Arthur Edward Barstow

Arthur Barstow
Nickname(s)	Bustling Bill
Born	17 March 1888 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	28 January 1942 (aged 53) Malaysia
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Indian Army
Years of service	1908–1942
Rank	Major General
Unit	15th Ludhiana Sikhs
Commands held	2nd Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment Kohat Brigade Indian 9th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	First World War 1920 Iraqi revolt Second World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches (4)

Major General Arthur Edward "Bustling Bill" Barstow CIE, MC, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , (17 March 1888 – 28 January 1942) was a British Indian Army officer who commanded the Indian 9th Infantry Division during the Battle of Malaya. He was killed on active service in 1942.

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 Mention in Despatches over the course of the conflict. He subsequently served in the 1920 Iraqi revolt and in India, and was Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment between 1933 and 1935.

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 Commanding Officer of the Indian 9th Infantry 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 Infantry Brigade, which had become cut off from the rest of the retreating British forces. The Japanese recovered his body.

The 22nd Indian Brigade was nearly completely destroyed by the Japanese. The Indian 9th Infantry Division, after suffering many more casualties, would later be absorbed by the Indian 11th Infantry Division and the Australian 8th Division, both of which would later surrender at Singapore.

External links

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