Dictionary of National Biography, 1927 supplement/Nicholson, William Gustavus
NICHOLSON, WILLIAM GUSTAVUS, Baron Nicholson, of Roundhay (1845–1918), field-marshal, the youngest son of William Nicholson Phillips, of Leeds, by his wife, Martha, daughter of Abram Rhodes, of Wold Newton Hall, Yorkshire, was born at Roundhay Park, Leeds, 2 March 1845. His father had in 1827 assumed the surname and arms of Nicholson. He was educated at Leeds grammar school and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, where he was first of his term and Pollock medallist. He joined the Royal Engineers in 1865, and after a period at Chatham served at Barbados from 1868 to 1871, when he volunteered for service in India and was employed in the public works department and as assistant engineer in the Punjab irrigation branch. In 1873 he joined the military works department, becoming an executive engineer in 1877. Promoted captain, he accompanied the Kandahar force in 1878 and the Kuram field force in 1879 as field engineer, being present at the actions of Shutargardan and Charasia and greatly distinguishing himself in the defence of the Sherpur cantonment. In 1880 he marched with Sir Frederick Roberts's force from Kabul and took part in the relief of Kandahar and in the action of 1 September. For his services he was thrice mentioned in dispatches and received a brevet majority.
Returning to India, Nicholson was appointed secretary of the defence committee in 1880 and in 1882 served in the Egyptian expedition, taking part in the battle of Tel-el-Kebir. In 1884 he accompanied Sir Robert Groves Sandeman [q.v.] and Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor [q.v.] in an important reconnaissance in Baluchistan. From 1885 to 1890 he served as assistant adjutant-general, Royal Engineers, India, and was employed on the problem of the defence of the frontier and of the Indian ports. In 1886 he served in the Burmese expedition as assistant adjutant-general, being mentioned and receiving a brevet lieutenant-colonelcy. From 1890 to 1893 he was military secretary to Lord Roberts, then commander-in-chief in India, and afterwards served for two years in the military works department, during which time much was done to improve the defence of the North-West Frontier. In 1895 he became deputy adjutant-general, Punjab, and in 1897 served as chief of the staff with the Tirah expeditionary force. For his services he received the K.C.B. (1898) and on the conclusion of the campaign he became adjutant-general in India.
A year later came the crisis of the South African War, and Lord Roberts telegraphed to Nicholson to join him as military secretary: but he only served in that capacity for a month, being appointed in February 1900 director of transport. This service was being reorganized by Lord Kitchener; Nicholson dealt solely with transport, the supply service being separate. He took part in the operations in the Orange Free State, including those of Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, Driefontein, and the Vet and Zand rivers. After the capture of Bloemfontein, Nicholson again reorganized the transport. In the latter part of the year he took part in the Transvaal operations, including the capture of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and returned to England in November with Lord Roberts. For his services he received two mentions, the Queen's medal and five clasps, and promotion to major-general for distinguished services in the field. In 1901, Lord Roberts being commander-in-chief, Nicholson became director of military operations at the War Office. Under him were united the mobilization section of the adjutant-general's department, with the intelligence division. He remained at the War Office for three years, becoming lieutenant-general in November 1901.
During his tenure of office the War Office Reconstitution Committee under Viscount Esher issued its report (1904), and as a result of the determination to carry into effect the various reforms recommended, the government decided to change the heads of departments at the War Office. Nicholson was offered the post of military member of council in India, which he declined, and the Gibraltar command, which he was considering, when he was asked to go to Manchuria as chief British military attaché with the Japanese army. He reached Tokio in March 1904, but there was some delay in reaching the front. However, in July he joined the second Japanese army under General Oku at Hai Cheng, being present at the operations leading up to the battle of Lio Yang and the capture of that place in September. He had been in bad health for some time, and was pressed in consequence to return to Tokio; but he rejoined the second army in December, and remained with it till he returned to England in January 1905. It was intended that he should take up the Gibraltar command, but he never did so.
In the following December Nicholson succeeded Sir Herbert (afterwards Baron) Plumer as quartermaster-general, the appointment synchronizing with the accession of the liberals to office and the appointment of Mr. Haldane as secretary of state for war. In 1906 he was promoted general. In 1908 he succeeded Sir Neville Lyttelton as chief of the Imperial General Staff and was created G.C.B. During the years 1905 to 1912 the reorganization of the army was completed and the territorial force created. Ably assisted by Sir Douglas Haig, who was first director of training and later of staff duties, Nicholson played an important part in this work. At first he advocated compulsory service, but later came to the conclusion that it was impossible of realization. He aided considerably in the development of the Imperial General Staff, and by his wide knowledge of affairs, his gift of able and lucid draftsmanship, and his clear understanding, rendered valuable assistance in the realization of the scheme of army reform.
Promoted field-marshal in 1911, Nicholson was created a peer on retiring from the Army Council in 1912, and went to India in the same year as chairman of a commission to inquire into Indian army expenditure. He returned to England in 1913; but, owing to the outbreak of war in 1914, the recommendations of the commission were not carried out. He continued to be a member of the Committee of Imperial Defence, and served on the royal commissions of inquiry into the Dardanelles and Mesopotamia campaigns (1916). He was also chairman of the London territorial force association. He died in London 13 September 1918.
Nicholson's career was as peculiar as it was brilliant, for though he never commanded a unit in peace or war he became a field-marshal, and though he never passed the Staff College he became chief of the General Staff. Reserved in manner, he possessed great kindness of heart, and was ever at pains to encourage brains in his junior officers. He spoke brilliantly but he never courted publicity. He married in 1871 Victorie Ursula, daughter of Monsieur Dominique d'Allier. His wife survived him. He left no issue.
[The Times, 17 September 1918; Army Lists; Royal Engineers' Journal; Lord Roberts, Forty-one Years in India, 1897; C. E. Callwell, Tirah, 1897; ‘The Times’ History of the War in South Africa; War Office records; R. C. Temple, The Annexation of Burmah, 1886; Reports of Mesopotamia and Dardanelles Commissions; private information.]