Robert Sturges
| Robert Grice Sturges | |
|---|---|
 Sturges (right) with Belgian Prime Minister Hubert Pierlot in April 1944. | |
| Nickname(s) | "Bob" |
| Born | 1891 |
| Died |
1970 Exeter |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Marines |
| Years of service | 1912–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches |
Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Grice Sturges, KBE, CB, DSO (1891–1970) was a senior officer of the Royal Marines who fought in both World War I and World War II.
Military career
Sturges joined the Royal Navy in 1908.[1] Commissioned a sub-lieutenant on 15 May 1912,[2] he transferred to the Royal Marines as a lieutenant from the same date (confirmed on 19 December 1914)[1][3] He served in World War I, seeing action in the Gallipoli Campaign and the Battle of Jutland, receiving promotion to captain on 30 January 1917.[4][5] He was officially transferred to the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 30 January 1917.[6]
Between the wars, he was promoted to major on 17 June 1929[7] and to lieutenant colonel on 1 April 1936.[8] He was brevetted colonel and promoted to colonel on 3 April 1939 (seniority 31 December 1938).[9]
During World War II he was the commander of the British occupation of Iceland in May 1940. He was promoted to acting colonel commandant and temporary brigadier on 4 June[10] and was mentioned in despatches in July.[11] He was Commander of the British occupation of Madagascar in 1942.[1] He went on to be Commander of the Special Service Group (Commandos) in 1943.[1] He was described as "intrepid in action, ruddy in countenance, and forcefully bucolic in language".[12] He retired in 1946.[1]
References
- Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Robert Grice Sturges". Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 28609. p. 3583. 17 May 1912.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29015. p. 10918. 22 December 1914.
- ↑ Whitehead, p. 352.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29972. p. 2255. 6 March 1917.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31924. p. 6084. 1 June 1920.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33520. p. 4926. 26 July 1929.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34273. p. 2385. 10 April 1936.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34614. p. 2344. 7 April 1939.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34958. p. 5785. 1 October 1940.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34890. p. 4152. 5 July 1940.
- ↑ Lockhart, p. 34.
- Sources
- Survey of the Papers of Senior UK Defence Personnel, 1900–1975. Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives.
- Lockhart, R. H. Bruce (1950). The Marines Were There: The Story of the Royal Marines in the Second World War. Putnam, London.
- Whitehead, Þór (1995). Milli vonar og ótta: Ísland í síðari heimsstyrjöld. Vaka-Helgafell, Reykjavík. ISBN 9979-2-0317-X.