Charles Rudkin
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General Charles Mark Clement Rudkin DSO
(12 November 1872 – 30 December 1957)
was a British soldier
, barrister
, agriculturist, determined traveller and Liberal Party
politician.
in 1872, the son of Major H W Rudkin. His family is said to have come from Corries in County Carlow
. He remained single until late in life when, on 29 September 1939, aged 67, at Ninfield Church in Sussex, he married Marie the daughter of Thomas Russell from Ascog
in Argyll and Bute
a Deputy Lieutenant
of Bute
.
. He was aide-de-camp to Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
and went on to command an Artillery brigade
between 1899-1902. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal
with four clasps and the King’s South Africa Medal with two clasps. He commanded the Royal Artillery
Reserve at the Coronation
of King George V
in 1911. He received the 1902
and 1911
Coronation Medals for his role in the coronation parades.
Rudkin served in the European theatre of the First World War from 1914–18, in France, Belgium, and Italy. He commanded an Artillery Division at Ypres
, the Somme, and on Asiago
Plateau in Italy. During these campaigns Rudkin was wounded twice. He was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Distinguished Service Order
in 1918, the 1914 Star
and two Italian awards, the Medaglia al Valore and the Croce di Guerra
. He ended his military career with the rank of Brigadier-General.
at the 1923 general election
defeating the sitting Conservative
Member of Parliament, Sir William Bird. However, he was unable to hold the seat at the 1924 general election
losing to the new Tory
candidate John Sewell Courtauld
. Rudkin did not fight Chichester again in 1929
switching to the nearby seat of Portsmouth South. In a four-cornered contest however, Rudkin could only come bottom of the poll, despite 1929 seeing a modest Liberal revival nationally. He did not contest a Parliamentary seat again.
in the company of the French pilot Marcel Nappez, rising to a height of more than 10,000 feet.
.
on 30 December 1957 aged 85 years.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(12 November 1872 – 30 December 1957)
was a British soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, agriculturist, determined traveller and Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Family
Rudkin was born in County LouthCounty Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1872, the son of Major H W Rudkin. His family is said to have come from Corries in County Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He remained single until late in life when, on 29 September 1939, aged 67, at Ninfield Church in Sussex, he married Marie the daughter of Thomas Russell from Ascog
Ascog
Ascog is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is largely residential and is located on the east coast of the Isle of Bute. It contains Ascog House and the Italianate style Balmory Hall....
in Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Bute
County of Bute
The County of Bute is one of the registration counties of Scotland. In 2001 its usually resident population was 13,720.-Local government county:...
.
Soldier
Rudkin served in the South African WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. He was aide-de-camp to Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Field Marshal Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British military commander.-Early life:...
and went on to command an Artillery brigade
Artillery brigade
An artillery brigade is a specialised form of military brigade dedicated to providing artillery support. Other brigades might have an artillery component, but an artillery brigade is a brigade dedicated to artillery and relying on other units for infantry support, especially when...
between 1899-1902. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
with four clasps and the King’s South Africa Medal with two clasps. He commanded the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
Reserve at the Coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1911. He received the 1902
King Edward VII Coronation Medal
The King Edward VII Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal issued in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII.-Issue:The medal was only awarded to people who attended the coronation, or participated in the coronation parade...
and 1911
King George V Coronation Medal
The King George V Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of George V.-Issue:This coronation medal was the first to be issued to people who were not in attendance at the coronation...
Coronation Medals for his role in the coronation parades.
Rudkin served in the European theatre of the First World War from 1914–18, in France, Belgium, and Italy. He commanded an Artillery Division at Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
, the Somme, and on Asiago
Asiago
Asiago is the name of both a minor township and the surrounding plateau region in the Province of Vicenza in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy...
Plateau in Italy. During these campaigns Rudkin was wounded twice. He was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
in 1918, the 1914 Star
1914 Star
The 1914 Star was a British Empire campaign medal for service in World War I.The 1914 Star was approved in 1917, for issue to officers and men of British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight 22/23 November 1914...
and two Italian awards, the Medaglia al Valore and the Croce di Guerra
Croce di Guerra
The Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare is an Italian decoration for military valour.- Past recipients :* Edouard Izac, Lieutenant, United States Navy* Douglas MacArthur, General, United States Army...
. He ended his military career with the rank of Brigadier-General.
Politics
Rudkin first stood for Parliament as Liberal candidate in ChichesterChichester (UK Parliament constituency)
Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
defeating the sitting Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament, Sir William Bird. However, he was unable to hold the seat at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
losing to the new Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
candidate John Sewell Courtauld
John Sewell Courtauld
John Sewell Courtauld , was an English Conservative Party politician.He was the son of Sydney Courtauld and Sarah Lucy Sharpe and is descended from the Courtauld family of silk/textiles/carpets, saw active service in the First World War and owned a company of architects...
. Rudkin did not fight Chichester again in 1929
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
switching to the nearby seat of Portsmouth South. In a four-cornered contest however, Rudkin could only come bottom of the poll, despite 1929 seeing a modest Liberal revival nationally. He did not contest a Parliamentary seat again.
Travel
Rudkin was an enthusiastic traveller. He visited and shot in Africa, Australia, India, and Canada, and travelled in America, New Zealand, Tasmania, China, Burma, Fiji, Samoa, Japan, Hawaii, and Ceylon, and extensively in Europe, including Russia. He travelled twice round the world. He also craved adventure. In 1921, still very much the early days of aviation, he undertook a flight over the AlpsAlps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
in the company of the French pilot Marcel Nappez, rising to a height of more than 10,000 feet.
Agriculture
Rudkin took a keen interest in the development of agriculture and took it upon himself to learn about progress in the industry by visiting a number of foreign and Commonwealth countries including Holland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, France, Canada, America, Australia, and New Zealand where he educated himself by observation and inspection of farming techniques.Other honours
Rudkin was made a Freeman of the City of London and was a member of the Royal AcademyRoyal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
.
Death
Rudkin died at his home in Umtali in what was then known as Southern RhodesiaSouthern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
on 30 December 1957 aged 85 years.