George Rowland Patrick Roupell
Encyclopedia
George Rowland Patrick Roupell VC
CB
(7 April 1892 – 4 March 1974) was born in Tipperary
and was an Irish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
in the 70th Regiment
and commanded the 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
between 1895 and 1899. George's father had married Edith Maria Bryden at Kingston
in 1887.
George was educated at Rossall School
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
. He was commissioned
in the East Surrey Regiment, 2 March 1912 and was appointed lieutenant
on 29 April 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War.
. Roupell commanded a platoon in the BEF's first major action; the Battle of Mons
in August 1914. Roupell kept a diary throughout the war which has since been a useful, and sometimes humorous, source of insight and observation on the events that he witnessed and participated in. In the trenches at Mons he recounted how he had to hit his men on the backside with his sword in order to gain their attention and remind them to fire low as they had been taught!
Soon after, following the retreat from Mons
in September, he led his platoon in the first Battle of the Aisne
. Once again, Roupell came under heavy fire, this time whilst crossing the Aisne on a raft. The Surrey's advance was pushed back with heavy casualties.
Early the following year, during the continued fighting around Ypres
, Roupell was 23 years old, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. His citation reads:
He was decorated with his VC by King George V on 12 July 1915. In addition to his Victoria Cross he was awarded the Russian Order of St George (4th Class) and the French Croix de Guerre
, and was Mentioned in Despatches.
He was retrospectively appointed temporary Captain 29 December 1914, to the 20th April,
1915, inclusive and again later the same year.
Roupell was aboard the SS Queen
when it was captured and sunk in the channel
in October 1916.
Roupell was promoted to acting Brigade Major 29 December 1917
On 9 May 1918 he was seconded to the general staff at the rank of temporary Major.
During this time he was attached to the allied force under General Edmund Ironside
and sent to support Tsarist Russians as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War
. On a visit to a Tsarist unit, they mutinied
and Roupell and others were taken prisoner near Arkhangelsk
, sent to Moscow
and finally repatriated in 1920.
Early in 1921, Roupell married Doris P. Sant in Paddington
. Daughter Phoebe and son Peter were born in 1922 and 1925 respectively.
Roupell's inter-war military career continued with steady promotions to staff captain (1921) brigade major (1926) and major (1928).
During the inter-war period, Roupell served in Gibraltar, the Regimental Depot, India and the Sudan. As major (GSO2), Roupell spent two years from 1929 at the Royal Military College of Canada
and in 1934 a year with the British troops in China. Following his return, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel (1935).
Roupell's Brigade were deployed as part of 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division in the British Expeditionary Force
taking part in the Battle of France
.
The German thrust near the Somme river
towards Abbeville
eventually cut off the BEF, northern French and Belgian forces from the rest of France. Roupell's brigade headquarters near Doullens
was attacked by enemy troops and on being told of the threat Roupell is reported to have exclaimed: "Never mind the Germans. I'm just going to finish my cup of tea." When the brigade headquarters was overrun on 20 May 1940, Roupell gave the order for the survivors to split up into small groups and endeavour to re-contact Allied toops. Roupell, with a captain and French interpreter, avoided capture, hiding by day and walking at night for over a month. They arrived at a farm near Rouen
where the two officers remained for almost two years, working as labourers. With the help of the French Resistance
they were moved through unoccupied France into non-belligerent Spain
, finally boarding ship in Gibraltar
and returning to the UK. Following his return he was appointed commanding officer of 114th Infantry Brigade on 18 March 1943, a command he held until 2 November that year. He was appointed as Garrison Commander at Chatham, where he remained until retirement.
and, at the age of 58, excused from the reserve list of officers in 1950.
He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
of Surrey in 1953,
He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956.
In 1954 he was appointed Colonel of the Surreys, succeeding Arthur Dowler
, and was to be the last Colonel of The East Surrey Regiment, relinquishing office in 1959 when amalgamation with The Queen's Royal Regiment took place to form the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment.
George Roupell died in Shalford, Surrey
, on 4 March 1974 (aged 82). His interment is located at Guildford Crematorium.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(7 April 1892 – 4 March 1974) was born in Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
and was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Early life and career
George Roupell was born into a military family; his father, Francis F. F. Roupell, having served with the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the 70th Regiment
70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot
The 70th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army formed in 1758 and united with the 31st Regiment of Foot in 1881 to form The East Surrey Regiment .- History :...
and commanded the 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey Regiment
The East Surrey Regiment was a regiment in the British Army formed in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 31st Regiment of Foot and the 70th Regiment of Foot...
between 1895 and 1899. George's father had married Edith Maria Bryden at Kingston
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
in 1887.
George was educated at Rossall School
Rossall School
Rossall School is a British, co-educational, independent school, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St. Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College which had been founded the previous year...
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He was commissioned
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the East Surrey Regiment, 2 March 1912 and was appointed lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 29 April 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War.
World War I
At the outbreak of war, the 1st Battalion East Surreys were deployed as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) into northern BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Roupell commanded a platoon in the BEF's first major action; the Battle of Mons
Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
in August 1914. Roupell kept a diary throughout the war which has since been a useful, and sometimes humorous, source of insight and observation on the events that he witnessed and participated in. In the trenches at Mons he recounted how he had to hit his men on the backside with his sword in order to gain their attention and remind them to fire low as they had been taught!
Soon after, following the retreat from Mons
Great Retreat
The Great Retreat, also known as the Retreat from Mons, is the name given to the long, fighting retreat by Allied forces to the River Marne, on the Western Front early in World War I, after their holding action against the Imperial German Armies at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914...
in September, he led his platoon in the first Battle of the Aisne
First Battle of the Aisne
The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army & Second Army as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September 1914...
. Once again, Roupell came under heavy fire, this time whilst crossing the Aisne on a raft. The Surrey's advance was pushed back with heavy casualties.
Early the following year, during the continued fighting around 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...
, Roupell was 23 years old, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. His citation reads:
For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on April 20th, 1915, when he was commanding a company of his battalion in a front trench on "Hill 60Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)The Battle of Hill 60 was an Australian assault that was subsidiary to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.-1914-15:Hill 60 was a low rise on the southern flank of the Ypres Salient and was named for the 60 metre contour which marked its bounds. Hill 60 was not a natural highpoint, but was created as a...
," which was subjected to a most severe bombardment throughout the day. Though wounded in several places, he remained at his post and led his company in repelling a strong German assault. During a lull in the bombardment he had his wounds hurriedly dressed, and then insisted in returning to his trench, which was again being subjected to severe bombardment. Towards evening, his company being dangerously weakened, he went back to his battalion headquarters, represented the situation to his Commanding Officer, and brought up reinforcements, passing backwards and forwards over ground swept by heavy fire. With these reinforcements he held his position throughout the night, and until his battalion was relieved next morning.This young Officer was one of the few survivors of his company, and showed a magnificent example of courage, devotion and tenacity, which undoubtedly inspired his men to hold out till the end.
He was decorated with his VC by King George V on 12 July 1915. In addition to his Victoria Cross he was awarded the Russian Order of St George (4th Class) and the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, and was Mentioned in Despatches.
He was retrospectively appointed temporary Captain 29 December 1914, to the 20th April,
1915, inclusive and again later the same year.
Roupell was aboard the SS Queen
TSS The Queen
The Queen was a 1,676 GRT steamship which was built in 1903 for the South Eastern and Chatham Railway . In 1908, she was involved in a collision with another SECR ship. In 1916, she was captured by a German destroyer, following which she was torpedoed and sunk by another.-Description:The ship was...
when it was captured and sunk in the channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in October 1916.
Roupell was promoted to acting Brigade Major 29 December 1917
On 9 May 1918 he was seconded to the general staff at the rank of temporary Major.
Inter-war
Following the end of hostilities in Europe, Captain Roupell, still acting major, was promoted to acting lieutenant colonel in charge of Battalion between December 1918 and March 1919. His appointment to the general staff was confirmed on 1 July 1919.During this time he was attached to the allied force under General Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside
Field Marshal William Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside GCB, CMG, CBE, DSO, was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the first year of the Second World War....
and sent to support Tsarist Russians as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War
Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War
The Allied intervention was a multi-national military expedition launched in 1918 during World War I which continued into the Russian Civil War. Its operations included forces from 14 nations and were conducted over a vast territory...
. On a visit to a Tsarist unit, they mutinied
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
and Roupell and others were taken prisoner near Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
, sent to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and finally repatriated in 1920.
Early in 1921, Roupell married Doris P. Sant in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
. Daughter Phoebe and son Peter were born in 1922 and 1925 respectively.
Roupell's inter-war military career continued with steady promotions to staff captain (1921) brigade major (1926) and major (1928).
During the inter-war period, Roupell served in Gibraltar, the Regimental Depot, India and the Sudan. As major (GSO2), Roupell spent two years from 1929 at the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
and in 1934 a year with the British troops in China. Following his return, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel (1935).
World War II
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Roupell was promoted to colonel and, promoted to acting brigadier placed in command of 36th Infantry Brigade from 7 October 1939.Roupell's Brigade were deployed as part of 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division in the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
taking part in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
.
The German thrust near the Somme river
Somme River
The Somme is a river in Picardy, northern France. The name Somme comes from a Celtic word meaning tranquility. The department Somme was named after this river....
towards Abbeville
Abbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
eventually cut off the BEF, northern French and Belgian forces from the rest of France. Roupell's brigade headquarters near Doullens
Doullens
Doullens is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.Its inhabitants are called Doullennais and Doullennaises.-Geography:...
was attacked by enemy troops and on being told of the threat Roupell is reported to have exclaimed: "Never mind the Germans. I'm just going to finish my cup of tea." When the brigade headquarters was overrun on 20 May 1940, Roupell gave the order for the survivors to split up into small groups and endeavour to re-contact Allied toops. Roupell, with a captain and French interpreter, avoided capture, hiding by day and walking at night for over a month. They arrived at a farm near Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
where the two officers remained for almost two years, working as labourers. With the help of the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
they were moved through unoccupied France into non-belligerent Spain
Spain in World War II
The Spanish State under General Franco was officially non-belligerent during World War II. This status, although not recognised by international law, was intended to express the regime's sympathy and material support for the Axis Powers, to which Spain offered considerable material, economic, and...
, finally boarding ship in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and returning to the UK. Following his return he was appointed commanding officer of 114th Infantry Brigade on 18 March 1943, a command he held until 2 November that year. He was appointed as Garrison Commander at Chatham, where he remained until retirement.
Post-War
In 1946 Roupell was formally retired from the army on retirement pay and granted the honorary rank of brigadier.and, at the age of 58, excused from the reserve list of officers in 1950.
He was appointed 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 Surrey in 1953,
He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956.
In 1954 he was appointed Colonel of the Surreys, succeeding Arthur Dowler
Arthur Dowler
Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Dowler KCB KBE was General Officer Commanding the East Africa Command of the British Army.-Military career:...
, and was to be the last Colonel of The East Surrey Regiment, relinquishing office in 1959 when amalgamation with The Queen's Royal Regiment took place to form the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment.
George Roupell died in Shalford, Surrey
Shalford, Surrey
Shalford is a village in Surrey, England, situated on the busy A281 Horsham road immediately south of Guildford. It has a railway station which is between Guildford and Dorking on the North Downs Line....
, on 4 March 1974 (aged 82). His interment is located at Guildford Crematorium.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Surrey)
- Brig Roupell service record at OrdersofBattle.com
- Ieper: The Second Battle of Ypres April 1915 Account of events at Hill 60