Alfred Codrington
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Edward Codrington GCVO
KCB
(4 May 1854 - 12 September 1945) was a British Army
officer who served in colonial wars in Africa during the late nineteenth century, and later commanded a reserve army during the First World War.
, he was educated at Harrow
and entered the Coldstream Guards
in 1873. He first saw active service during the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882, where he was mentioned in despatches. He later commanded the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
in the Second Boer War
between 1899 and 1902, where he was wounded twice, mentioned in despatches, and given a brevet promotion as Colonel. He received the Queen's medal
with three clasps, and the King's medal
with two.
He commanded the 1st London Division of the Territorial Force
from 1908 to 1909, when he was appointed Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards
and General Officer Commanding
London District
, retiring from this post in 1913. He returned to duty after the outbreak of the First World War, serving as the Military Secretary to Lord Kitchener
, the Secretary of State for War from August until October 1914. He was then appointed to command Third Army in the Home Forces; this was based around Luton, and contained four Territorial divisions and two Territorial cavalry brigades. He relinquished command in 1916. He was appointed to sit on a Pensions Appeal Tribunal in the summer of 1917, which dealt with appeals against governmental decisions on military pensions, and later published a book on War Pensions: Past and Present, co-authored with Edward Abbott Parry
, another member of the Tribunal.
His final military position was the ceremonial colonelcy of the Coldstream Guards, to which he was appointed in 1918. Unusually, this had been a position previously occupied by his father. He was appointed chairman of the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
in 1917, and President of the Association in 1932.
, in 1885; she died in 1935. The couple had three sons, Geoffrey, William, and John, and one daughter, Mary. Geoffrey became the High Sheriff of Wiltshire and an usher to both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, whilst William was the Chief Security Officer to the War Cabinet
during the Second World War and later High Sheriff of Rutland.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(4 May 1854 - 12 September 1945) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who served in colonial wars in Africa during the late nineteenth century, and later commanded a reserve army during the First World War.
Military career
Born in 1854, the second son of General Sir William John CodringtonWilliam John Codrington
General Sir William John Codrington GCB was a British general and politician who served in the Crimean War.-Military career:...
, he was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and entered the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
in 1873. He first saw active service during the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882, where he was mentioned in despatches. He later commanded the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
between 1899 and 1902, where he was wounded twice, mentioned in despatches, and given a brevet promotion as Colonel. He received the Queen's medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
with three clasps, and the King's medal
King's South Africa Medal
The King's South Africa Medal was awarded to all troops who served in the Boer War in South Africa on or after 1 January 1902, and completed 18 months service before 1 June 1902. The medal was not issued alone but always with the Queen's South Africa Medal or QSA.The KSA was awarded only to those...
with two.
He commanded the 1st London Division of the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
from 1908 to 1909, when he was appointed Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards
Major-General commanding the Household Division
The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the troops of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is also General Officer Commanding London District.-Recent Commanders:The holders of this office include:...
and General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
London District
London District (British Army)
London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...
, retiring from this post in 1913. He returned to duty after the outbreak of the First World War, serving as the Military Secretary to Lord Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
, the Secretary of State for War from August until October 1914. He was then appointed to command Third Army in the Home Forces; this was based around Luton, and contained four Territorial divisions and two Territorial cavalry brigades. He relinquished command in 1916. He was appointed to sit on a Pensions Appeal Tribunal in the summer of 1917, which dealt with appeals against governmental decisions on military pensions, and later published a book on War Pensions: Past and Present, co-authored with Edward Abbott Parry
Edward Abbott Parry
Edward Abbott Parry was an English judge and dramatist.Parry was born in London, the second son of a barrister, John Humphreys Parry. Parry himself studied at the Middle Temple and was called to the Bar in 1885. He was Judge of Manchester County Court 1894-1911 and became Judge of Lambeth County...
, another member of the Tribunal.
His final military position was the ceremonial colonelcy of the Coldstream Guards, to which he was appointed in 1918. Unusually, this had been a position previously occupied by his father. He was appointed chairman of the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
National Smallbore Rifle Association
The National Smallbore Rifle Association, The NSRA, is the national governing body for all Small-bore Rifle and Pistol Target Shooting in the United Kingdom, including Airgun and Match Crossbow Shooting....
in 1917, and President of the Association in 1932.
Family
He married Adela Harriet Portal, the niece of the Earl of MintoWilliam Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto
William Hugh Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto , was a British Whig politician. He was the eldest son of the second earl.From 1814 until his accession in 1859, he was styled Viscount Melgund....
, in 1885; she died in 1935. The couple had three sons, Geoffrey, William, and John, and one daughter, Mary. Geoffrey became the High Sheriff of Wiltshire and an usher to both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, whilst William was the Chief Security Officer to the War Cabinet
War Cabinet
A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers. It is also quite common for a War Cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members....
during the Second World War and later High Sheriff of Rutland.