Arthur Rucker (civil servant)

Arthur Nevil Rucker, KCMG CB CBE (20 June 1895 – 12 July 1991), was a former British civil servant who served as Neville Chamberlain's Principal Private Secretary (PPS) from the period 1939 to 1940.[1]

Sir
Arthur Rucker
KCMG CB CBE
Sir Arthur Nevil Rucker in 1944
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
In office
1939–1940
Prime MinisterNeville Chamberlain
Preceded byOsmund Somers Cleverly
Succeeded byEric Seal
Personal details
Born
Arthur Nevil Rucker

(1895-06-20)20 June 1895
Died12 July 1991(1991-07-12) (aged 96)
Spouse
Elsie Marion Broadbent
​
​
(m. 1922⁠–⁠1991)​
RelationsSir Arthur Rucker FRS (father)
Children4
EducationMarlborough College
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
AwardsCBE (1937)
CB (1941)
KCMG (1942)
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Years of service1914–1918
RankSecond lieutenant
Unit12th battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Battles/warsFirst World War

Early life

Arthur Nevil Rucker was born on 20 June 1895. The son of Sir Arthur Rucker FRS, a leading physicist and Principal of London University, he was always referred to as Nevil by his family to avoid confusion. After studying at Marlborough College he matriculated to Trinity College, Cambridge, where his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. Subsequently commissioned into the 12th battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, he gained the rank of second lieutenant during his time in service.[2] In 1915 he was posted to France where he was injured in battle. After the war he returned to Cambridge to complete his degree and joined the civil service in 1920.[1]

Career

Sir Arthur Rucker's career began at the Ministry of Health in 1920 as an assistant principal.[3] He rose to become Neville Chamberlain's Principal Private Secretary at the outbreak of the Second World War (1939–1940). After a period working for Nye Bevin, in 1948, he left the both civil service and Britain to take up the post of deputy director-general of the International Refugee Organisation in Geneva. [1]

Rucker was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1937 New Year Honours list,[4] Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1941 New Year Honours list and knighted (KCMG) in The King's Birthday Honours of 1942.[5]

Personal life

In 1922 Sir Arthur married Elsie Marion Broadbent and they remained wedded until she died just one month before him. The union produced two sons and two daughters.[1]

References
  1. "Sir Arthur Rucker". The Times. 17 July 1991. p. 18. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. "Page 12201 | Issue 29393, 7 December 1915 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  3. "Sir Arthur Rucker". The Daily Telegraph. 20 July 1991. p. 15. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  4. "Page 695 | Supplement 34365, 29 January 1937 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  5. "Page 695 | Supplement 34365, 29 January 1937 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
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