Charles William Frizell

Charles William Frizell was the son of C H Frizell, of Castle Kevon, Co. Wicklow, a scion of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy. He was commissioned in the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 9 October 1907. By August 1914 he was a 26-year-old lieutenant in 1st Battalion Royal Berkshires.

He went to war as his battalion’s Machine Gun Officer in 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, part of the original BEF. From September 1916 until October 1918 Frizell commanded 10th Battalion Essex Regiment, 53rd Brigade, in the elite 18th (Eastern) Division, winning two DSOs. His brigade commander for much of that time was the formidable Harold Higginson, one of the most impressive British brigade and divisional commanders of the war. Frizell reached general officer rank himself on 1 October 1918 as GOC 75th Brigade, 25th Division. 25th Division was broken up after its losses in the spring fighting of 1918 and reconstituted with new units in September. Although technically a New Army division, Frizell’s brigade included three Territorial battalions, 1/8th Royal Warwickshire, 1/6th Gloucestershire and 1/8th Worcestershire, all recently returned from the Italian front.

Frizell was the only man to command the reconstituted 75th Brigade in action. Although his appointment came six weeks before the Armistice 75th Brigade took part in much heavy fighting, during which 25th Division, under its impressive new GOC, Major-General Ronald Charles, developed a reputation for tactical innovation.

When the war ended Frizell was still only 30 and a mere regimental captain. He remained in the army after the war, commanding 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment from 1929 until 1932. Brigadier-General Frizell retired on 15 July 1936 after a two-year tour as GOC 3rd (Jhelum) Brigade in India.