John Tyson Wigan

Brigadier-General John Tyson Wigan, CB, CMG, DSO (July 1877 – November 1952) was a senior British Army officer and later a Conservative Party politician. He served with the Desert Mounted Corps during World War I, and was wounded in action three times during campaigning at the Battle of Gallipoli and during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. He had previously been badly wounded in the Second Boer War.

Brigadier-General

John Tyson Wigan

CB CMG DSO
BornJuly 1877
West Hartlepool
DiedNovember, 1952
Cuckfield, West Sussex
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of serviceMay 1897–1919
RankBrigadier-General
Unit13th Hussars
Berkshire Yeomanry
Commands heldBerkshire Yeomanry
7th Mounted Brigade
22nd Mounted Brigade
Battles/warsSecond Boer War
First World War
• Battle of Gallipoli
• Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Other workMP for Abingdon
High Sheriff of Essex

Following his retirement from the army post-war, Wigan became a Member of Parliament (MP) for three years.

Life

John Wigan was born in July 1877 in West Hartlepool and educated at Rugby School before joining the British Army in May 1897 as a second lieutenant with the 13th Hussars. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 8 March 1899, and later that year was deployed to South Africa for service in the Second Boer War. While in South Africa he was severely wounded during reconnaissance near Sundays River (in Cape Colony) in March 1900.[1] He stayed in South Africa throughout the war, and was promoted to the rank of captain on 26 March 1902.[2] Following the end of hostilities, he left South Africa with other men of his regiment on the SS City of Vienna, which arrived at Southampton in October 1902.[3] In 1909, Wigan retired from the regular army and transferred to the Territorial Army with the Berkshire Yeomanry. This force was activated at the outbreak of World War I and sent to the Mediterranean.[4]

Wigan was seriously wounded in 1915 during the Battle of Gallipoli while in command of the Berkshire Yeomanry, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) the following year in acknowledgement of his service. The Berkshire Yeomanry moved to Egypt in 1916 and in April 1917 Wigan was again wounded at the Second Battle of Gaza. In July 1917, Wigan was advanced to command the 7th Mounted Brigade and in November 1917 this force was deployed in the Third Battle of Gaza at which Wigan was wounded for a fourth time in an attack on Turkish trenchlines.[4] On 7 April 1918, he was appointed to command of the 22nd Mounted Brigade[5] (later redesignated 12th Cavalry Brigade) in 4th Cavalry Division, a command he held until the end of the war.[6]

In 1918 Wigan was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in recognition of his service and in 1919 a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). At the end of the war, the yeomanry was decommissioned and Wigan entered politics as MP for Abingdon. He was on the governing body of Abingdon School from 1918–1921.[7]

In 1921 Wigan gave up his seat and retired, later serving as High Sheriff of Essex in 1930. Wigan died in Cuckfield, West Sussex in November 1952.[4]

References
  1. "The War - Casualties". The Times (36086). London. 10 March 1900. p. 12.
  2. "No. 27436". The London Gazette. 23 May 1902. p. 3380.
  3. "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times (36887). London. 1 October 1902. p. 8.
  4. Davies & Maddocks 1995, pp. 203–204
  5. Becke 1936, p. 31
  6. Perry 1993, p. 21
  7. "School Notes" (PDF). The Abingdonian.

Bibliography
  • Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-12-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Davies, Frank; Maddocks, Graham (1995). Bloody Red Tabs. Leo Cooper. ISBN 0-85052-463-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Archie Kirkman Loyd		 Member of Parliament for Abingdon
1918–1921		 Succeeded by
Arthur Loyd
Honorary titles
Preceded by
K. J. Kincaid-Smith		 High Sheriff of Essex
1930–1931		 Succeeded by
Robert E. Cahill
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