Henry Clifford (British Army officer)
British Army officer
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Brigadier-General Henry Frederick Hugh Clifford, DSO (13 August 1867 – 11 September 1916) was a British Army officer. He was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme while inspecting trenches. At the time, he was commanding the 149th (Northumberland) Brigade.
Henry Clifford | |
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| Born | 13 August 1867 Brompton, Kent, England |
| Died | 11 September 1916 (aged 49) Longueval, France |
Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Service years | 1888–1916 |
Rank | Brigadier-General |
| Unit | Suffolk Regiment |
| Commands | 149th (Northumberland) Brigade 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment |
Conflicts | Second Boer War First World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches Order of Saint Stanislaus, 3rd Class (Russia) |
| Relations | Major-General Sir Henry Hugh Clifford (father) Sir Hugh Clifford (brother) |
Biography
Clifford was the second son of Major-General Sir Henry Hugh Clifford. His elder brother was the colonial administrator Sir Hugh Clifford. He entered the British Army, joining the Suffolk Regiment in February 1888 after graduating from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst,[1] was promoted to captain in October 1897,[2] and served in the Second Boer War.
He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1914,[3] shortly after the outbreak of the First World War.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in February 1915,[4] Clifford was wounded by a sniper the same year. On 29 June 1915, he succeeded Brigadier General Geoffrey Feilding as general officer commanding (GOC) of the 149th (Northumberland) Brigade, receiving a promotion to the temporary rank of brigadier general whilst so employed.[5]
In September 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, he was killed on the Somme by a German sniper.