William Dobbie

For The Rotherham MP, see William Dobbie (politician).

Lieutenant-General Sir William George Shedden Dobbie, GCMG, KCB, DSO (12 July 1879 - 1964) was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and served as the military governor of Malta during World War II. Dobbie was a member of the Protestant Plymouth Brethren and was a veteran of the Second Boer War and World War I. He was also the former Commandant of the Royal School of Military Engineering.

He was General Officer Commanding Malaya (1935 - 1939). He has been criticised for his religious approach to leadership and for what critics argue to have been an unacceptable delay in the creation of bomb shelters; as well as in implementing efficient food-rationing and creating an effective civil-defence system.

[edit] Quotes

Prime Minister Churchill
- "[Dobbie is] a Governor of outstanding character who inspired all ranks and classes, military and civil, with his...determination...a soldier who...in...leadership and religious zeal...recalled memories of General Gordon and...the Ironsides and Convenanters."
Lord Mountbatten
- "[Dobbie] prays aloud after dinner, invoking the aid of God in destroying our enemies. This is highly approved of by the Maltese, who have the same idea about God, but I would prefer an efficient Air force here."
Mabel Strickland
- "At San Anton, every night about seven, everyone would be summoned for prayer...Dobbie would stand...and...pray...and....ask the Almighty to bless the convoy...but he never prayed to stop the bombing...that was God's will...God helps those that help themselves..."
William Dobbie, on British intervention to restore order in the Arab-Jewish riots of 1928
- "This will be the easiest war... We will have to fight only four days a week. The Arabs won't fight on Friday, the Jews on Saturday and Dobbie certainly won't on Sunday." ^[1]