Charles Roderic Robert McGrigor

Charles Roderic Robert McGrigor was the younger son of Sir Charles McGrigor 2nd Bt. He was commissioned in the 36th Foot on 13 August 1879, but soon transferred to the 60th Rifles [King’s Royal Rifle Corps] (24 January 1880). His pre-war career was packed with active service: Griqualand East; the Boer War (1881); the Egyptian War (1882); Suakim (1884, 1885); and the South African War (1899-1902). He passed Staff College in 1888. He had thus punched two of the most important tickets for an ambitious officer. He duly punched the third when he became CO 3rd Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps in 1905. After a standard four-year tour as a battalion commander, he joined the Staff, serving as Brigadier-General i/c Administration, Western Command (1909–13).

He became DA&QMG, III Corps, on its formation on 5 August 1914 and deployed with it to France in September, but was replaced on 6 October. He was 54. Admiral of the Fleet Sir R R McGrigor, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff during the Second World War, was his son.