Arthur Edward Barstow

Arthur Barstow
Arthur Barstow
Nickname(s)	"Bustling Bill"; "Whiz Bang Sikh"
Born	17 March 1888; Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	28 January 1942 (aged 53); Malaya
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Indian Army
Years of service	1908–1942
Rank	Major-General
Unit	15th Ludhiana Sikhs
Commands	9th Indian Division (1940–42); Waziristan District (1940); Kohat Brigade (1938–40); 2nd Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment (1933–35)
Battles / wars	First World War (WIA); 1920 Iraqi revolt; Mahmud Barzanji revolts; North-West Frontier; Second World War Malayan campaign †;
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire; Military Cross; Mentioned in Despatches (5)

Major-General Arthur Edward "Bustling Bill" Barstow, CIE, MC (17 March 1888 – 28 January 1942) was a British Indian Army officer who commanded the 9th Indian Division during the Battle of Malaya. He was killed by the Japanese on active service in 1942 while trying to cross a demolished railway bridge near Layang Layang village.

Early life and family

Barstow was the son of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Adam Anderson Barstow, an officer in the Seaforth Highlanders, and Jane Cape Barstow. He was born in Edinburgh and educated at Bradfield College, before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was the brother of Brigadier John Anderson Barstow, who was killed in 1941.

He married Nancy Lewkenor Knight, daughter of Brigadier General Henry Lewkenor Knight and Sybil Madeline, on 27 July 1927 in Alton.

Military career

On 25 January 1908 he was commissioned into the British Army on the Unattached List, before receiving a commission in the Indian Army on 11 March 1909. Between 1910 and 1919 Barstow served with the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, including on the Western Front during the First World War. He was awarded the Military Cross, wounded and mentioned in despatches over the course of the conflict. He subsequently served in the 1920 Iraqi revolt and in India, after attending the Staff College, Camberley from 1924 to 1925,^[1] and was Commanding Officer (CO) of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment between 1933 and 1935.^{[citation needed]}

At the start of the Second World War, Barstow was Commander of Waziristan District, and was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in recognition of his service. In September 1940 he became General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 9th Indian Division and served with the division during the early months of the Battle of Malaya. He was killed by the Japanese on 28 January 1942 while trying to cross a demolished railway bridge near Layang Layang village. At the time he was attempting to contact one of his brigades, the 22nd Indian Brigade, which had become cut off from the rest of the retreating British forces. The Japanese recovered his body.^{[citation needed]}

The 22nd Indian Brigade was nearly completely destroyed by the Japanese. The 9th Indian Division, after suffering many more casualties, was later absorbed by the 11th Indian Division and the 8th Australian Division, both of which later surrendered at Singapore.^{[citation needed]}

Publications

Barstow's The Sikhs: An Ethnology was published in 1928.^[2]

References

^ Smart, p. 22
^ Roy, Kaushik (2016). Sepoys against the Rising Sun: The Indian Army in Far East and South-East Asia, 1941–45. BRILL. p. 24. ISBN 978-9-00430-678-3.

External links

"Arthur Edward Barstow". Orders of Battle.com.
British Indian Army officers

Bibliography

Colin Smith (2005). Singapore Burning. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-670-91341-1.
Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnsley, U.K.: Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 1-84415-049-6.

[1] Smart, p. 22

[2] Roy, Kaushik (2016). Sepoys against the Rising Sun: The Indian Army in Far East and South-East Asia, 1941–45. BRILL. p. 24. ISBN 978-9-00430-678-3.

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