Major-General Charles Alexander Phipps Murison CB CBE MC (7 October 1894 − 31 October 1981) was a Canadian-born British Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II.
Charles Murison | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 October 1894 Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada[1] |
| Died | 31 October 1981 (aged 87) Canada |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1914–1949 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Service number | 21180 |
| Unit | Royal Field Artillery |
| Battles / wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Mentioned in dispatches |
Military career
editBorn in Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada in October 1894, where he was raised and received his initial education at Trinity College School and McGill university.[1] Murison was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery of the British Army in 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War.[2] His service during the war was spent overseas in Belgium and France where, in addition to being wounded, he was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Military Cross (MC).[3]
In common with a number of men of his generation who came to enjoy soldiering, he decided to remain in the army during the difficult interwar period and was married in 1920. Spending the majority of the first few years of his military career between the wars in India, he went to England to attend the Staff College at Camberley from 1928 to 1929. Ten years on from that, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel,[3] after having served as an instructor at the Royal Military College of Canada from 1933 to 1934.[1]
1940, the year after the Second World War began, saw Murison promoted again, this time to brigadier. He saw service with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, where he was an Assistant Quartermaster-General (QMG). After being evacuated from Dunkirk, he was promoted to acting major general on 1 January 1942,[4] and became Director-General of Army Equipment at the War Office in June 1942, Deputy Quartermaster-General (Army Equipment) at the War Office in February 1943, a month after his major general's rank was made temporary,[5] and Chief Administration Officer at Northern Command in 1945.[6]
On account of his contribution at Dunkirk, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 16 July 1940[7] and on account of his considerable contribution to equipping the British Army during the Second World War he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1944 Birthday Honours.[8]
He contributed to numerous articles to military journals throughout his life. He eventually retired back to his native Canada where his last remaining years were spent.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Bosher, J. F. (2010). Imperial Vancouver Island: Who was who 1850 to 1950. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1450059633.
- ^ "No. 28980". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1914. p. 9519.
- ^ a b c Smart 2005, p. 228.
- ^ "No. 35433". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 January 1942. p. 437.
- ^ "No. 35880". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 January 1943. p. 529.
- ^ "Murison, Charles". Generals of World War II. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "No. 15725". The Edinburgh Gazette. 16 July 1940. p. 433.
- ^ "No. 36544". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1944. p. 2567.
Bibliography
edit- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 1844150496.