General Sir Charles Whittingham Horsley Douglas, GCB, ADC

General Sir Charles Whittingham Horsley Douglas GCB, ADC (17 July 1850 – 25 October 1914) was a British Army officer who served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War, the First Boer War, the Suakin Expedition, the Second Boer War and World War I. He was Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the first three months of World War I but died from strain and overwork without having any meaningful influence on the outcome of the War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_W._H._Douglas

http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32870?docPos=3

Sir Charles Whittingham Horsley Douglas (1850–1914), army officer, was born on 17 July 1850 at the Cape of Good Hope, the second son of William Douglas of Lansdown House, near Bath, and his second wife, Caroline, daughter of Captain Joseph Hare.

Educated privately,
Commissioned (by purchase) into the 92nd Highlanders in December 1869
Lieutenant (by purchase) in October 1871
Adjutant of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders from 1881 to 1884,
Saw active service in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80), where he took part in Sir Frederick Sleigh (later Earl) Roberts's famous march from Kabul to Kandahar. (1 September 1880), in which he had a horse shot from under him,
Mentioned in dispatches.
Promoted captain in July 1880 and brevet major in March 1881
Served with the Gordon Highlanders in the Anglo-Transvaal War (1880–81).
Majuba Hill (27 February 1881) - wrote a detailed account of it from survivors' recollections, criticising Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley and his staff, praising the Boers' marksmanship and skirmishing, and admitting that some of the British ‘should have behaved better’ (Douglas to Lieutenant-Colonel George White, 5 April 1881, BL OIOC, Sir George White MSS).
1884 given a staff appointment (deputy assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general) for the Suakin expedition, where he was again mentioned in dispatches.
May 1885 - promoted major
1893 - appointed brigade major to the 1st infantry brigade.
1895 he became lieutenant-colonel on appointment as deputy assistant adjutant-general, Aldershot.
1898 he was promoted assistant adjutant-general, Aldershot, with the brevet rank of colonel, and later that year was appointed aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria and made full colonel. In the South African War (1899–1902), serving initially as an assistant adjutant-general on the headquarters staff of Sir Redvers Buller's field force, before serving as chief staff officer to Lord Methuen and later commanding the 9th brigade
1900, commanded a column of all arms in the South Africa field force.
Mentioned in dispatches twice, and was promoted major-general for distinguished service in the field.

1901 given command of the 1st infantry brigade at Aldershot
1902 given command of the 2nd division of the First Army corps.
From 1904 to 1909 he was adjutant-general at the War Office and second military member on the first Army Council under the reforms introduced by Lord Esher's committee after the South African War.
He advocated, unsuccessfully, the restoration of corporal punishment in the army
1909 made general officer commanding-in-chief, southern command.
Having been promoted lieutenant-general in 1905, he was made a full general in 1910.
Created KCB in 1907
Promoted GCB in 1911,
Appointed colonel of the Gordon Highlanders in June 1912.
1912 appointed inspector-general, home forces, and proved so conscientious that his staff tours were regarded as models of their kind.
Married Ida de Courcy, daughter of George Tomline Gordon JP, of Cuckney, Nottinghamshire, on 9 August 1887; they had no children, and she survived her husband.

Died after a few days' illness, (certified as from renal colic, bronchitis, and pulmonary congestion) at his home, 68 Eaton Square, Belgravia, London, on 25 October 1914.