Archibald Cochrane (politician)

Captain The Honourable Sir Archibald Douglas Cochrane, GCMG, KCSI, DSO & Bar (8 January 1885 – 16 April 1958) was a Scottish politician, naval officer, and colonial governor.

Sir Archibald Cochrane
Governor of Burma
In office
8 May 1936 – 6 May 1941
Preceded bySir Hugh Stephenson
Succeeded bySir Reginald Dorman-Smith
Member of Parliament
for Dunbartonshire
In office
17 March 1932 – 18 March 1936
Preceded byJohn Thom
Succeeded byThomas Cassells
Member of Parliament
for East Fife
In office
29 October 1924 – 10 May 1929
Preceded byJames Duncan Millar
Succeeded byJames Duncan Millar
Personal details
Born(1885-01-08)8 January 1885
Died16 April 1958(1958-04-16) (aged 73)
Political partyUnionist Party
RelationsSir Ralph Cochrane (brother)
Parents
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Navy
Years of service1901–22
RankCaptain
Battles/warsFirst World War
AwardsDistinguished Service Order & Bar
Mentioned in dispatches (3)

Early life

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The second son of Thomas Cochrane, 1st Baron Cochrane of Cults, he was born in Springfield, Fife in 1885. He ranked eighteenth among 62 successful candidates in examinations for entry to the Royal Navy training ship HMS Britannia intake term of September 1899, with 2374 marks,[1] and joined as a naval cadet on the battleship HMS Mars in January 1901.[2] In June 1902 he was posted as midshipman to the battleship HMS London,[3] which was flagship for the Coronation Review for King Edward VII in August 1902 before she was posted to the Mediterranean Station later the same year. During the First World War he was mentioned in dispatches three times, and awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Bar.

Political career

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He was Unionist Member of Parliament (MP) for East Fife from 1924 until he lost the seat at the 1929 General Election. He then sat for Dunbartonshire from a 1932 by-election until 1936.

He was Governor of Burma from 1936 until 1941. He was also a director of Standard Life.

He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1936 and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1937.

He was promoted to the rank of captain on the Retired list in the Royal Navy on 3 September 1945.[4]

Personal life

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In 1926 he married Julia Dorothy, daughter of Fiennes Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis. The couple had one son Douglas, and one daughter Mabel.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 35906. London. 12 August 1899. p. 8.
  2. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36347. London. 9 January 1901. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36751. London. 25 April 1902. p. 8.
  4. ^ "No. 37487". The London Gazette. 1 March 1946. p. 1189.
  5. ^ "The Cochrane family". National Portrait Gallery.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Fife
1924–1929
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Dunbartonshire
1932–1936
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma
1936–1941
Succeeded by