Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Brigadier General Cecil Henry Foott, CB, CMG, Deputy Director General of Repatriation and Demobilisation AIF; Western Front.

Cecil Henry Foott (1876-1942), regular army officer, was born on 16 January 1876 at Bourke, New South Wales. After his father's death in 1884 he was educated at Toowoomba and Brisbane Grammar schools and later qualified as a mechanical engineer. Foott was commissioned second lieutenant in the Queensland Militia Garrison Artillery in March 1895 but joined the Queensland Permanent Artillery in September 1896 as a lieutenant.

In 1902 Foott transferred to the Royal Australian Engineers but remained in Queensland as staff officer, engineer services. He went to England for technical training in 1908 and on returning was staff officer and commander, R.A.E., in Victoria in 1909-10. Promoted major in August 1909, his next posting was to Army Headquarters, Melbourne, where in 1910-11 he was director of works and in 1911-12 director of engineers.

In January 1915, in the rank of major, Foott joined Major General (Sir) William Bridges's 1st Division, Australian Imperial Force, as deputy adjutant and quartermaster generalFoott was appointed C.M.G. and awarded the Serbian Order of the White Eagle (4th class) in 1916 he was transferred to A.I.F., depots in Britain as deputy adjutant and quartermaster general in July 1917, and in March 1918 was posted to Lieutenant-General Sir William Birdwood's Australian Corps in France as chief engineer.

Foott returned to Australia in November 1919 after an eight-year absence and his A.I.F. appointment ended in February 1920. In October 1920, as a colonel and honorary brigadier general, he joined the newly formed Australian Staff Corps, then in 1922-25 served as a colonel in various posts at Army Headquarters in the quartermaster general's branch.

In 1926 he was posted to Queensland where he was given, concurrently and temporarily, for the next four years three command appointments including that of base commandant, 1st Military District. It was not until February 1936 that he was officially placed on the retired list as an honorary brigadier general. Charles Bean described him as 'a man of educated tastes and fine intellect' and 'an officer of great ability' who became 'one of the notable figures in the Australian Imperial Force'.

Painted in 1921 by George Coates - AWM Collection ARTO3644

Note: Not listed on nominal roll as he did not embark from Australia

Cecil's mother Mary Hannay Foott was an Australian poet best remembered for the poem Where the pelican builds. Private Arthur Patrick Foott, Cecil's only brother was killed in action at Passchendaele. For further information search Foott on this site.

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