Ian MacAlister Stewart facts for kids

Brigadier Ian MacAlister Stewart (born October 17, 1895 – died March 14, 1987) was a brave Scottish military officer. He served in the British Army during both the First World War and the Second World War. He was known for his unusual training methods. He led the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. This group fought in the Malayan campaign and the Battle of Singapore during the Second World War.

Early Life and Education

Ian MacAlister Stewart was born on October 17, 1895, in Poona, India. His family, the Stewarts of Appin, came from Argyllshire in Scotland. His father was a medical officer in the army.

Young Ian went to Cheltenham College. Then he attended the Sandhurst military school. He was a very bright student. In 1913, he finished Sandhurst as the top student in his class. He was also the youngest.

Service in the First World War

In February 1914, Stewart joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. On August 11, 1914, he was the first British soldier to land in France. He was also the first to be mentioned in official reports for his actions.

Stewart fought throughout the entire First World War. He earned many awards for his bravery. These included the Military Cross and a Bar (meaning he won it twice). He was also made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. By the end of the war, Stewart was a temporary captain.

After the war, like many officers, Stewart was put on "half pay." This meant he earned less money. But he returned to full pay as a captain in 1925. In 1931, he was promoted to major. Stewart loved serving with the Argylls regiment. He even turned down a chance to go to Staff College. This would have helped him get a higher command. But he wanted to stay with his battalion.

Fighting in the Second World War

When the Second World War began, Stewart was still leading the 2nd Battalion of the Argylls. He was one of the few British officers who understood something important. He knew that soldiers needed special training to fight in the jungle. This was key to beating the Japanese in Malaya.

Because of his focus on jungle training, some older officers thought he was strange. But in early 1941, his battalion moved from India to Malaya. Stewart then trained his men very hard. He developed new ways to fight in Malaya's tough jungle and natural areas.

When the 2nd Argylls entered battle in December 1941, they were very effective. They were one of the few units that caused big problems for the Japanese. The Argylls fought bravely and caused many losses for the enemy. Because they were so good, they were often sent to the toughest spots. This meant they also suffered many losses.

Stewart briefly led the 12th Indian Infantry Brigade. This was after another commander moved to a new role. He led this brigade during the difficult Battle of Slim River. The Argylls had their worst losses there. When the Battle of Malaya ended, the Allied soldiers moved to Singapore Island. Stewart and his assistant were the very last to cross over.

The Plymouth Argylls

After the tough fighting, Stewart returned to his Argylls in Singapore. Only about 250 Argyll soldiers were left. They joined with 210 Royal Marines. These Marines were survivors from two British warships, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, which had been sunk. This new group became known as the Plymouth Argylls.

Stewart had only six days to train this new combined battalion. Then they were sent into action on Singapore Island. The Plymouth Argylls faced heavy fighting during the short Battle of Singapore. Stewart was ordered to leave Singapore before it surrendered. This was because experienced officers like him were needed elsewhere. By the time Singapore surrendered on February 15, the Plymouth Argylls had only about 40 officers and men left.

The remaining Plymouth Argyll Battalion marched into captivity. They were led by their piper. Many other British Empire soldiers stood to attention as they passed. Only 52 Argylls managed to escape before Singapore fell. They made it to Ceylon. Many others were killed or captured when their escape ships were sunk by Japanese attacks.

Important Later Commands

On January 23, 1942, Stewart received the Distinguished Service Order. This was for his excellent service in the South West Pacific. He first worked in India. He gave talks about his experiences in Malaya. Officers who had fought the Japanese and understood their tactics were in high demand. Stewart was one of the most experienced officers who escaped from Singapore.

He became the Chief Instructor at the School of Infantry. Later, he became a Brigadier General Staff (Training) with the 11th Army Group in India. Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, a very senior officer, wrote about Stewart:

If all units in Malaya had been led with the same foresight and imagination that Brigadier Stewart showed in the training of his battalion, the story of the campaign might have been different. It was the realization of this that led me to order Brigadier Stewart's return to India...to impart his knowledge and ideas to units preparing for the return match with the Japanese.

Stewart wrote a report after arriving in India. His knowledge and that of other officers who escaped Singapore helped a lot. It directly changed the training and tactics used by British and Commonwealth armies. This helped them fight the Japanese for the rest of the war. Stewart returned to the United Kingdom in early 1945. He was given command of the 144th Infantry Brigade. He also served as the District Commander for Stirling, where the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were based.

Retirement and Later Life

Stewart retired from the army on April 13, 1947, at age 52. He was a colonel when he retired. He was also given the honorary rank of brigadier.

Stewart wrote a book called The Thin Red Line, 2nd Argylls in Malaya. It told the story of his battalion's experiences. After the army, he became well known in the Scottish farming community. He even became President of the National Farmers Union of Scotland.

Ian MacAlister Stewart passed away on March 14, 1987, at 91 years old. Many people attended his funeral. His former piper from the 2nd Argylls played music. Lord Maclean of Duart gave a speech.