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/ |  Royal Marines |
| Years of service | 1912-1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Order of the British Empire Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order |
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 and to lieutenant-colonel on 1 April 1936.[7][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 Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^ London Gazette, 17 May 1912
- ^ London Gazette, 22 December 1914
- ^ Whitehead, p. 352.
- ^ London Gazette, 6 March 1917
- ^ London Gazette, 1 June 1920
- ^ London Gazette, 26 July 1929
- ^ London Gazette, 10 April 1936
- ^ London Gazette, 7 April 1939
- ^ London Gazette, 1 October 1940
- ^ London Gazette, 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
- British Navy Commando officers