Major-General Robert Clive Bridgeman, 2nd Viscount Bridgeman (1 April 1896 – 17 November 1982), styled The Honourable Robert Bridgeman between 1929 and 1935, was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer and peer.

Background

Born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and baptised at

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

, he was the son of William Bridgeman, 1st Viscount Bridgeman, and his wife Caroline Beatrix Parker, daughter of Honourable Cecil Thomas Parker. His youngest brother was Maurice Bridgeman. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and in 1935, he succeeded his father as viscount.

Military career

First World War

Bridgeman became 2nd lieutenant in the

Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

in 1914 and served during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1916, and received the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

in the next year.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, in so skilfully training and-leading his company in an attack as to inflict heavy casualties upon the enemy with hardly any personal losses. He afterwards displayed great resource in keeping his headquarters informed of the situation, in spite of heavy hostile barrage, during which he was wounded, but remained at his post, showing a fine example to all ranks.

After the war, he was private secretary to his father in 1918 and became captain in 1921. He attended the

Staff College, Camberley Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army and the presidency armies of British India (later merged to form the Indian Army). It had its origins in the Royal Military College, High Wycombe, founded in 1799, which ...

from 1927 to 1928. His fellow students included Oliver Leese,

Philip Christison General Sir Alexander Frank Philip Christison, 4th Baronet, (17 November 1893 – 21 December 1993) was a British Army officer who served with distinction during the world wars. After service as a junior officer on the Western Front in the Fir ...

, Eric Hayes,

Evelyn Barker General (United Kingdom), General Sir Evelyn Hugh Barker, (22 May 1894 – 23 November 1983) was a British Army officer who saw service in both the First World War and the Second World War. During the latter, he commanded the 10th Infantry Br ...

, Eric Dorman-Smith, John Whiteley, Ronald Penney, Clement West, Wilfred Lloyd, Stanley Kirby and John Hawkesworth. He was then transferred as a brevet-major to the 7th Infantry Brigade in 1932. Bridgeman held this command until 1934 and became brevet lieutenant-colonel in the following year, having been simultaneously appointed to the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

as a general staff officer.

Second World War

Bridgeman retired on half-pay in 1937, however was reactivated to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) with the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was decorated with the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

(DSO) in July 1940 after the

Dunkirk evacuation The Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, was the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied soldiers during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the ...

and commanded the 145th Infantry Brigade, part of the 48th (South Midland) Infantry Division, a Territorial Army (TA) formation, recently returned from Dunkirk. He became first deputy director, then director-general, of the

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...

as well as the TA in the next year. In 1942, Bridgeman was promoted to colonel and temporary major-general. He was nominated deputy adjutant-general to the War Office in 1944, a post he held until the end of the war. In 1951, Bridgeman retired, having been granted the rank of honorary major-general.

Later years

Bridgeman was appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

in the New Year's Honours 1944, and became honorary colonel of the 4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1949. Bridgeman served as treasurer of the

Royal Salop Infirmary The Parade Shops, formerly the Royal Salop Infirmary, is a specialist shopping centre at St Mary's Place in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building. History The original facility on the site was the Salop Infirmary desig ...

at Shrewsbury in 1946, and 1948 when the hospital was taken over by the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

. Having been before already Deputy Lieutenant, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire in 1951. Representing the county also as Justice of the Peace, he held the Lord lieutenancy until 1970. He was appointed a

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1954, and a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem one year later. Bridgeman was president of the West Midland Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve Association in 1968 and the next year.

Family

On 12 June 1930, he married Mary Kathleen Lane Fox, second daughter of George Lane-Fox, 1st Baron Bingley, and had by her three daughters. He was succeeded in the viscountcy by his nephew Robin Bridgeman, the son of his younger brother Geoffrey. Lady Bridgeman died in 1981. He died on 17 November 1982 aged eighty-six, and was buried in the churchyard at Hope near Minsterley, Shropshire. His youngest daughter, Mary Selina Bayliss, went on to serve as both

High Sheriff of Berkshire The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Anglo-Saxons, Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'. The title of High Sheriff#United King ...

and

Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. Since 1689, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Berkshire. Lord-Lieutenants of Berkshire *Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk 1545–22 August 1545 *Edw ...

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

*
Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridgeman, Robert Bridgeman, 2nd Viscount 1896 births 1982 deaths

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

British Army generals of World War II British Army personnel of World War I Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Companions of the Order of the Bath Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley Lord-lieutenants of Shropshire Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Knights of the Order of St John Recipients of the Military Cross Rifle Brigade officers Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom British Army major generals War Office personnel in World War II Military personnel from London Nobility from London