Brigadier-General Sir Ernest Makins, KBE, CB, DSO (14 October 1869 – 18 May 1959) was a British military officer, statesman and Conservative Party politician.
Sir Ernest Makins | |
|---|---|
 Makins in 1938 | |
| Born | 14 October 1869 |
| Died | 18 May 1959 (aged 89) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1892–1946 |
| Rank | Brigadier-General |
| Unit | 1st (Royal) Dragoons |
| Commands | 6th Cavalry Brigade |
| Battles / wars | Second Boer War First World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order |
| Member of Parliament for Knutsford | |
| In office 15 November 1922 – 15 June 1945 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Sykes |
| Succeeded by | Walter Bromley-Davenport |
Military career
editMaking was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st (Royal) Dragoons on 23 January 1892,[1] was promoted to lieutenant on 31 August 1893,[2] and to captain on 2 February 1898.[3]
He fought in the Second Boer War between 1899 and 1902, where he took part in the Relief of Ladysmith, including the battles of Colenso (15 December 1899), Spion Kop (20–24 January 1900), Vaal Krantz (5–7 February 1900), and the Tugela Heights and Pieter's Hill (14–27 February 1900). In the following months he took part in operations in Natal March to June, and in the Orange River Colony until November 1900.[4] He was mentioned in despatches on 10 September 1901,[5] and appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his service during the war.[6] After peace was declared in May 1902, Makins left South Africa on board the SS Bavarian and arrived in the United Kingdom the following month.[7] He was promoted to major on 3 September 1902,[8] and received the insignia of the DSO from King Edward VII following troop inspections on 4 November 1902.[9]
Makins fought in the First World War, where he was also mentioned in despatches. He was appointed commander of the 6th Cavalry Brigade in September 1914.[10] On 11 May 1915 he was promoted to temporary brigadier-general.[11] He was Colonel of the 1st Royal Dragoons between 1931[12] and 1946.[13]
Honours
edit- Distinguished Service Order (DSO; 1902)[6]
- Companion, Order of the Bath (CB; 1917)[14]
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE; 1938)[15]
Political career
editHe was elected at the 1922 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Knutsford division of Cheshire,[16] and held the seat until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1945 general election.[17]
Family
editHe married Maria Florence Mellor (ca. 1877 – 11 August 1972) on 31 January 1903. Their children were:[18]
- Sir Roger Mellor Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield, KCMG (1904–1996)
- Guy Herbert Makins (5 July 1906 – 17 September 1923)
- Major Geoffrey Henry Makins (19 October 1915 – 4 September 1944)
- One of Sir Ernest Makins' grandsons, by his eldest son, was Christopher J. Makins (1942—2006), a British-American diplomat[19]
References
edit- ^ "No. 26249". The London Gazette. 22 January 1892. p. 371.
- ^ "No. 26443". The London Gazette. 22 September 1893. p. 5382.
- ^ "Hart's Army List 1910". p. 156. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- ^ Hart´s Army list, 1903
- ^ "No. 27353". The London Gazette. 10 September 1901. p. 5928.
- ^ a b "No. 27490". The London Gazette. 31 October 1902. p. 6898.
- ^ "The Army in South Africa – the Coronation contingent". The Times. No. 36791. London. 11 June 1902. p. 14.
- ^ "No. 27470". The London Gazette. 2 September 1902. p. 5681.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36917. London. 5 November 1902. p. 10.
- ^ Becke, p. 18
- ^ "No. 29177". The London Gazette. 1 June 1915. p. 5215.
- ^ "No. 33690". The London Gazette. 17 February 1931. p. 1127.
- ^ "No. 37788". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 November 1946. p. 5611.
- ^ "No. 30111". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1917. p. 5454.
- ^ "No. 34518". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 June 1938. p. 3697.
- ^ "No. 32775". The London Gazette. 8 December 1922. p. 8703.
- ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 305. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ^ "Sir Ernest Makins". The Peerage. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
- ^ "Christopher J. Makins, 63, Expert on Foreign Relations". New York Times. 2 February 2006. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
Sources
edit- Becke, Major A.F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-09-4.