Hugh Stewart (classical scholar)

Hugh Stewart
Portrait of Hugh Stewart, a lieutenant colonel at the time, c. 1916–18
Born	(1884-09-01)1 September 1884 Premnay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Died	21 September 1934(1934-09-21) (aged 50) At sea, en route to England
Allegiance	United Kingdom New Zealand
Service/branch	Territorial Force New Zealand Military Forces
Years of service	c.1904–07 1914–19
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands held	2nd infantry Brigade 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	First World War Gallipoli Campaign Western Front
Awards	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order & Bar Military Cross Mentioned in despatches (5) Croix de guerre (France)
Other work	Author Classical scholar Historian

First World War

Hugh Stewart, CMG, DSO & Bar, MC (1 September 1884 – 21 September 1934) was an academic, military leader and historian whose work had a major impact in both England and New Zealand.

Born in Scotland, Stewart worked in Russia teaching English after completing his education. He then taught classical studies, firstly at the University of Liverpool in England and then at Canterbury College in Christchurch, New Zealand. During the First World War, he volunteered for service abroad with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He participated in several engagements at Gallipoli and on the Western Front, and was decorated for bravery and leadership. He ended the war as a lieutenant colonel and commanding a battalion of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment, having also briefly led the 2nd Infantry Brigade.

After the war, Stewart wrote a history of the New Zealand Division, which was published in 1921 and would be the main reference work for this formation for several decades. He resumed his teaching career at Canterbury College but in 1926 returned to England, as a Professor of Latin at the University of Leeds. In 1929, he became the principal of University College of Nottingham. He died suddenly in 1934 while in transit to England after a holiday in New Zealand.

Stewart was born on 1 September 1884 in Premnay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to John Stewart, a Presbyterian minister, and Margaret Mackintosh. He was educated at the local public school in Premnay. An excellent student, he earned a scholarship to Fettes College at Edinburgh. In 1903, he attended the University of Edinburgh and then transferred to Trinity College, Cambridge, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1907, majoring in Classical Studies. During his tertiary education he also served in the Territorial Force as a lieutenant in the 6th Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool).