Alexander Johnston ( British Army officer ) Brigadier General Alexander Colin Johnston DSO & Bar , MC ( 26 January 1884 – 27 December 1952 ) was an English cricketer and British Army officer . Johnston was a right - handed batsman who was a leg break bowler . Johnston also occasionally played as a wicketkeeper . Early life . Johnston was educated at Winchester College , where he represented the college cricket team . From there Johnston went to Sandhurst and he also spent a year as a cowboy in Colorado and New Mexico before being commissioned into the Worcestershire Regiment on 4 November 1903 . First - class cricket career . Johnston made his first - class debut for Hampshire in the 1902 County Championship against Surrey . Johnston played 107 matches for Hampshire before the First World War , with Johnston ' s most successful seasons with the bat coming in 1910 when he scored 1 , 158 runs at a batting average of 36 . 18 , with seven half centuries and a single century score of 130 ; and in 1 , 044 runs at an average of 54 . 94 and a career high score of 175 against Warwickshire . In addition to representing Hampshire before the war , Johnston also played for the Marylebone Cricket Club in two pre - war first - class matches against Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire , both matches coming in 1911 . Also in 1911 , Johnston played a single match for the Gentlemen in the 1911 Gentlemen v Players fixture , representing them once more in the 1912 fixture . In 1914 , the season which was cut short due to the First World War , Johnston played a single match for the Army against the Royal Navy . Johnston ' s final first - class match for Hampshire before the war came against Surrey at the United Services Recreation Ground in Portsmouth . First World War service . Johnston fought in the First World War , serving on the frontlines of the Western Front with the original Expeditionary Force , being wounded four times and rising to the rank of Brigadier General . Initially Johnston served as signals officer for 7 Infantry Brigade . He went on to serve in that capacity with 3rd Division before becoming , in turn , Brigade Major , Commanding Officer 10th Battalion Cheshire Regiment and finally Officer Commanding 126 Infantry Brigade . Johnston took part in the engagements at Mons , Le Cateau and the subsequent retreat and advance to the Aisne . In 1916 whilst commanding the 10th Battalion Cheshire Regiment he was award the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) for his actions at the Battle of the Somme . A year later in 1917 he was to be awarded a bar to his DSO for his actions at Ypres . During the course of the war he was Mentioned in Despatches no less than five times and in 1916 was awarded the French Croix de guerre . Johnston wrote a diary chronicling his activities in the war . Post - First World War activities . Johnston returned from the First World War with a permanent limp , though he continued his activities as a soldier and sportsman . In 1919 Johnston played his final match for Hampshire against Gloucestershire . In his first - class career for Hampshire , Johnston scored 5 , 442 runs at an average of 30 . 74 , with 27 half centuries , 10 centuries and a high score of 175 . Johnston was also a part - time leg break bowler , taking 18 wickets at a bowling average of 44 . 72 , with best figures of 4 / 21 . In the field Johnston took 57 catches and made a single stumping . In 1920 Johnston played his second and final first - class match for the Marylebone Cricket Club against the Army and the same season he played his final first - class match for the Gentlemen of England against the Combined Services . In his combined first - class career Johnston played 116 matches , scoring 5 , 966 runs at an average of 30 . 91 , with 31 half centuries , 10 centuries and a high score of 175 . All of Johnston ' s first - class wickets came while he was playing for Hampshire . Johnston continued to play cricket , although in a non first - class capacity , playing the Netherlands on tours to the county with the Free Foresters and the Marylebone Cricket Club . In 1929 / 30 Johnston toured Egypt with HM Martineau ' s XI , where he played matches against the Egypt national cricket team . Johnston ' s playing career came to an end with the Free Foresters tour of the Netherlands in 1933 . As well as playing cricket , Johnston played for the Army at Association football and hockey and played polo for Western Nigeria . Johnston died at Knaphill , Surrey on 27 December 1952 . Family . Johnston ' s father Sir Duncan Johnston was born at Edinburgh in 1847 , was a Royal Engineers officer who became Director General of the Ordnance Survey . He also played first - class cricket for Derbyshire during the 1882 season . His father was also of the British Association .