James Steele (British Army officer)

Born in Ballycarry, County Antrim and educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and at Queen's University Belfast, Steele was gazetted as a temporary second lieutenant in the Royal Irish Rifles, on 26 September 1914 during the First World War and posted to the 7th (Service) Battalion. Steele served the rest of the war in India and was mentioned in despatches again. The citation for his MC reads: ==Between the wars==

Steele stayed in the army and attended the Staff College, Quetta from 1927 to 1928. and transferred to the Sherwood Foresters and was made a lieutenant colonel on 14 October 1937. Steele commanded the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters from 1937 to 1939: the battalion was deployed to Jamaica in 1937 and to Palestine during the Arab revolt in Palestine in 1939. ==Second World War==

In July 1939, Steele was posted to the mobilization branch of the War Office Staff. He signed the executive signal for the mobilization of the army. Promoted to the acting rank of major-general on 15 February 1941, he became General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division, a second line TA formation. Made an acting lieutenant-general on 8 April 1942, he commanded II Corps until September when he became Deputy Chief of Staff for Middle East Command in 1942. He was promoted to major general on 20 September 1944 (with seniority backdated to 4 January 1944). ==Postwar==

Steele was promoted to lieutenant general in 1946. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) and High Commissioner in Austria in 1946. He was promoted to general in 1947. He was Adjutant-General to the Forces from 1947 to 1950 when he retired from the British Army. ==Family==

Steele married Janet Gibson Gordon. They had two daughters. ==Bibliography==