; accessed 6 Mar 2019].
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Glasgow_(general) Wikipedia_William_Glasgow Wikipedia: Thomas William Glasgow; accessed 4 Jun 2018].
*[[Space:Australian_Knights_and_Dames|WikiTree: Australian Knights and Dames; accessed 13 Jul 2024]].