Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), Lieutenant General Sir Michael Frederic Rimington, (23 May 1858 – 19 December 1928) was a British Army officer who commanded cavalry forces in the Second Boer War and First World War. After early service with the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, "Mike" Rimington was given command of an irregular cavalry force in South Africa, known as "Rimington's Guides". He commanded them for a year before taking command of his regular regiment, and later a cavalry brigade. In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, he commanded the 1st Indian Cavalry Division and then the Indian Cavalry Corps on the Western Front, before retiring to home-service duties in 1916. He had one son, Reginald, who followed his father into the 6th Dragoons; he rose to command an armoured brigade in 1941, and was killed in North Africa.

Early career

Born in Penrith, Rimington attended Highgate School in London and then studied at Keble College, Oxford. He graduated in 1881, and joined the army as a lieutenant in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons that October. The regiment was stationed in South Africa, and Rimington's first active service was the Warren Expedition in 1884 to recapture the United States of Stellaland. He later served in the campaign against Dinizulu in 1888, as the regimental adjutant.Obituary in the ''Times'' He was promoted to the rank of Captain (British Army and Royal Marines), Captain on 26 October 1887. That year, he married Agnes Cunningham; they had one son, Reginald, who followed his father into the 6th Dragoons and later the Royal Tank Regiment. Reginald Rimington rose to command the 3rd Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom), 3rd Armoured Brigade during the early stages of the Second World War; he was taken prisoner in the Western Desert Campaign#Rommel's first offensive, German offensive of April 1941 in North Africa, and died of wounds on 10 April. The Iniskillings returned to the United Kingdom in 1890, with Rimington remaining with them on regimental duties. He was promoted to major on 3 April 1897, and the same year appointed to a staff position overseeing remounts. Around this point, he published his first book, ''Hints on Stable Management''.

Boer War

As tensions increased in South Africa through 1899, Rimington was sent out in July on special service. He had only just arrived when the Second Boer War was declared in October, and was appointed to raise a force of irregular mounted scouts, known as Rimington's Guides, but more commonly nicknamed "Rimington's Tigers" for their habit of wearing wildcat fur bands on their hats.''Damant's Horse''
angloboerwar.com He led the Guides as part of Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen, Lord Methuen's force, sent to relieve the siege of Kimberley, fighting at the battles of Battle of Belmont (1899), Belmont (23 November 1899), Enslin, Battle of Modder River, Modder River (28 November 1899), and Battle of Magersfontein, Magersfontein (11 December 1899). Under Sir John French, 1st Earl of Ypres, John French he commanded them at the battles of Battle of Paardeberg, Paardeberg (February 1900) and Battle of Poplar Grove, Poplar Grove (7 March 1900), as part of the march to Pretoria, and then at the battle of Battle of Diamond Hill, Diamond Hill in June 1900. The focus of the operations in the Orange Free State then shifted to irregular guerrilla warfare, and Rimington's troopers saw heavy service here until the end of the year. Rimington left the Guides in January 1901. The force was reorganised as Damant's Horse under Major Frederic Damant, Rimington's second-in-command, though they were often known by his name through the remainder of the war. Rimington returned to the 6th Dragoons, following a promotion to Lieutenant-colonel (British Army), lieutenant-colonel on 29 September 1900, to take command of the regiment, and fought with them through the remainder of the war. For his services in South Africa, he was mentioned in despatches five times (including by Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Lord Roberts on 31 March 1900, and by Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, Lord Kichener on 23 June 1902), appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the April 1901 South African honours list (the award was dated to 29 November 1900), and received the Queen's South Africa Medal and King's South Africa Medal with ten clasps. This last was the highest number of bars normally awarded for these campaign medals. He also received a Brevet (military), brevet promotion to Colonel (British Army), colonel in the South Africa honours list published on 26 June 1902. The war ended with the Peace of Vereeniging in early June 1902, and Rimington returned home in the ''SS Tagus'', arriving at Southampton in July. In his last despatch as Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, dated 23 June 1902, Lord Kitchener described him the following way: He received the actual decoration of CB after his return home, from King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on 24 October 1902.

Later career

Following the war, he was promoted to command the 3rd Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom), 3rd Cavalry Brigade in January 1903, then in 1907 given command of the 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade, Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade of the 9th (Secunderabad) Division in India. In March 1911, when his tenure in command of the brigade expired, he became the Inspector-General of cavalry units in India. In 1912, he was appointed the ceremonial colonel of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, a position he would hold through their amalgamation into the 5th/6th Dragoons, and until his death. The same year, he published his second book, ''Our Cavalry'', a summary of the contemporary role of cavalry "for junior officers of all arms". He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 16 December 1911 at which time he was Inspector-General of Cavalry in India.

First World War

At the outbreak of the First World War, Rimington left his staff position to accompany the Indian Expeditionary Force to France, as commander of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division. With the arrival of a second division in December 1914, he was promoted to command the Indian Cavalry Corps, remaining with it until it was disbanded. Following the disbandment of the corps, Rimington was given command of a reserve centre in the United Kingdom, from April 1916 to January 1918, and retired from the Army in 1919. For his services during the war, Rimington was knighted, appointed a Commander of the Legion of Honour, and twice mentioned in despatches.

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References

* Obituary in the ''Times'', 20 December 1928, p. 16 * * , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Rimington, Michael 1858 births 1928 deaths British Army cavalry generals of World War I 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons officers British Army personnel of the Second Boer War Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order People educated at Highgate School Alumni of Keble College, Oxford Military personnel from Cumberland British Army lieutenant generals