Jack d'Avigdor-Goldsmid

Major-General Sir James Arthur "Jack" d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 3rd Baronet, CB, OBE, MC (19 December 1912 – 6 September 1987) was a British Army officer and British Conservative politician. He was a member of the prominent Anglo-Jewish d'Avigdor-Goldsmid family, and his brother Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 2nd Baronet was also a Member of Parliament.

Sir James d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
Bt, CB, OBE, MC
Member of Parliament
for Lichfield and Tamworth
In office
18 June 1970 – 20 September 1974
Preceded byJulian Snow
Succeeded byBruce Grocott
Personal details
Born(1912-12-19)19 December 1912
Died6 September 1987(1987-09-06) (aged 74)
Political partyConservative
RelativesSee Goldsmid family
Alma materRoyal Military College, Sandhurst
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1932–1968
RankMajor-General
Commands20th Armoured Brigade
Battles/warsSecond World War

Early life

D'Avigdor-Goldsmid was born on 19 December 1912 and was the younger son of Sir Osmond d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 1st Baronet.[1] He was educated at Harrow School.[2]

Military career

Having attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid was commissioned into the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards on 1 September 1932 as a second lieutenant.[3] He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 September 1935.[4] He was appointed adjutant on 14 October 1937.[5] He was promoted to captain on 1 September 1940.[6] As a captain (temporary major) he participated in the D-Day landings of the Second World War.[7]

He was promoted to major on 1 July 1946,[8] lieutenant colonel on 31 December 1951,[9] and to colonel on 19 January 1956.[10] He was given command of 20th Armoured Brigade in 1958. He was promoted to brigadier on 1 January 1961.[11] He was appointed Deputy Commander of Aldershot Command from September 1961 to 1962.[12] On 31 October 1962, he was granted the temporary rank of major-general and appointed Director of the Royal Armoured Corps.[13] His promotion to major-general was confirmed on 1 January 1963 and back dated to 31 October 1962 with seniority from 6 April 1962.[14] He relinquished the appointment of Director of the Royal Armoured Corps on 27 January 1965.[15]

On 28 February 1965, he was appointed President of the Regular Commissions Board,[16] relinquishing the position on 20 September 1965.[17] On 1 February 1966, he was posted to the Ministry of Defence as Director of Territorial Army and Cadets.[18] He relinquished the post on 20 January 1968, the day he retired from the military.[19]

Later life and political career

In 1968, D'Avigdor-Goldsmid joined the Jockey Club and acted as Steward at several horse race meetings.

In the 1970 general election, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Lichfield and Tamworth. He held the seat in the February 1974 general election. He lost his seat in the October 1974 general election to Labour's Bruce Grocott.[20]

He inherited the d'Avigdor-Goldsmid Baronetcy on 11 December 1976 upon the death of Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, his elder brother.[1]

Honours and decorations

On 31 August 1944, then Captain (temporary Major) d'Avigdor-Goldsmid was awarded the Military Cross (MC) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Normandy".[7] In the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[21]

He was appointed to the honorary position of Colonel of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards on 6 June 1963.[22]

References
  1. "BARONETAGE". 19 January 2012. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. "Jews that served in the Army and Militia prior to WW1". JewishSoldiers.com. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  3. "No. 33860". The London Gazette. 2 September 1932. p. 5622.
  4. "No. 34195". The London Gazette. 3 September 1935. p. 5595.
  5. "No. 34444". The London Gazette. 15 October 1937. p. 6373.
  6. "No. 34936". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 August 1940. p. 5327.
  7. "No. 36679". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 August 1944. pp. 4043–4044.
  8. "No. 37635". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 June 1946. p. 3362.
  9. "No. 39525". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 April 1952. p. 2293.
  10. "No. 40935". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 November 1956. p. 6715.
  11. "No. 42366". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 May 1961. p. 3987.
  12. Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "No. 42822". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 October 1962. p. 8523.
  14. "No. 42880". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1962. p. 73.
  15. "No. 43560". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 January 1965. p. 999.
  16. "No. 43591". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 March 1965. p. 2235.
  17. "No. 43768". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 September 1965. p. 8888.
  18. "No. 43892". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 February 1966. p. 1397.
  19. "No. 44528". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1968. p. 2072.
  20. Leigh Rayment. "THE HOUSE OF COMMONS CONSTITUENCIES BEGINNING WITH "L"". Archived from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. "No. 43667". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1965. p. 5473.
  22. "No. 43021". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1963. p. 4893.
  • Times Guide to the House of Commons February 1974
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