Sir Frederick Charles Shaw

Frederick Charles Shaw was the son of John Shaw of Normanton, Derbyshire. He was commissioned in the Sherwood Foresters from the Militia on 28 January 1882 and soon saw active service in the Egyptian war (1882). He later took part in the expeditions to Malta and Crete (1898–9). He served throughout the South African War on the Staff as brigade-major, DAAG and AAG and was twice mentioned in despatches. He commanded 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters from 1907 to 1911 before returning to staff work as GSO1 Scottish Command (1911–13). On 21 May 1913 he was promoted brigadier-general and given command of 9th Infantry Brigade.

He was still in command when the war broke out. 9th Brigade deployed to France in August 1913 as part of 3rd Division, II Corps, and was involved in heavy fighting throughout 1914. 3rd Division’s GOC, Major-General Hubert Hamilton, was killed on 14 October and his successor, Major-General Colin Mackenzie, invalided home on 29 October. Shaw, himself, was wounded by a shell that hit his HQ on 12 November 1914.

Following his recovery, he was given command of the newly formed Regular division, the 29th, in January 1915. He was inexplicably replaced two days before the division deployed to the Mediterranean, in March, and transferred to 13th (Western) Division, a New Army formation, which he took to Gallipoli in August 1915. He fell sick on 22 August and was sent home.

He was Director of Home Defence (1915), CGS Home Forces (1916–18) and Commander-in-Chief, Ireland (1918–20). He was knighted in 1917. Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Shaw retired from the army in 1920.