Stephen Weir

Sir Stephen Cyril Ettrick Weir
Weir holding an artillery rammer, late 1941/early 1942.
Born(1904-10-05)5 October 1904
Dunedin, New Zealand
Died24 September 1969(1969-09-24) (aged 64)
Tauranga, New Zealand
AllegianceNew Zealand
Service / branchNew Zealand Military Forces
Years of service1923–61
RankMajor-General
Service number1523[1]
CommandsChief of the General Staff (1955–60)
Southern Military District (1948–50)
British 46th Infantry Division (1944–46)
2nd New Zealand Division (1944)
6th Field Regiment (1940–41)
Battles / wars
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order & Bar
Mentioned in Despatches (4)
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)
Cross of Valour (Greece)

Major-General Sir Stephen Cyril Ettrick Weir, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar (5 October 1904 – 24 September 1969) was a New Zealand military leader and diplomat.

Born in Otago, Weir became a professional soldier in 1927. He served in a number of postings around the country until the outbreak of the Second World War. Seconded to the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, he commanded a field regiment during the campaign in Greece and Operation Crusader. He was Commander, Royal Artillery of the 2nd New Zealand Division for two years, and in the absence of its nominal commanding officer, Major-General Bernard Freyberg, led the division for a period in 1944. Late that year, he was appointed commander of the British 46th Infantry Division. After the war he was Quartermaster General of the New Zealand Military Forces before starting a five-yeam term as Chief of the General Staff. He retired from the military to become ambassador to Thailand in 1961. He ceased his diplomatic career in 1967 and died in Tauranga two years later.

  1. ^ "No. 36850". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 December 1944. p. 5843.