Early life
The son of Philip Champion and Florence Mary Hulburd, Champion was educated at Sutton Valence School. In 1912 he enlisted in the West Kent Yeomanry, and in 1913 was commissioned in the East Surrey Regiment.Palestine
During the World War I, First World War, he served in the Middle East; in 1917 he was assigned to the Occupied Enemy Territory Administration in Palestine. He transferred to the Colonial Administrative Service in 1920, and served as District Officer in Mandatory Palestine, Palestine until 1928. He was wounded in Palestine.Aden
Champion was Political Secretary in Chief Commissioner's Province of Aden, Aden from 1928 to 1934, Financial Adviser to the Emirate of Transjordan, Emirate of Trans-Jordan from 1934 to 1939, and District Commissioner in Galilee, the Galilee from 1939 to 1942. He also carried out political missions to Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, the Yemen in 1933–34 and 1940. He was appointed Chief Secretary to the Government of Aden in 1942, and was appointed Governor of Aden, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Aden in 1944.Aden riots
In the 1947 anti-Jewish riots in Aden, Aden riots following United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, UN Resolution 181 (II) in 1947, Champion dispatched the Aden Protectorate Levies, a military force of local Arab-Muslim recruits, to quell the disturbances. The APL was responsible for much of the killing in the riot, which resulted in the death of 82 Jews, 33 Arabs, 4 Muslim Indians, and one Somali. He retired from the Colonial Service in 1951.Retirement
After his retirement from government service, Champion entered the Lincoln Theological College in 1952, being ordained a deacon in January and a priest in December. The same year, he was appointed a curate at All Saints’, Maidstone. In 1953 he was appointed Vicar of Chilham, Kent. He retired from active ministry in 1961. In retirement he lived in Tunbridge Wells. Champion was appointed Order of the British Empire, OBE in 1934, a Order of St Michael and St George, CMG in 1944, and a Order of St Michael and St George, KCMG in 1946.Family
Champion married Margaret Macgregor, daughter of Very Rev. W. M. Macgregor, in 1920. They had two sons and a daughter.References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Champion, Reginald 1895 births 1982 deaths People educated at Sutton Valence School Colonial Administrative Service officers Governors of Aden East Surrey Regiment officers Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry soldiers British Army personnel of World War I Officers of the Order of the British Empire Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George [20th-century Church of England clergy