SPEDDING, CHARLES RODNEY,
Lieutenant, was born 25 April 1871, son of Benjamin H Spedding, MD, of
Bangor, County Down. He was commissioned in the Royal Irish Rifles 23
December 1893, becoming Lieutenant 6 October 1896. He served in the South
African War, 1899-1902, as Station Staff Officer; as Adjutant, 9th Battalion
Mounted Infantry, 28 December 1900 to 25 April 1901; as Staff Officer to
General Bruce Hamilton's Column of Mounted Infantry, 1901-2. He was present
at operations in Orange Free State, March to May 1909; operations in Orange
River Colony, May to November 1900; operations in Cape Colony, south of
Orange River, 1899-1900; operations in the Transvaal, April 1901 to 31 May
1902; operations in Orange River Colony, 30 November 1900 to April 1901. He
was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 10 September 1901, and 29 July
1902]; received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, the King's Medal with
two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
[London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Charles Rodney Spedding, Lieutenant,
Royal Irish Rifles. In recognition of services during the operations in
South Africa". He was invested by the King 24 October 1902. He was
promoted to Captain 1 March 1902; was ADC to Major General, Infantry
Brigade, Malta, 16 June 1906; commanded the 5th Regiment Mounted Infantry,
Harrismith, South Africa, 1912. Major Spedding married, in 1907, Constance
Mildred Edith, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel T G Cutbell, late 13th
Hussars, and they had two daughters.
