Gerald Cuthbert Major - General Gerald James Cuthbert CB , CMG ( 12 September 1861 – 1 February 1931 ) was a British Army officer who commanded a battalion in the Boer War and a division in the First World War . Cuthbert joined the Scots Guards in 1882 and served in Egypt and the Sudan during the late 19th century . During the Boer War he served with his regiment , rising to command a battalion and after the war he was given command of a brigade in the Territorial Force and then in the British Expeditionary Force of 1914 . He served on the Western Front from 1914 to 1917 , rising to command 39th Division , then returned to home service before retiring in 1919 . Early career . The fifth son of William Cuthbert of Beaufront Castle in Northumberland , Gerald was privately educated , and attended the Royal Military College , Sandhurst . He was commissioned in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in May 1882 , transferring to the Scots Guards two months later . He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Sudan Expedition of 1885 , where he saw service at the Battle of Suakin , and in 1889 – 90 was the aide - de - camp to Major - General Frederick Forestier - Walker at Aldershot . Returning to his regiment , he was promoted to Captain in 1893 , and appointed adjutant of the 2nd Battalion from February 1895 to February 1899 . Shortly after his period as adjutant was finished , in May , he was promoted to Major . He served extensively during the Boer War , seeing action at Belmont , Enslin , Modder River , Magersfontein , Poplar Grove , Dreifontein , Vet River , Zand River , Johannesburg , Pretoria , Diamond Hill , Riet Vlei , and Belfast . Between January and July 1901 , he commanded the 1st Battalion Scots Guards . He was mentioned in despatches during the war , and given a brevet promotion to lieutenant - colonel . Following the Boer War , he again commanded the 1st Battalion from 1904 until 1906 , when he was relieved of his command and placed on half - pay after an inquiry into ragging in the battalion . Later that year , he was posted to Egypt as a temporary assistant adjutant - general ; this was made permanent in December . He remained on the staff in Egypt until October 1909 . He then returned home to command the 4th London Brigade in 2nd London Division , a Territorial Force unit , as well as the regimental district of the Scots Guards . In February 1914 he was appointed to command 13th Infantry Brigade , a regular brigade in 5th Division , stationed in Ireland . First World War . Cuthbert remained in command of 13th Brigade when it was mobilised for service in the British Expeditionary Force after the First World War began in August 1914 . He took the brigade to France and commanded it through the Retreat from Mons , the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne . He was sent back to England at the end of September and placed on " invalid " status . He was succeeded by William Hickie . On 26 November , Cuthbert was appointed to take command of a Territorial unit ; this was the 140th Infantry Brigade , which he had commanded in its peacetime incarnation as the 4th London Brigade , of the 47th ( 2nd London ) Division . He remained with them through 1915 and 1916 , culminating in the German attack on Vimy Ridge in May 1916 , where Cuthbert led the division in lieu of the divisional commander , who was on leave . He was not a popular brigadier ; the London volunteers particularly objected to his strict views on cleanliness , a story circulated that he had ordered front - line trenches to be swept out with brooms . He was nicknamed " Spit and Polish " by the infantry as a result of his obsession with appearances , alongside his earlier nickname of " Bluebell " , which may have been a reference to a brand of polish . He left the 140th Brigade in early July 1916 , promoted to command 39th Division . He commanded it during the later phases of the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Pilkem . His record with the division was not well received by his superiors ; Claud Jacob of II Corps described him as " obstinate and mulish " during the Battle of the Somme , whilst Ivor Maxse of XVIII Corps noted he had " little or no conception of training methods " , and " few ideas " regarding tactical operations ; his only merit was perceived to be his rigorous approach to discipline . He was removed from command in August 1917 , and transferred to command the 72nd Division on home service . He later commanded Shorncliffe Army Camp , before retiring from the Army in 1919 . Retirement . Cuthbert never married . After he retired from the service , he lived in Sandhoe Garden Cottage on the family estate at Beaufront Castle . He died in February 1931 , aged 69 .