Lieutenant General Sir Hugh Jamieson Elles, KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO (27 May 1880 – 11 July 1945) was a British Army officer and the first commander of the newly formed Tank Corps during the First World War.

During the summer of 1916, Elles, who in June had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO),[5] was tasked to report back from the Somme, where the tanks were first used.

Promoted to the temporary rank of colonel, Elles was appointed to head the Heavy Branch (the first tank units) of the Machine Gun Corps in France on 29 September 1916.

[6] Elles, promoted to brevet colonel in June 1918,[7] continued to command the Tank Corps until Germany's surrender in November 1918.

The citation for the medal reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Hugh J. Elles, Royal British Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, during World War I.

[2] In April 1934, he was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance in the rank of lieutenant general;[2] he was also the head of the Mechanisation Branch for which his previous service made him particularly suitable.