Eric Thesiger

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Eric Richard Thesiger DSO, TD (17 February 1874 – 2 October 1961),[1] styled The Honourable from 1878, was a British soldier and page to Queen Victoria.

Background

He was the fourth son of Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford and his wife Adria Fanny Heath, daughter of Major-General John Coussamker Heath.[2] His older brothers were Frederic Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford and the diplomat Wilfred Gilbert Thesiger.[2] Thesiger was educated at Winchester College and in 1884, he was nominated Page of Honour to the Queen, a post he fulfilled for the following six years.<ref name = Who'sWho/> In 1893, he became a Staff Commissioner of Police.<ref name = Who'sWho>Who Is Who 1935. London: A. & C. Black Ltd. 1935. p. 3340.</ref>

Career

Thesiger joined the Imperial Yeomanry as private during the Boer War.[3] In 1900, he was advanced to a lieutenant,[4] and on 1 November 1901 he became Captain of the 15th Battalion (Imperial Yemoanry) with the temporary rank of Captain.[5] In 1902 he became a second lieutenant of the Surrey Yeomanry.[6] He was transferred as major from the Yeomanry into the Territorial Force in 1908.[7] In the First World War Thesiger was wounded twice and was mentioned in despatches as many times.<ref name = Who'sWho/>

He was appointed to the 10th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment in 1917,[8] commanding it until 1918, and subsequently the 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment for another year.[9] In March of the latter year, he was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)[10] and in August, he received the Territorial Decoration (TD).[11] He was made an Officer of the Order of the Crown of Belgium and also awarded the Belgian Croix de guerre in October[12] and some days later, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel.[13]

He retired from the Territorial Army in 1929, having reached the age limit.[14]

Family

On 29 October 1904, he married firstly Pearl Marie Coupland, only daughter of John Coupland, and had by her a daughter and two sons.[1] She died in 1922, and Thesiger remarried Sydney Hilda Hutton-Croft, daughter of George Arthur Hutton-Croft on 3 October 1929, but she died only a year later.[1] He married thirdly Mary Pudsey, daughter of Reverend F. W. Pudsey, on 27 March 1953.[1] His third wife sadly also died the next year, and Thesiger survived her until 1961.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "ThePeerage — Lt-Col Eric Richard Thesiger". Retrieved 25 March 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1929). Armorial Families. vol. II. London: Hurst & Blackett. p. 1917.
  3. ↑ Whitaker's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companioage. J. Whitaker & Sons. 1923. p. 193.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27251. p. 7823. 27 November 1900. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27385. p. 8717. 10 December 1901.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27513. p. 112. 6 September 1903. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28159. p. 5222. 17 July 1908. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30584. p. 3449. 15 March 1918. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31428. p. 8314. 1 July 1919. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31435. p. 8505. 4 July 1919. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31511. p. 10551. 19 August 1919. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  12. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31615. p. 12996. 21 October 1919. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  13. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31626. p. 13406. 31 October 1919. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  14. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33470. p. 1348. 26 February 1929. Retrieved 6 November 2009.

External links

Court offices
Preceded by
Percy Cust		 Page of Honour
1884 – 1890 		Succeeded by
Hon. Maurice Drummond