John Le Rougetel

Sir John Le Rougetel
KCMG MC
British Ambassador to South Africa
In office
1951–1955
Preceded by Evelyn Baring
Succeeded by Percivale Liesching
British Ambassador to Belgium
In office
1950–1951
Preceded by Sir George Rendel
Succeeded by Sir Christopher Warner
British Ambassador to Iran
In office
1946–1950
Preceded by Sir Reader Bullard
Succeeded by Sir Francis Shepherd
Personal details
Born July 19, 1894
Died January 23, 1975 (aged 90)
Nationality British
Occupation Diplomat
Religion Church of England
Awards Military Cross
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1915-1920
Unit Northamptonshire Regiment
Battles/wars First World War

Sir John Helier Le Rougetel KCMG MC (19 June 1894 - 23 January 1975) was a British diplomat.

Le Rougetel was educated at Rossall School and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He was commissioned into the Northamptonshire Regiment at the start of the First World War, joining its 3rd Battalion.[1] He was awarded the Military Cross and Bar for his actions during the war, in which he served on the Western Front and was attached to the Machine Gun Corps.[2] Le Rougtel joined the Foreign Office in 1920, and subsequently served in postings in Vienna, Budapest, Ottawa, Tokyo, Pekin, The Hague, Bucharest, Moscow, Shanghai. He was made a Second Secretary in 1923[3] and a First Secretary in 1930.[4] He was in Shanghai during its occupation by the Japanese and was taken prisoner in 1942, although was later repatriated. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1943.[5] From 1944 to 1946 he was Political Representative in Romania, before receiving his first ambassadorial posting to Tehran in 1946. Le Rougetel later served as British Ambassador to Belgium (1950-1) and as a High Commissioner to South Africa (1951-5). He retired in 1955, having been made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

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