Sir Herbert Charles Chermside was the second son of the Revd Richard Seymour Conway Chermside, rector of Wilton, Wiltshire, and his wife, Emily Dawson, and was the grandson of Sir Robert Alexander Chermside.
Herbert Chermside was born at Wilton on 31 July 1850, was a scholar at Eton College, and passed into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, at the head of the competitors: Chermside, aged seventeen, was a thousand marks ahead of any of them. At the end of the course he passed out easily at the top of the list, and was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1870. He was a brilliant scholar, with a remarkable memory, and an accomplished athlete who won prizes as a swimmer and oarsman, and swam the Hellespont.
In 1871 Chermside, with other officers, visited Paris during the commune. He was accused of assisting the communards, and narrowly escaped execution. Later Chermside's adventurous spirit found another outlet for, after a period of duty in Ireland, he joined in 1873 Benjamin Leigh Smith's Arctic expedition. After this, at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport, he learned the method of coastal defence by submarine mines.
In 1876 Chermside was specially employed in Turkey during the operations against Serbia and Montenegro, and was acting as military attaché with the Turkish forces when Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877. He remained attaché until June 1879, having spent the previous six months with the Turkish boundary commission. In July 1879 he was appointed military vice-consul in Anatolia, and in 1882 was promoted captain. In the same year he was appointed to the intelligence staff of the British army sent to Egypt, although he was described as deputy assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general. There Sir Evelyn Wood, the first British sirdar, gave him command of the 1st battalion of the new Egyptian army. Now brevet major, Chermside stayed in Egypt over four years, taking part in the Suakin expedition of 1884. He remained in Suakin with his command when the British force was withdrawn, until in October he was appointed governor-general of the Red sea littoral, with the rank of brevet lieutenant-colonel, although still only a captain of Royal Engineers. In addition to continuous operations against the Mohdists, Chermside successfully undertook negotiations with King John of Abyssinia. Transferred to the command at Wadi Halfa in October 1886, he repelled Mohdist incursions at Sarras in 1886 and 1887.
In 1887 Chermside was promoted brevet colonel, and in 1888 he returned to consular duties, this time in Kurdistan, where he remained for just over a year. He was then sent as military attaché to Constantinople, where he spent nearly seven years. Later he was British delegate on the commission for the reorganization of the gendarmerie in Crete, and in March 1897 was appointed British military commissioner and commander of the British troops there. He did good work, and was promoted major-general in 1898. In 1899 he married Geraldine Katharine, daughter of William Frederick Webb of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire. She died in 1910; they had no children.
In 1899 Chermside briefly commanded the Curragh, then the 14th brigade, 7th division, at Aldershot. On the outbreak of war in 1899 he went with his brigade to South Africa, where, in April 1900, he succeeded Sir William Forbes Gatacre as temporary lieutenant-general in command of the 3rd division. He was present at the actions of Paardeberg (27 February 1900), Poplar Grove (7 March), and Karee siding (29 March), and in the operations in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria, and in Cape Colony.
In January 1901 Chermside resumed command at the Curragh, and later the same year was appointed governor of Queensland, assuming office in March 1902. There he was a competent administrator, and was friendly, approachable, and popular. The Australian parliament was compelled, for economic reasons, to reduce the emoluments of state governors; to enable earlier retrenchment Chermside resigned in September 1904, having previously surrendered voluntarily part of his salary.
In 1907 Chermside retired from the army with the rank of honorary lieutenant-general. Among his honours were the CMG (1880), CB (1886), KCMG (1897), and GCMG (1899); in 1916 he was made colonel-commandant, Royal Engineers. In 1920 he married Clementina Maria, second daughter of Paul Julius de Reuter, first Baron de Reuter, and widow of Count Otto Stenbock. They had no children. Chermside died at Woodheath, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, on 24 September 1929, survived by his wife.
With thanks to
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum
106 Wharf Street
Maryborough
Queensland, 4650
www.maryboroughmuseum.org
for providing the photographs of General Chermside's medals and giving permission to add them to this memorial.
The medals (and gold Pollock Medal, not shown) are on display at the Museum.
Herbert Chermside was born at Wilton on 31 July 1850, was a scholar at Eton College, and passed into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, at the head of the competitors: Chermside, aged seventeen, was a thousand marks ahead of any of them. At the end of the course he passed out easily at the top of the list, and was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1870. He was a brilliant scholar, with a remarkable memory, and an accomplished athlete who won prizes as a swimmer and oarsman, and swam the Hellespont.
In 1871 Chermside, with other officers, visited Paris during the commune. He was accused of assisting the communards, and narrowly escaped execution. Later Chermside's adventurous spirit found another outlet for, after a period of duty in Ireland, he joined in 1873 Benjamin Leigh Smith's Arctic expedition. After this, at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport, he learned the method of coastal defence by submarine mines.
In 1876 Chermside was specially employed in Turkey during the operations against Serbia and Montenegro, and was acting as military attaché with the Turkish forces when Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877. He remained attaché until June 1879, having spent the previous six months with the Turkish boundary commission. In July 1879 he was appointed military vice-consul in Anatolia, and in 1882 was promoted captain. In the same year he was appointed to the intelligence staff of the British army sent to Egypt, although he was described as deputy assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general. There Sir Evelyn Wood, the first British sirdar, gave him command of the 1st battalion of the new Egyptian army. Now brevet major, Chermside stayed in Egypt over four years, taking part in the Suakin expedition of 1884. He remained in Suakin with his command when the British force was withdrawn, until in October he was appointed governor-general of the Red sea littoral, with the rank of brevet lieutenant-colonel, although still only a captain of Royal Engineers. In addition to continuous operations against the Mohdists, Chermside successfully undertook negotiations with King John of Abyssinia. Transferred to the command at Wadi Halfa in October 1886, he repelled Mohdist incursions at Sarras in 1886 and 1887.
In 1887 Chermside was promoted brevet colonel, and in 1888 he returned to consular duties, this time in Kurdistan, where he remained for just over a year. He was then sent as military attaché to Constantinople, where he spent nearly seven years. Later he was British delegate on the commission for the reorganization of the gendarmerie in Crete, and in March 1897 was appointed British military commissioner and commander of the British troops there. He did good work, and was promoted major-general in 1898. In 1899 he married Geraldine Katharine, daughter of William Frederick Webb of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire. She died in 1910; they had no children.
In 1899 Chermside briefly commanded the Curragh, then the 14th brigade, 7th division, at Aldershot. On the outbreak of war in 1899 he went with his brigade to South Africa, where, in April 1900, he succeeded Sir William Forbes Gatacre as temporary lieutenant-general in command of the 3rd division. He was present at the actions of Paardeberg (27 February 1900), Poplar Grove (7 March), and Karee siding (29 March), and in the operations in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria, and in Cape Colony.
In January 1901 Chermside resumed command at the Curragh, and later the same year was appointed governor of Queensland, assuming office in March 1902. There he was a competent administrator, and was friendly, approachable, and popular. The Australian parliament was compelled, for economic reasons, to reduce the emoluments of state governors; to enable earlier retrenchment Chermside resigned in September 1904, having previously surrendered voluntarily part of his salary.
In 1907 Chermside retired from the army with the rank of honorary lieutenant-general. Among his honours were the CMG (1880), CB (1886), KCMG (1897), and GCMG (1899); in 1916 he was made colonel-commandant, Royal Engineers. In 1920 he married Clementina Maria, second daughter of Paul Julius de Reuter, first Baron de Reuter, and widow of Count Otto Stenbock. They had no children. Chermside died at Woodheath, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, on 24 September 1929, survived by his wife.
With thanks to
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum
106 Wharf Street
Maryborough
Queensland, 4650
www.maryboroughmuseum.org
for providing the photographs of General Chermside's medals and giving permission to add them to this memorial.
The medals (and gold Pollock Medal, not shown) are on display at the Museum.
Sir Herbert Charles Chermside was the second son of the Revd Richard Seymour Conway Chermside, rector of Wilton, Wiltshire, and his wife, Emily Dawson, and was the grandson of Sir Robert Alexander Chermside.
Herbert Chermside was born at Wilton on 31 July 1850, was a scholar at Eton College, and passed into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, at the head of the competitors: Chermside, aged seventeen, was a thousand marks ahead of any of them. At the end of the course he passed out easily at the top of the list, and was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1870. He was a brilliant scholar, with a remarkable memory, and an accomplished athlete who won prizes as a swimmer and oarsman, and swam the Hellespont.
In 1871 Chermside, with other officers, visited Paris during the commune. He was accused of assisting the communards, and narrowly escaped execution. Later Chermside's adventurous spirit found another outlet for, after a period of duty in Ireland, he joined in 1873 Benjamin Leigh Smith's Arctic expedition. After this, at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport, he learned the method of coastal defence by submarine mines.
In 1876 Chermside was specially employed in Turkey during the operations against Serbia and Montenegro, and was acting as military attaché with the Turkish forces when Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877. He remained attaché until June 1879, having spent the previous six months with the Turkish boundary commission. In July 1879 he was appointed military vice-consul in Anatolia, and in 1882 was promoted captain. In the same year he was appointed to the intelligence staff of the British army sent to Egypt, although he was described as deputy assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general. There Sir Evelyn Wood, the first British sirdar, gave him command of the 1st battalion of the new Egyptian army. Now brevet major, Chermside stayed in Egypt over four years, taking part in the Suakin expedition of 1884. He remained in Suakin with his command when the British force was withdrawn, until in October he was appointed governor-general of the Red sea littoral, with the rank of brevet lieutenant-colonel, although still only a captain of Royal Engineers. In addition to continuous operations against the Mohdists, Chermside successfully undertook negotiations with King John of Abyssinia. Transferred to the command at Wadi Halfa in October 1886, he repelled Mohdist incursions at Sarras in 1886 and 1887.
In 1887 Chermside was promoted brevet colonel, and in 1888 he returned to consular duties, this time in Kurdistan, where he remained for just over a year. He was then sent as military attaché to Constantinople, where he spent nearly seven years. Later he was British delegate on the commission for the reorganization of the gendarmerie in Crete, and in March 1897 was appointed British military commissioner and commander of the British troops there. He did good work, and was promoted major-general in 1898. In 1899 he married Geraldine Katharine, daughter of William Frederick Webb of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire. She died in 1910; they had no children.
In 1899 Chermside briefly commanded the Curragh, then the 14th brigade, 7th division, at Aldershot. On the outbreak of war in 1899 he went with his brigade to South Africa, where, in April 1900, he succeeded Sir William Forbes Gatacre as temporary lieutenant-general in command of the 3rd division. He was present at the actions of Paardeberg (27 February 1900), Poplar Grove (7 March), and Karee siding (29 March), and in the operations in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria, and in Cape Colony.
In January 1901 Chermside resumed command at the Curragh, and later the same year was appointed governor of Queensland, assuming office in March 1902. There he was a competent administrator, and was friendly, approachable, and popular. The Australian parliament was compelled, for economic reasons, to reduce the emoluments of state governors; to enable earlier retrenchment Chermside resigned in September 1904, having previously surrendered voluntarily part of his salary.
In 1907 Chermside retired from the army with the rank of honorary lieutenant-general. Among his honours were the CMG (1880), CB (1886), KCMG (1897), and GCMG (1899); in 1916 he was made colonel-commandant, Royal Engineers. In 1920 he married Clementina Maria, second daughter of Paul Julius de Reuter, first Baron de Reuter, and widow of Count Otto Stenbock. They had no children. Chermside died at Woodheath, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, on 24 September 1929, survived by his wife.
With thanks to
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum
106 Wharf Street
Maryborough
Queensland, 4650
www.maryboroughmuseum.org
for providing the photographs of General Chermside's medals and giving permission to add them to this memorial.
The medals (and gold Pollock Medal, not shown) are on display at the Museum.
Herbert Chermside was born at Wilton on 31 July 1850, was a scholar at Eton College, and passed into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, at the head of the competitors: Chermside, aged seventeen, was a thousand marks ahead of any of them. At the end of the course he passed out easily at the top of the list, and was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1870. He was a brilliant scholar, with a remarkable memory, and an accomplished athlete who won prizes as a swimmer and oarsman, and swam the Hellespont.
In 1871 Chermside, with other officers, visited Paris during the commune. He was accused of assisting the communards, and narrowly escaped execution. Later Chermside's adventurous spirit found another outlet for, after a period of duty in Ireland, he joined in 1873 Benjamin Leigh Smith's Arctic expedition. After this, at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport, he learned the method of coastal defence by submarine mines.
In 1876 Chermside was specially employed in Turkey during the operations against Serbia and Montenegro, and was acting as military attaché with the Turkish forces when Russia declared war on Turkey in 1877. He remained attaché until June 1879, having spent the previous six months with the Turkish boundary commission. In July 1879 he was appointed military vice-consul in Anatolia, and in 1882 was promoted captain. In the same year he was appointed to the intelligence staff of the British army sent to Egypt, although he was described as deputy assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general. There Sir Evelyn Wood, the first British sirdar, gave him command of the 1st battalion of the new Egyptian army. Now brevet major, Chermside stayed in Egypt over four years, taking part in the Suakin expedition of 1884. He remained in Suakin with his command when the British force was withdrawn, until in October he was appointed governor-general of the Red sea littoral, with the rank of brevet lieutenant-colonel, although still only a captain of Royal Engineers. In addition to continuous operations against the Mohdists, Chermside successfully undertook negotiations with King John of Abyssinia. Transferred to the command at Wadi Halfa in October 1886, he repelled Mohdist incursions at Sarras in 1886 and 1887.
In 1887 Chermside was promoted brevet colonel, and in 1888 he returned to consular duties, this time in Kurdistan, where he remained for just over a year. He was then sent as military attaché to Constantinople, where he spent nearly seven years. Later he was British delegate on the commission for the reorganization of the gendarmerie in Crete, and in March 1897 was appointed British military commissioner and commander of the British troops there. He did good work, and was promoted major-general in 1898. In 1899 he married Geraldine Katharine, daughter of William Frederick Webb of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire. She died in 1910; they had no children.
In 1899 Chermside briefly commanded the Curragh, then the 14th brigade, 7th division, at Aldershot. On the outbreak of war in 1899 he went with his brigade to South Africa, where, in April 1900, he succeeded Sir William Forbes Gatacre as temporary lieutenant-general in command of the 3rd division. He was present at the actions of Paardeberg (27 February 1900), Poplar Grove (7 March), and Karee siding (29 March), and in the operations in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria, and in Cape Colony.
In January 1901 Chermside resumed command at the Curragh, and later the same year was appointed governor of Queensland, assuming office in March 1902. There he was a competent administrator, and was friendly, approachable, and popular. The Australian parliament was compelled, for economic reasons, to reduce the emoluments of state governors; to enable earlier retrenchment Chermside resigned in September 1904, having previously surrendered voluntarily part of his salary.
In 1907 Chermside retired from the army with the rank of honorary lieutenant-general. Among his honours were the CMG (1880), CB (1886), KCMG (1897), and GCMG (1899); in 1916 he was made colonel-commandant, Royal Engineers. In 1920 he married Clementina Maria, second daughter of Paul Julius de Reuter, first Baron de Reuter, and widow of Count Otto Stenbock. They had no children. Chermside died at Woodheath, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, on 24 September 1929, survived by his wife.
With thanks to
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum
106 Wharf Street
Maryborough
Queensland, 4650
www.maryboroughmuseum.org
for providing the photographs of General Chermside's medals and giving permission to add them to this memorial.
The medals (and gold Pollock Medal, not shown) are on display at the Museum.
Inscription
In loving memory of Lt Gen Sir Herbert Charles CHERMSIDE C.B., GCMG., RE..
born 31 Jul 1850 died 24 Sep 1929
Gravesite Details
Flat stone and cross - Commemorative plaque inside St Mary's Church
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