Charles Parsons (British Army officer)

Sir Charles Parsons
Born 9 May 1855
Died 25 June 1923 (1923-06-26) (aged 68)
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Rank Major-General
Battles/wars Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Egyptian War
Second Boer War
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

Major-General Sir Charles Sim Bremridge Parsons, KCMG, CB, FRGS was an officer of the British Army.

Biography

He was born on 9 May 1855, the elder son of John Parsons of Ringmore, Shaldon. He was educated at Rugby and the Royal Military Academy.[1]

Parsons served in the Gaika and Zulu campaigns, including the battles of Isandhlwana and Ulundi, and was mentioned in despatches and awarded the South Africa Medal with clasp for 1877-8-9. He served in the Transvaal War, including the actions at Laing's Nek and Ingogo, was mentioned in despatches and general orders for gallantry, was severely wounded and had his horse shot. During the Egyptian campaign of 1882 he was present at Mahsama, Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir, was again mentioned in despatches and had his horse shot, and was awarded brevet rank as a major, the Egypt Medal with clasp, the fifth class of the Order of the Medjidie and the fourth class of the Order of Osmanieh. He commanded the Egyptian Artillery during the Dongola campaign, including at the action at Hafir, for which he was mentioned in despatches, promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel, and awarded the Khedive's Sudan Medal with clasp. In 1896 he was appointed Governor of the Red Sea Littoral, and was employed on a special mission in Eritrea when Kassala was handed over to the Egyptian government, for which he was advanced to the second class of the Order of the Medjidie. In 1898 he commanded at the capture and defence of Gedaref, being mentioned in despatches again, promoted brevet colonel, and granted a further clasp to the medal. For his service he was made KCMG in 1899.[1]

Parsons was assistant adjutant-general at Woolwich from 1898 to 1899, and colonel on the staff for the Royal Artillery in Ireland in 1899. He served in the Second Boer War in South Africa from 1900 to 1901; on the staff as Deputy Military Governor of Northern Cape Colony and Commandant of West Kimberley District; he also acted as assistant inspector-general of the southern lines of communication, and in command of the Eastern and Western districts, for which he was mentioned in despatches.[2] Returning to England, he was briefly back as assistant adjutant-general at Woolwich, before he was appointed commander of the regular forces in Canada from 10 April 1902,[3] serving as such until 1906. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1906 Birthday Honours. He later served as a commissioner of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.[1]

Parsons was married in 1898 to Margaret, only daughter of Alfred Christian CMG; they had two daughters. He lived at 28 Onslow Square, SW7 and was a member of the Naval and Military Club. He died on 25 June 1923.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Who Was Who, 1916–1923, third edition (A. & C. Black, 1962) p. 817.
  2. ↑ Hart′s Army list, 1903
  3. ↑ "No. 27425". The London Gazette. 15 April 1902. p. 2506.
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