Charles Firth (British Army officer)
Major-General Charles Edward Anson Firth, CB, CBE, DSO (1902 – 13 October 1991) was a British Army officer.
Charles Firth | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1902 |
| Died | 13 October 1991 (aged 88–89) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Army |
| Years of service | 1923–1956 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Service number | 24722 |
| Unit | Gloucestershire Regiment |
| Commands held | 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment 167th Infantry Brigade 21st Army Tank Brigade 2nd Infantry Brigade Berlin Infantry Brigade East Anglian District |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order |
Early life
He was the son of Major Edward William Anson Firth of the 69th Punjabis, who died in 1906. He was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.[1][2]
Military career
Firth was commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment on 1 February 1923[3] and attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1936 to 1937.[4]
After being promoted to major on 1 February 1940,[5] he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, in the Middle East in 1942 during the Second World War.[6] He also served as commander of the 167th (1st London) Brigade in North Africa from June 1943, as commander of 21st Army Tank Brigade in North Africa and in Italy from February 1944 and as commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade from May 1944.[7]
After the war he became deputy director of personal services at the War Office in February 1946, commander of the Berlin Infantry Brigade in February 1949 and general officer commanding East Anglian District in April 1950.[7] He went on to be general officer commanding, Salisbury Plain District in May 1951 and director of personal services at the War Office in August 1953 before retiring in September 1956.[7]
He served as honorary colonel of the Gloucestershire Regiment from 1954 to 1964.[8]
References
- Kelly's (1961). Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes. Kelly's Directories. p. 750.
- "Charles Edward Anson Firth". Army and Navy Gazette. 28 July 1906. p. 18.
- "No. 32792". The London Gazette. 2 February 1923. p. 807.
- "No. 34247". The London Gazette. 21 January 1936. p. 459.
- "No. 34783". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 January 1940. p. 648.
- "Firth, Charles Edward Anson". Generals.dk. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2020.
- Daniell, David Scott (2005) [First published 1951]. Cap of Honour: The 300 Years of the Gloucestershire Regiment (3rd ed.). Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-7509-4172-3.