| Jourdain | Charles Edward Arthur | | Captain | JOURDAIN, CHARLES EDWARD ARTHUR, Captain, was born 7 May 1869, son of Reverend F Jourdain, MA, RD, Vicar of Ashbourne and Rector of Mapleton, and of Mrs E Jourdain, of 24 St Margaret's Road, Oxford. He was educated at Sandhurst, and entered the Service on the 22nd August 1888, joining the 1st Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment at Mhow, and serving with them at Mhow, Kamptee, Poona, and in Ceylon, from whence he proceeded to Cape Town, where the battalion was stationed at the outbreak of the South African War. From August to December he served as Adjutant of the half-battalion of that regiment outside Kimberley, and took part in Lord Methuen's advance, including the Battles of Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein. He then was given command of the Mounted Infantry Company of his regiment in the 3rd Mounted Infantry, and took part with it in the Relief of Kimberley, the Battles of Paardeberg, Driefontein, Zand River, Johannesburg, capture of Pretoria and Diamond Hill, afterwards being present at the operations near Belfast. He served throughout the whole war from start to finish, and was only absent for one short period of ten days through malaria in 1901, and at the conclusion of hostilities was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 4 September 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with six clasps, the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Charles Edward Arthur Jourdain, Captain, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented by the King 24 October 1902; the Warrant sent 4 November 1902. He proceeded home with the battalion in 1902, serving at Devonport and the Curragh, and later serving as Adjutant of his battalion, and also commanding the Depot at Preston. From there he exchanged to the 2nd Battalion at Mauritius, and with them he served at Poona and Bangalore, being awarded the Delhi Durbar Medal, 1911. He was promoted to command the 2nd Battalion in December 1913, and on the outbreak of war he proceeded in command of the battalion to East Africa, where he performed most arduous and efficient service in command of a large district, as well as commanding his own battalion, and at the action of Tanga he displayed great resource and bravery, and it was mainly through the fine stand made by his battalion, which he commanded most efficiently, that the force was able to re-embark and make good its retirement. Colonel Jourdain remained in East Africa for over three years, and then proceeded to Egypt and Palestine, still in command of his battalion. In 1918 his battalion was brought to France, and took part in the first fighting of the counter-offensive in July 1918, under the French General Mangin, near Rheims, where he displayed great bravery, and was killed by a shell on the 29th July 1918, when gallantly leading his battalion in the counter-offensive near Grand Rozoy. He was buried near where he fell on the Grand Rozoy Road. Although his four years' command of the battalion terminated in December 1917, he preferred to remain with his battalion, and he thus met his death after four years' arduous, continuous active service, and seven years' active service, including South Africa. He was awarded by the French General the Croix de Guerre of the 1st Class after his death. He was also awarded the 1914-15 Star and the General Service Medal, and the Victory Medal for the Great War, 1914-18. During the trying campaign in East Africa he was one of the two officers who had never gone sick or been away from duty during the campaign, and in South Africa he was one of the few officers who served right through the campaign. At the time of his death he had nearly completed thirty years' service, the whole of which had been spent in his regiment, to which he was entirely devoted and in which he had served seven years on active service. He married, 9 October 1912, Alexia Grace, younger daughter of Captain Frederick Papilion, RN.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Loyal North Lancashire Regiment |
