Major-General Sir Charles Tyrwhitt Dawkins KCMG CB (22 November 1858 – 4 October 1919) was a British Army officer who fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan War and Boer War and was Deputy Quartermaster General during the First World War. He died of illness contracted while on active service in France.[1]
Sir Charles Tyrwhitt Dawkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 November 1858 Farmington, Gloucestershire |
| Died | 4 October 1919 (aged 60) Millbank, Westminster, England |
| Buried | Over Norton Park, Oxfordshire |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1878–1919 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Unit | King's Shropshire Light Infantry |
| Battles / wars | Second Anglo-Afghan War Boer War First World War |
| Alma mater | Royal Military College, Sandhurst |
Early life and education
editDawkins was born in Farmington, Gloucestershire, the second son of Rev. James Annesley Dawkins of Over Norton Park, Rector of Daylesford, Worcestershire, and son of Henry Dawkins (MP). His mother, Augusta Charlotte Tyrwhitt-Drake, was the fourth daughter of Thomas Drake Tyrwhitt-Drake, of Shardeloes, Buckinghamshire,[2] and sister of Edward Tyrwhitt-Drake.[3]
He was educated at Rugby School from 1874–76, where he was a member of the shooting team.[4] He then attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Career
editDawkins began his military career in 1878 when he was gazetted as a gentleman cadet to The King's Shropshire Light Infantry.[5] He immediately was deployed to the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880). He served with the Kurram Valley Field Force and the Zaimusht expedition (29 November 1879 – 16 December 1879) under Brig.-Gen. John Tyler VC, taking part in the assault of Zawa.[1][6]
In 1884, he was appointed aide-de-camp to his future father-in-law, Sir Hercules Robinson, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope.[7] From 1895–7, he served as Military Secretary and Acting Imperial Secretary under Robinson.[4]
Dawkins then served throughout the Boer War (1899–1902). He was severely wounded in South Africa and twice mentioned in despatches. He took part in the actions at Poplar Grove, Driefontein and Houtnek, and in many other operations in the Orange River Colony and Cape Colony. Towards the end of the war, he was in command of the 2nd battalion of the KSLI. He was given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, and the Queen's amnd King's South Africa Medals with six clasps.[1]
Dawkins was Assistant-Quartermaster-General, Eastern Command, from 1901–14.[4]
On the outbreak of First World War in August 1914, he was appointed to the General Headquarters Staff in Montreuil-sur-Mer, and was made a temporary brigadier general in October and then a major general in June 1915.[8] He was mentioned five times in despatches throughout the war, dated October 1914, May 1915, April 1916, January 1917, and November 1917. He was knighted in early 1918.[4]
Dawkins remained in France following the Armistice of 11 November 1918. In April 1919, he was placed on retirement pay on account of poor health contracted on active service in France.[9] Six months later, he died at Queen Alexandra Military Hospital, Westminster, from illness contracted on active service in France.
Honours
edit
Order of St Michael and St George, Commander (1897 Diamond Jubilee Honours)[10]
Order of the Bath, Companion (1915)[11]
Order of St Vladimir, 4th degree, with Swords (1915)[12]
Order of St. Anne, 1st Class, with Swords (1917)[13]
Order of Leopold, Commander (1917)[14]- Order of St Michael and St George, Knight Commander (1918 New Year Honours)[15]
Croix de Guerre of Belgium (1918)[16]
Order of Agricultural Merit, Commander (1919)[17]
Personal life
editIn 1887, Dawkins married Hon. Neredah Leeta Robinson, youngest daughter of Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, British colonial administrator, and Nea Annesley, daughter of Arthur Annesley, 10th Viscount Valentia. Neredah was a bridesmaid for her sister Nora at her famed wedding to Alexander Kirkman Finlay. They had one son, Charles George Hereward Dawkins (1888-1946), who inherited Over Norton.[18]
Bibliography
edit- Dawkins, C. T. (1918). Night Operations for Infantry : Compiled for the Use of Company Officers. Aldershot, England: Gale & Polden. OCLC 150634748.
- Dawkins, C. T. (1899). Précis of Information concerning Southern Rhodesia. London: H. M. Stationery Office. OCLC 559343269.
- Dawkins, C. T. (1898). Précis of Information concerning Barotseland. London: H. M. Stationery Office. OCLC 1376467533.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Obituary: Major-General Sir C. T. Dawkins". The Times. 6 October 1919. p. 11.
- ^ Burke, Bernard (1925). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry (14th ed.). Burke Publishing Company. p. 478. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ Burke 1925, p. 519
- ^ a b c d Memorials of Rugbeians who Fell in the Great War: Vol. VII. Medici Society. 1923. p. 56. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "No. 24577". The London Gazette. 30 April 1878. p. 2777.
- ^ Shadbolt, Sidney H. (25 October 2012). Afghan Campaigns of 1878, 1880: Biographical Division. Andrews UK Limited. pp. 223–224. ISBN 978-1-78150-435-2. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "No. 25331". The London Gazette. 25 March 1884. p. 1405.
- ^ "No. 29202". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 June 1915. p. 6116.
- ^ "No. 31272". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 April 1919. p. 4500.
- ^ "No. 10895". The Edinburgh Gazette. 25 June 1897. p. 591.
- ^ "No. 29074". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1915. p. 1686.
- ^ "No. 29275". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1915. p. 8504.
- ^ "No. 30108". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1917. p. 5433.
- ^ "No. 29943". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 February 1917. p. 1592.
- ^ "No. 30450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1917. p. 3.
- ^ "No. 30568". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 March 1918. p. 3095.
- ^ "No. 31586". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1919. p. 12408.
- ^ Burke 1925, p. 477