Chermside | Herbert Charles | | Major General | Born 31 Jul 1850, he was educated at Eton. Graduated top of his class at the TMC and was commissioned in 1868. He became a full Lieutenant in 1870 and serving on the Arctic Expedition of 1873. Staff service: Vice Consul, Anatolia, 1879-82; DAAG and QMG, Egypt, 1882-83; AA and QMG, Egypt, 1884; Governor-General, Red Sea Littoral, 1884-86; Consul, Kurdistan, 1888-89; Military Attache, Constantinople, 1889-96; Commissioner, Crete, Colonel on Staff, Crete, 1896-99; Major General, 1898. Major General, Curragh, 1899; Major General Infantry Brigade, South Africa, 1899-1900; Lieutenant General Infantry Division, April 1900. War service: Military Attache with Turkish troops, Russo-Turkish War, 1876-78 (Turkish medal); Egyptian Expedition, 1882-84 (medal, bronze star, clasp); Sudan Expedition, 1885 (Despatches; clasp, Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel); Sudan, 1887 (Brevet of Colonel); South African War, 1899-1900. Serving as Brigade Commander and later Commanding the 3rd Division during the Boer War he was present at the actions of Poplar Grove and Karee Siding for which he was mentioned in dispatches. CMG in 1880, CB in 1886, KCMG in 1897 and GCMG in 1899. Appointed as Governor General of Queensland from 1901-05 he is described as having made every effort to fulfil the office to the very best of his ability and had won much respect. During this extremely important time historically for Queensland and Australia with Federation and the recognition of Queensland as a state, Chermside would have been fundamental in overseeing such matters as the device of the seals to be used by Queensland, the death of Queen Victoria and protocols to be followed, the precedence between Federal and State officials, consuls and military matters, as well the transfer of administrative control and records relating to British New Guinea, the Pacific cable and attendance at the opening of Federal Parliament. In his dispatches he was critical of the lack of water conservation, the high cost of land, absentee landholders, excessive overseas borrowing and the poor map coverage of Queensland. He retired from the British Army in 1907 as a lieutenant general. He was twice married but had no children. Lady Tennyson described him as 'a very short plain little General with a biggish moustache'. He died in September 1929. GCMG, CB (C), Egypt (2) Suakin 1884, Suakin 1885 (MAJOR H. C. CHERMSIDE RE), QSA (3) Tr Paard CC (LT GENL SIR H. C. CHERMSIDE GCMG CB RE), Turkish War medal for the Turko-Russian war (1877-78), Khedives Star 1882, Turkish Order of Medjidjie 2nd class neck and breast star. J C Medals Jul 07. Est £8-10k. | Staff |