Cyril Probyn Napier Raikes (1875–1963) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer who was awarded the Military Cross in the

World War I 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 ...

Mesopotamian campaign The Mesopotamian campaign or Mesopotamian front () was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the British Empire, with troops from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain, Australia and the vast major ...

flying in the British army's

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

monitoring the

oil pipeline A pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countries around the world. The Un ...

s there. He had previously fought in the Boer War. Cyril Raikes was born 12 November 1875 in Swanmore, Hampshire, England the son of General Robert Napier Raikes. He was a Lieutenant in the

Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

1900-1902, gaining a medal and four bars. Before World War I, he developed water services in Egypt. He became the Overseas Director of the

British Oxygen Company BOC Limited is a British based multinational, industrial gas company. Formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange, since 2006 it has been a subsidiary of Linde plc. History Brin's Oxygen Company was formed in 1886, by two French brothers, ...

traveling extensively throughout the Middle East, Europe, South Africa and South America to develop business there. He lived at The Mount,

Godalming Godalming ( ) is a market town and civil parish in southwest Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock. The civil parish covers and includes the settl ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

. During the 2nd World War while still working for the British Oxygen Company and staying at the Thatched House Club, St James's, he served as a fire watcher in London, for instance on the top of

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

. He then lived in Rolle Cottage, Sidbury and finally

Sidmouth Sidmouth () is a town on the English Channel in Devon, South West England, southeast of Exeter. With a population of 13,258 in 2021, it is a tourist resort and a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. A large part of the town has ...

, both in

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

, until his death on 16 January 1963. Raikes married Dora Roberts in 1905, and they had two daughters.''Pedigree of Raikes'' compiled by Duncan Raikes, published 1980, and ''Pedigree of Raikes'' privately published 1930 by Phillimore & Co, 120 Chancery Lane, London

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raikes, Cyril Probyn Napier 1875 births 1963 deaths People from Swanmore British Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the Military Cross Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment officers Royal Engineers officers British Army personnel of the Second Boer War Military personnel from Hampshire