George Cockerill (British Army officer)
British politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brigadier-General Sir George Kynaston Cockerill, CB (13 August 1867 – 19 April 1957[1]) was a British Army officer and a Conservative Party politician.
Sir George Cockerill | |
|---|---|
Cockerill in 1919, photographed by Walter Stoneman | |
| Member of Parliament for Reigate | |
| In office 14 December 1918 – 7 October 1931 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Hamilton Rawson |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Touche |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 August 1867 |
| Died | 19 April 1957 (aged 89) |
| Party | Conservative |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
Years of service | 1888–1919 |
| Rank | Brigadier-General |
| Unit | Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) |
| Commands | 7th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers |
| Battles/wars | Hazara Expedition of 1888 Chitral Expedition North-West Frontier Second Boer War First World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Mentioned in Despatches |
Career
Cockerill was born in Newquay.[2] He was the son of Surgeon-General Robert William Cockerill, and his wife Clara Sandys, daughter of Major-General Charles Pooley.[3]
He joined the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) in February 1888, was promoted to a lieutenant on 26 June 1889, and served in the Hazara Expedition in 1891.[3] From 1892 to 1895 he explored the eastern Hindu Kush, for which he won the MacGregor Memorial medal and was a gold medallist of the Royal United Services Institute in India. He served with the Chitral Relief Force in 1895, on the North-West Frontier of India from 1897 to 1898, and was promoted to captain (supernumerary) on 11 February 1899. He was a staff officer in the Second Boer War from 1900 to 1902, serving as deputy assistant adjutant general for communications from February 1900.[3] For his war service, he was mentioned in despatches (dated 8 April 1902)[4] and received brevet promotion to major in the South African Honours list published on 26 June 1902.[5]
Following the end of the war, he received a regular commission as a captain in the 4th battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment in August 1902,[6] and left Cape Town on the SS Norman two months later to join his battalion at Dublin.[7] In 1907 he became a major in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), and retired in 1910.[3]
In retirement he was promoted on 15 January 1913 to major[8] and served in the Special Reserve and in April 1914 was promoted to lieutenant colonel to command the 7th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.[9]
At the December 1910 general election Cockerill stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate in the Thornbury division of Gloucestershire.[10] He was British technical delegate at the Second Hague Conference in 1907.[3] At the outbreak of the First World War he mobilised the 7th Royal Fusiliers[11] and then served in the War Office, first as Sub-Director of Military Operations, then as Deputy Director of Military Intelligence and Director of Special Intelligence with the rank of brigadier-general.[3] He received many honours for his wartime work, including being made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1916.[3]
At the 1918 general election Cockerill was elected unopposed[12] as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Reigate division of Surrey, having stood as a Coalition Conservative. He was returned unopposed in 1922 and in 1923, and re-elected with large majorities in 1924 and 1929.[12] He retired from the House of Commons at the 1931 general election,[12] having been knighted in the King's Birthday Honours in 1926.[13]
Animal welfare
Cockerill advocated for animal welfare and as a member of Parliament was instrumental in securing passage of the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925.[2] He was honorary director of the International League for the Protection of Horses in 1939.[14][15]
Selected publications
- Sir George Cockerill. "Pioneer Exploration in Hunza and Chitral". The Himalayan Journal. Vol. 11. 1939. 14–41.