Kenneth Loch

Lieutenant General Sir Kenneth Morley Loch, KCIE, KBE, CB, MC, (1890–1961) was a Scottish soldier and defence planner.

Military career
Loch was educated at Wellington College. Joining the Royal Artillery in 1910, he saw action during the First World War at the retreat from Mons and the battles of Marne and Aisne, all in 1914. Leaving the front lines in 1916 he became an instructor in gunnery at the School of Instruction for the Royal Horse Artillery and the Royal Field Artillery until he returned to front line service in the Italian Campaign of 1918. During the war he was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Military Cross.

Between the wars Loch was involved in air defence preparations for Britain around the Empire. From 1926 to 1929 he was General Staff Officer 2 to the Territorial Army Air Defence Formations, and from 1932 to 1935 an instructor at the Staff College, Quetta; General Staff Officer 2 at the War Office, 1935–1937, and GSO 1, Royal Air Force Fighter Command, 1937–1938.

From the beginning of the Second World War until 1941, Loch was Director of Anti-Aircraft and Coastal Defence. He argued successfully against the use of chemical weapons in case of a German invasion of Britain. After a three year tour of inspection of anti-aircraft defences in the British Empire (a Special Employment), he became Master-General of Ordnance, India, from 1944 until his retirement in 1947. After retiring the service Loch was with the British Council from 1947 to 1948, then served as a member of the Control Commission for Germany, 1948–1949, and returned to the British Council from 1950 to 1958. He was also Chairman of Governors of Wellington College.

In 1929 Loch married Monica Joan Estelle Ruffer, the daughter of a German banker, and had three sons. He was also the uncle of the Labour Member of Parliament Tam Dalyell.