Brigadier-General Frederick William Lumsden, (14 December 1872 – 4 June 1918) was a British officer in Royal Marine Artillery and during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. During his service he was decorated four times for valorous service and saw action in several major campaigns before he was killed just months before the war's end in June 1918. Amongst his decorations was the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award for gallantry to British or

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

troops. He was also the first of seven British officers to be awarded the DSO four times in the First World War.

Early life

Frederick William Lumsden was born into a military family in Faizabad,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, on 14 December 1872. His father, John James Foot Lumsden, worked in the

Indian Civil Service The Indian Civil Service (ICS), officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the higher civil service of the British Empire in India during British Raj, British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947. Its members ruled over more than 3 ...

. At a young age he returned to Britain and attended

Bristol Grammar School Bristol Grammar School (BGS) is a 4–18 Mixed-sex education, mixed, Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1532 by Royal Charter for the teaching of 'good manners and literature', endowe ...

. Lumsden married Mary, the daughter of Lieutenant General Thomas N. Harward of the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

, in December 1894. They had one daughter, Violet.

Military career

Lumsden joined the Royal Marine Artillery as a junior officer in September 1890. He served in the Marine Service until 1907, spending time in the Mediterranean and four years on

Ascension Island Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island, 7°56′ south of the Equator in the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean. It is about from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America. It is governed as part of the British Overs ...

. He entered the British Army Staff College, qualifying in 1908. He then became the second staff officer at Singapore, and was promoted to the rank of major in 1913. He returned home for war service in the months leading up to the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. He served in France with the Royal Marine howitzer brigade in France until 1915 and was then seconded to serve in staff appointments with the British Army. In late 1915 he was attached to the Intelligence Department of First Army Headquarters. He was promoted to the rank of temporary brigadier general to command the 14th Infantry Brigade in April 1917.

Awards and decorations

On 1 January 1917, Major Lumsden was awarded his first

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

"for distinguished service in the field". The first and second Bars to his DSO were gazetted together in May 1917, and he was the first person to receive a third Bar in April 1918. On 8 June 1917, the awarding of the

(VC) to Major Lumsden was approved. This was for actions that took place between 3 and 4 April 1917 in Francilly, France. The citation in ''

The London Gazette ''The London Gazette'', known generally as ''The Gazette'', is one of the official journals of record or government gazettes of the Government of the United Kingdom, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, i ...

'' reads as follows: He was appointed as a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

on 3 June 1918, just a few days before he was killed, "shot through the head by a rifle bullet and killed instantly", according to a fellow officer. He was also

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

on four occasions, and awarded the Belgian

Croix de guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

Death and remembrance

Lumsden was killed in action in his 46th year at Blairville, near the city of

Arras Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...

, France, on 4 June 1918. His body was buried in the Berles New Military Cemetery,

Berles-au-Bois Berles-au-Bois () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Geography A farming village located 11 miles (17 km) southwest of Arras on the D62 junction with the D30 road. Population ...

, France. In 1920 the Mess of the Royal Marines commissioned H. Donald Smith to paint two portraits of Lumsden. The work is now housed in the

Royal Marines Museum The Royal Marines Museum is a museum on the history of the Royal Marines from their beginnings in 1664 through to the present day. A registered charity, it is also a designated service museum under the terms of the National Heritage Act 198 ...

in the Royal Marine Artillery Barracks,

Southsea Southsea is a seaside resort and a geographic area of Portsmouth, Portsea Island in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. Southsea is located 1.8 miles (2.8 km) to the south of Portsmouth's inner city-centre. Southsea began as a f ...

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

."Highlights of Hampshire's Collections"
, Lianne Jarrett Associates. Retrieved 23 March 2008. His VC is also displayed at the museum.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lumsden, Frederick 1872 births 1918 deaths People educated at Bristol Grammar School Royal Marines brigadiers Royal Marines generals of World War I British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British military personnel killed in World War I British recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium) Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley Military personnel of British India 19th-century Royal Marines personnel Deaths by firearm in France Burials in Hauts-de-France Military personnel from Faizabad