Quick Facts
Biography
General Sir William Gurdon Stirling GCB CBE DSO (1907–1973) was a British Army General who reached high office during the 1960s.
Military career
Born the son of Major Charles Stirling, RHA (1870–1914) of Ropers Hall, Bures, Suffolk and his wife The Hon Amy Harriott Gurdon (1864–1944), (daughter of Lord Cranworth), William Stirling was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1926. He served in World War II as Assistant Military Secretary at the War Office and was deployed to North Africa and North West Europe.
He was appointed Commander Royal Artillery for 1st Division in Palestine between 1947 and 1948 going on to be Chief of Staff at Anti-Aircraft Command between 1950 and 1952. He was appointed Commander 27th Infantry Brigade in 1952 and then Principal Staff Officer to the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff in 1956. He became General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in 1958 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for Western Command in 1960.
He went on to be Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War in 1961 and Commander-in-Chief, British Army of the Rhine and Commander, Northern Army Group in 1963; he retired in 1966.
From 1967 to 1973 he was Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State, an officer of the Royal Household.
Family
In 1941 he married Frances Marguerite Wedderburn Wilson and together they went on to have three daughters.