Geoffrey Rawson
Encyclopedia
Major-General
Geoffrey Grahame Rawson CB
OBE
MC
(2 December 1887–14 January 1979) was a senior British Army
officer who served in both the First
and Second World Wars and had a notable cricket
career, playing first-class cricket
for the Army
in 1921.
as a second lieutenant
. He was promoted lieutenant
on 18 August 1910. By 20 November 1915 he had been promoted to captain
, and he was then given command of a signals company
at a corps
headquarters, with a temporary majority, he was awarded the Military Cross
(MC) in the 1916 King's Birthday Honours. His temporary rank became a brevet
on 3 June 1917. He was appointed assistant director, army signals (with the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel) on 19 April 1917, relinquishing the post (and the rank) on 13 November 1917. He was then appointed a Staff Captain at the War Office
on 6 April 1918. He formally transferred from the Engineers to the newly established Royal Corps of Signals
on 22 March 1921, and since taking up the post of Staff Captain, had been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
On 1 April 1921 he was promoted from Staff Captain to Deputy Assistant Adjutant General
, still at the War Office, holding the post until 29 January 1923. By 1928 he was substantive lieutenant-colonel and commanded a signals regiment for four years until 15 May 1932, when he was promoted to colonel and placed on the half pay list. On 5 December 1932 he was appointed chief instructor at the School of Signals, holding the post until 5 December 1936. On 30 June 1937 he was appointed deputy director of the signals department at the War Office, and was granted the temporary rank of brigadier
; he became director, with the acting rank of major-general, on 3 January 1941. He held the additional honorary appointment of Aide-de-camp
to George VI
between 1 August 1938 and April 1941, vacating the appointment when his acting rank of major-general was made substantive. The promotion was back-dated to 14 January 1941, with seniority from 14 June 1938. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1941 King's Birthday Honours. He retired on 2 December 1944, and was appointed Colonel Commandant
of the Royal Corps of Signals on 31 December 1944, holding the role until 18 September 1950.
, all for the Army. He first played against Cambridge University
and Oxford University
, before playing against the Royal Navy
at Lord's
.
He later played three matches for the Egypt national cricket team
. Two against Free Foresters
in 1927, and one against HM Martineau's XI
in 1935.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Geoffrey Grahame Rawson CB
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...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(2 December 1887–14 January 1979) was a senior 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 both the First
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Second World Wars and had a notable cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
career, playing first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for the Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
in 1921.
Military career
On graduation from Royal Military College Sandhurst in 1908, Rawson was commissioned into the Royal EngineersRoyal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. He was promoted lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 18 August 1910. By 20 November 1915 he had been promoted to captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
, and he was then given command of a signals company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
at a corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
headquarters, with a temporary majority, he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC) in the 1916 King's Birthday Honours. His temporary rank became a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
on 3 June 1917. He was appointed assistant director, army signals (with the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel) on 19 April 1917, relinquishing the post (and the rank) on 13 November 1917. He was then appointed a Staff Captain at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
on 6 April 1918. He formally transferred from the Engineers to the newly established Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
on 22 March 1921, and since taking up the post of Staff Captain, had been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
On 1 April 1921 he was promoted from Staff Captain to Deputy Assistant Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
, still at the War Office, holding the post until 29 January 1923. By 1928 he was substantive lieutenant-colonel and commanded a signals regiment for four years until 15 May 1932, when he was promoted to colonel and placed on the half pay list. On 5 December 1932 he was appointed chief instructor at the School of Signals, holding the post until 5 December 1936. On 30 June 1937 he was appointed deputy director of the signals department at the War Office, and was granted the temporary rank of brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
; he became director, with the acting rank of major-general, on 3 January 1941. He held the additional honorary appointment of Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
between 1 August 1938 and April 1941, vacating the appointment when his acting rank of major-general was made substantive. The promotion was back-dated to 14 January 1941, with seniority from 14 June 1938. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1941 King's Birthday Honours. He retired on 2 December 1944, and was appointed Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the Royal Corps of Signals on 31 December 1944, holding the role until 18 September 1950.
Cricket career
A right-handed batsman, Rawson played three first-class matches during the 1921 English cricket season1921 English cricket season
In the 1921 English cricket season, Australia emphasised a post-war superiority that it owed in particular to the pace duo of Gregory and McDonald...
, all for the Army. He first played against Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
and Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
, before playing against the Royal Navy
Royal Navy Cricket Club
The Royal Navy Cricket Club is a cricket team representing the British Royal Navy and based at the United Services Recreation Ground, Portsmouth, Hampshire...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
.
He later played three matches for the Egypt national cricket team
Egypt national cricket team
The Egypt national cricket team was the team that represented the country of Egypt in international cricket matches. They were active from 1909 until World War II.-Early years:...
. Two against Free Foresters
Free Foresters Cricket Club
Free Foresters Cricket Club is an English amateur cricket club, established in 1856 for players from the Midland counties of England. It is a 'wandering' club, having no home ground....
in 1927, and one against HM Martineau's XI
Hubert Martineau
Hubert Melville Martineau was an English patron of cricket and organiser of his own team. He also played three first-class matches between 1931 and 1932...
in 1935.