John Longley

Major General Sir John Raynsford Longley KCMG CB (7 March 1867 – 13 February 1953) was a British Army officer who reached high command during World War I.

Educated at Cheltenham College,[2] Longley was commissioned into the 4th (Militia) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment in April 1885[3] before transferring over to the Regular Army two years later.

[9] In June 1911 Longley was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed commanding officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, East Surreys.

[10] He went to France at the head of his battalion in August 1914 at the start of World War I, fighting in the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne, the Aisne, La Bassée and Armentières.

[17] In July 1919, and with the war now over, Longley became the first GOC of the 44th (Home Counties) Division, a TF formation,[18] before retiring from the army in 1923.