Archibald Stirling

Brigadier-General Archibald Stirling of Keir and Cawdor, DL (1867 – 18 February 1931) was a Scottish officer of the British Army who also served as a Member of Parliament.

Early life and family Stirling was born at Keir near Dunblane, the second son of Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, 9th Baronet of Keir and Pollok and his wife Lady Anna Maria, second daughter of the 10th Earl of Leven and Melville.

Stirling was married in 1910 to the Hon. Margaret "Peggy" Fraser, fourth daughter of the 13th Lord Lovat. Together, they had four sons and two daughters. and to captain on 24 June 1899. He served with the Egyptian Army from 1899 to 1900, and was awarded the Queen's Sudan Medal with clasp for Soudan. Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War, he joined the 2nd Battalion of his regiment and left Southampton for South Africa on the SS Britannic in March 1900. The battalion was attached to the 16th Infantry Brigade, and Stirling served throughout the war from 1900 to 1902. For his service he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps and the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps. and became a captain in the Reserve of Officers. transferring to the Territorial Force on 1 April 1908. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 18 August 1909, and was commanding officer of the 2nd Lovat Scouts. he commanded the Highland Mounted Brigade at Gallipoli in 1915 and the 2nd Dismounted Brigade in Egypt in 1916.

For his service during the war, Stirling was mentioned in despatches twice, and was awarded the 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal;

Stirling relinquished his commission as lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army Reserve on 30 September 1921, but was appointed colonel in the Regular Army Reserve of Officers on 1 March 1922. Having reached the age limit, he relinquished his commission in the Army Reserve as well on 9 December 1922, retaining his rank and the right to wear the uniform.

Politics and post-war On 21 February 1917, Stirling was elected unopposed as Unionist Member of Parliament for West Perthshire. He sat until the general election of 1918, when he unsuccessfully contested Kinross and Western Perthshire.