Robert Sturges
Robert Grice Sturges | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "Bob" |
Born | 1891 |
Died | 1970 Exeter |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Marines |
Years of service | 1912–1946 |
Rank | Lieutenant-General |
Battles/wars | World War I |
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 an officer in the Royal Marines.
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
- ^ a b c d e "Robert Grice Sturges". Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ^ "No. 28609". The London Gazette. 17 May 1912.
- ^ "No. 29015". The London Gazette. 22 December 1914.
- ^ Whitehead, p. 352.
- ^ "No. 29972". The London Gazette. 6 March 1917.
- ^ "No. 31924". The London Gazette. 1 June 1920.
- ^ "No. 33520". The London Gazette. 26 July 1929.
- ^ "No. 34273". The London Gazette. 10 April 1936.
- ^ "No. 34614". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=
(help)). 7 April 1939. - ^ "No. 34958". The London Gazette. 1 October 1940.
- ^ "No. 34890". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=
(help)). 5 July 1940. - ^ Lockhart, p. 34.
References
- 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.
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- Royal Marines generals of World War II
- History of Madagascar
- 1891 births
- 1970 deaths
- Royal Marines personnel of World War I
- Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Royal Marines Commando officers