{{Short description|British Army officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = [[Lieutenant general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] | name = Sir Charles Briggs | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCB|KCMG}} | birth_date = {{Birth date|1865|10|22|df=yes}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|1941|11|27|1865|10|22|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Hylton Castle]], [[Sunderland, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]], [[England]] | death_place = [[Wickhambrook]], [[Suffolk]], England<ref name="ghgraham"/> | image = File:Lieutenant-General Sir Charles (James) Briggs (1865-1941) (cropped).jpg | image_size = 215px | caption = Sir Charles Briggs, {{circa}} 1922 | nickname = | allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}} | service_years = 1886–1923 | rank = [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] | branch = {{army|United Kingdom}} | commands = [[Imperial Light Horse|1st Imperial Light Horse]]<br/>[[Transvaal Volunteers]]<br/>[[South Eastern Mounted Brigade]]<br/>[[1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Cavalry Brigade]]<br/>[[3rd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Cavalry Division]]<br/>[[28th Division (United Kingdom)|28th Division]]<br/>[[XVI Corps (United Kingdom)|XVI Corps]] | unit = [[1st King's Dragoon Guards]] | battles = [[Second Boer War]]<br/>[[World War I|First World War]] | awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]] | other_work = }} [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] '''Sir Charles James Briggs''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|size=100%|KCB|KCMG}} (22 October 1865 – 27 November 1941)<ref name="ghgraham">[http://ghgraham.org/charlesbriggs1865.html ghgraham.orgSir Charles James Briggs 1865–1941]</ref> was a [[British Army]] officer who served as a distinguished brigade, division and corps commander during the [[World War I|First World War]], ending the conflict in command of [[XVI Corps (United Kingdom)|XVI Corps]] on the difficult and largely overlooked [[Macedonian front]].
==Early life and military career== The son of Charles James Briggs, a [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] in the [[British Army]], of [[Hylton Castle]], then in [[County Durham]], the younger Briggs was born on 22 October 1865. He was educated privately in [[French Third Republic|France]] and [[German Empire|Germany]] before entering the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst|Royal Military College at Sandhurst]], [[Berkshire]].<ref name=birm>[http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/warstudies/research/projects/lionsdonkeys/b.aspx Centre for First World War Studies University of Birmingham] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002164034/http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/warstudies/research/projects/lionsdonkeys/b.aspx |date=2 October 2013 }}</ref><ref name="obituary">[https://ghgraham.org/text/charlesbriggs1865_obit.html Sir Charles James Briggs obituary]</ref> It was from here where he received his commission as a [[Subaltern (military)|subaltern]], with the rank of [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|lieutenant]], into the 1st Dragoon Guards (later the [[1st King's Dragoon Guards]]) in January 1886.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25554|page=441|date=29 January 1886}}</ref><ref name="obituary"/>
In February 1892 he was appointed as an extra [[aide-de-camp]] to [[Major general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Frederick Forestier-Walker|Sir Frederic Forestier-Walker]], then the [[general officer commanding]] (GOC) [[British Troops in Egypt]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26303|page=3813|date=1 July 1892}}</ref> an appointment he held until the following year.<ref name=lh>[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/BRIGGS2.shtml Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives]</ref> Promoted to captain on 1 March 1893,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26388|page=2079|date=4 April 1893}}</ref> he became [[adjutant]] of his regiment in November 1894<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26578|page=7278|date=11 December 1904}}</ref> and brigade adjutant of the [[4th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|4th Cavalry Brigade]] in April 1897,<ref name=lh/> having been seconded for service from his regiment to serve on the staff.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26862|page=3313|date=15 June 1897}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal]], in connection with the [[Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria|Diamond Jubilee]] celebrations in June 1897. All of these appointments "were the mark of a coming man".<ref name="Briggs-WFA" />
==Second Boer War== Following the outbreak of the [[Second Boer War]], which began in October 1899, he was appointed [[brigade major]] of the [[1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Cavalry Brigade]], part of the Cavalry Division under [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] [[John French, 1st Earl of Ypres|Sir John French]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27126|page=6180|date=13 October 1899}}</ref> This role marked his "first experience of active service," which would "bring him considerable distinction."<ref name="obituary"/> By now having moved as brigade major of the [[3rd Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|3rd Cavalry Brigade]], and although he was [[Wounded in action|wounded]] at the [[Battle of Magersfontein]] in December 1899, he recovered in time to participate in the [[Relief of Kimberley]] in February 1900. He was subsequently present for the surrender of [[Piet Cronjé]] at the [[Battle of Paardeberg]] and joined the British advance on [[Pretoria]], seeing further action at [[Battle of Poplar Grove|Poplar Grove]], [[Battle of Driefontein|Driefontein]], [[Karee Siding]], and the [[Battle of Zand River|Zand River]], as well as the [[Battle of Diamond Hill]] in June 1900.<ref name="obituary"/>
In the later stages of the conflict, Briggs transitioned from staff work to field command, leading the [[Imperial Light Horse|1st Imperial Light Horse]] from 1901 to 1902 and later commanding a [[mobile column]]. Recognized for his "skill and daring"<ref name="obituary"/> against [[Boer]] forces, he was promoted to the [[brevet (military)|brevet rank]] of major, dated 29 November 1900.
==Inter-war years== For his services during the war, which came to an end in May 1902 due to the [[Treaty of Vereeniging]], he received a [[brevet (military)|brevet promotion]] to [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] on 26 June 1902, soon after the war ended, in the South African Honours List.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27448|supp=y|pages=4191–4194|date=26 June 1902}}</ref> He was also promoted to the substantive rank of [[major (United Kingdom)|major]], backdated to 14 June 1902.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27460|page=4963|date=1 August 1902}}</ref> For his service in the conflict, Briggs was [[mentioned in dispatches]] twice and awarded the [[Queen's South Africa Medal]] with five [[Medal bar|clasps]] and the [[King's South Africa Medal]] with two clasps.
With the war now over, he left Cape Town on the SS Sicilia and returned to Southampton, Hampshire, in late July.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=The Army in South Africa – Troops returning home|date=16 July 1902|page=11|issue=36821}}</ref> Reported to be medically unfit for foreign service after his return from the war, he was on 1 November appointed in command of a provisional regiment of lancers, then stationed at [[Ballincollig]], Ireland.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=Naval & Military intelligence|date=15 November 1902|page=12|issue=36926}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27497|date=21 November 1902|page=7534}}</ref> He transferred as a major to the [[6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons|6th Dragoons]] in July 1904<ref name=birm/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27696|page=4560|date=15 July 1904}}</ref> "usually the sign of someone being fast-tracked for promotion",<ref name= birmingham>{{cite web|url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/war-studies/surnames-beginning-with-b|title=Surnames beginning 'B' - Lions led by donkeys - War Studies}}</ref> and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in May 1905, while serving on half-pay.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27803|page=4111|date=9 June 1905}}</ref>
Briggs returned to South Africa later in 1905 to serve as commander of the [[Transvaal Volunteers]]. While serving in this role, he played a prominent role in suppressing the [[Bambatha Rebellion]] of 1906.<ref name=lh/> For his leadership, he was promoted to brevet colonel in September 1906.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27947|page=6115|date=7 September 1906}}</ref> He was also mentioned in despatches and awarded the [[Natal Native Rebellion Medal]] with the '1906' clasp. After ceasing to command the volunteers in May 1908, and after returning to Britain, he was once more placed on half-pay.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28143|page=4169|date=5 June 1908}}</ref><ref name="obituary"/> He was promoted to substantive colonel in July.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28154|page=4822|date=3 July 1908}}</ref>
He returned to normal pay and active service in November 1910 when he was appointed to command the [[South Eastern Mounted Brigade]] of the newly created [[Territorial Force]] (TF).<ref name=lh/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28440|page=8690|date=25 November 1910}}</ref> Briggs commanded the Blue Cavalry in the [[Army Manoeuvres of 1912]], during which it "was Briggs who persuaded a somewhat reluctant [[James Grierson (British Army officer)|Grierson]] to employ aircraft for reconnaissance, allowing Grierson to worst his rival, [[Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig|Douglas Haig]]. This may not have been a wise career move".<ref name="Briggs-WFA">{{cite web|url=https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/generals-biographies/charles-james-briggs/|title=Charles James Briggs|publisher=Western Front Association|access-date=11 March 2026}}</ref> In May 1913 he relinquished command of his TF brigade and took over as [[general officer commanding]] (GOC) of the [[1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Cavalry Brigade]], a [[Standing army|Regular Army]] formation, in succession to Colonel [[Charles Kavanagh]]. He was raised to the temporary rank of [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier general]] while employed in this role.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28719|page=3514|date=16 May 1913}}</ref><ref name="obituary"/> In January 1914 he was made a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]] (CB) in the [[1914 New Year Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28788|page=2|date=30 December 1913|supp=y}}</ref>
==First World War== ===France and Belgium=== Still GOC after the [[British entry into World War I]] in August 1914, Briggs led his brigade, which now formed part of Major General [[Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby|Edmund Allenby]]'s [[1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|Cavalry Division]] (later the 1st Cavalry Division) to France later that month with the first elements of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF).<ref name="obituary"/>
While participating in the [[Great Retreat|retreat from Mons]], Briggs and his brigade saw action during the [[Affair of Néry|engagement at Néry]] on 1 September.<ref name=lh/> Throughout this important skirmish, his brigade—supported notably by [[L (Néry) Battery Royal Horse Artillery|"L" Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery]]—successfully repelled an assault by the [[4th Cavalry Division (German Empire)|German 4th Cavalry Division]] and managed to maintain his position until reinforcements reached the area to support his defence.<ref name="obituary"/>
During the [[First Battle of the Aisne|Battle of the Aisne]] on 14 September, he directed the regiments which constituted his brigade "with great energy and skill" near [[Chavonne]] to secure the exposed flank of the [[2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|2nd Division]]. His brigade was later engaged at [[Messon|Messines, Belgium]], during the [[First Battle of Ypres]], where both the brigade and its commander received further recognition for their performance.<ref name="obituary"/>
In February 1915, Briggs was promoted "for services rendered in connection with Operations in the Field"<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29074|page=1685|date=16 February 1915|supp=y}}</ref> to the rank of major general, for his distinguished conduct in the war so far. He remained in command of his 1st Cavalry Brigade until 7 May, when he succeeded Major General [[Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy|The Hon. Julian Byng]] as GOC of the [[3rd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Cavalry Division]].<ref name= birmingham/>
Under his command, the division participated in the [[Second Battle of Ypres]], specifically during the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge. He later led them through the Battle of Hooge in June, where Briggs's men held the line as [[dismounted infantry]] following a German [[flamethrower]] attack. The final engagement during Briggs's tenure as GOC occurred during the [[Battle of Loos]] in September, where the division provided "excellent service", despite seeing no major action during the offensive.<ref name="obituary"/>
===Macedonia=== [[File:Generals Milne and Briggs with Alexander I of Greece 1917 IWM HU 94137.jpg|thumb|left|From left to right: Lieutenant General [[George Milne, 1st Baron Milne|George Milne]] with King [[Alexander I of Greece]] and Lieutenant General Charles Briggs, c. 1917.]]
On 13 October, Briggs relinquished command of the division to Major General [[John Vaughan (British Army officer, born 1871)|John Vaughan]] and succeeded Major General [[Edward Bulfin]] as GOC of the [[28th Division (United Kingdom)|28th Division]], which had also fought at Loos. Shortly after this, Briggs received orders to move his division to [[Balkan Front (World War I)|the Balkans]], where a new front was being opened. Following a brief period refitting in [[History of Egypt under the British|Egypt]], the division's arrival on the [[Macedonian front|Macedonian front]] was completed by January 1916.<ref name="obituary"/> Both Briggs and his 28th Division remained in this [[Theater (warfare)|theatre]] for the duration of the war, although he would not lead the division in combat while serving in this so-called "[[malaria]]l backwater."<ref name= birmingham/>
In May 1916, Briggs was promoted to temporary [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|lieutenant general]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29730|page=8597|date=1 September 1916}}</ref> and appointed GOC of [[XVI Corps (United Kingdom)|XVI Corps]].<ref name="obituary"/> He took over from Lieutenant General [[George Milne, 1st Baron Milne|George Milne]], who had moved up to succeed Lieutenant General [[Bryan Mahon|Sir Bryan Mahon]] as [[commander-in-chief]] (C-in-C) of the [[British Salonika Army]]. Under Briggs, the corps held the eastern sector along the Struma Valley, where the struggle against [[malaria]] often proved as taxing as combat itself. In January 1917 his CB, awarded three years earlier, was upgraded to a KCB, making him '''Sir Charles'''.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29886|page=2|date=29 December 1916|supp=y}}</ref> In May he was made a Commander of the [[Legion of Honour]] by the [[government of France]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30043|page=4162|date=1 May 1917|supp=y}}</ref> Throughout most of 1917, he directed a series of aggressive localized raids at Homondos, Bairakli, and Kumli to pin down [[Bulgarian Armed Forces|Bulgarian forces]] and maintain a secure outpost line.<ref name="obituary"/>
He was made a [[Order of St Michael and St George|Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]] (KCMG) in January 1918.<ref>{{London Gazette|city=e|issue=13186|date=1 January 1918|page=9}}</ref> His command culminated in the final Allied offensive of September 1918. During the breakthrough, Briggs's XVI Corps launched critical diversionary attacks near [[Lake Doiran]] and the Struma River, which successfully prevented the [[Second Army (Bulgaria)|Bulgarian Second Army]] from shifting reinforcements to the main point of attack. These actions contributed to the general collapse of the Bulgarian front and the subsequent [[Armistice of Salonica]], which knocked [[Kingdom of Bulgaria|Bulgaria]] out of the war.<ref name="obituary"/> Shortly after this, he was appointed a Grand Commander of the [[Order of the Redeemer]] by the Greece.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30945|supp=y|page=11951|date=8 October 1918}}</ref>
==Post-war and retirement== In January 1919, Briggs was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant general as a reward "for distinguished service in connection with Military Operations in Salonika".<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=13381|page=117|date=7 January 1919|city=e}}</ref> He relinquished command of XVI Corps in February in order to become chief of the British military mission to [[South Russia (1919–1920)|South Russia]], serving as the primary liaison to Lieutenant-General [[Anton Denikin]], C-in-C of the [[Armed Forces of South Russia]]. During this tenure, he oversaw the coordination of British technical assistance and supplies for the [[White movement|White Army]] during the [[Russian Civil War]]. He relinquished this assignment in June<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31479|page=9662|date=29 July 1919|supp=y}}</ref> and returned to Britain, remaining on special duty at the [[War Office]] in [[London]].
He was heavily decorated by various foreign nations for his services both during and after the war; in June 1919 he was appointed a [[Order of the White Eagle (Serbia)|Grand Officer of the Order of the White Eagle with Swords (Serbia)]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31393|supp=y|page=7401|date=6 June 1919}}</ref> and the [[Order of the White Eagle (Russia)]]; he was awarded the [[War Cross (Greece)#1917 version|War Cross with Palm (Greece)]] in July,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31465|supp=y|page=9232|date=18 July 1919}}</ref> and in August the [[Medal of Military Merit (Greece)|Medal of Military Merit, 1st Class (Greece)]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31514|supp=y|page=10611|date=19 August 1919}}</ref>
He remained in this post until his retirement from the army in February 1923,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32792|page=804|date=2 February 1923}}</ref><ref name=lh/><ref name="Briggs-WFA" /> bringing an end to his military career which had begun nearly forty years earlier.
In retirement, he served as colonel of his old regiment, the 1st King's Dragoon Guards, from 16 March 1926, when he took over from Major General [[William Vesey Brownlow]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=33149|page=2470|date=9 April 1926}}</ref> He held this position throughout the remainder of the [[interwar period]] until finally relinquishing the role on 31 December 1939, almost four months after the outbreak of the next [[World War II|Second World War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/DG1kdg.htm |title=1st King's Dragoon Guards |publisher=Regiments.org |accessdate=26 July 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060110003444/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/DG1kdg.htm |archivedate=10 January 2006 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Briggs married Rosamund Daphne Ryder, the second daughter of Mr C. F. Ryder of the Hall, [[Thurlow, Suffolk]], with whom he had a daughter. He died at the age of 76 on 27 November 1941 at his home, the Manor House in [[Wickhambrook]], near [[Newmarket, Suffolk]].<ref name="obituary"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=[[Charles Kavanagh]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|GOC 1st Cavalry Brigade]]|years=1913–1915}} {{s-aft|after=[[Ernest Makins]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy|The Hon. Julian Byng]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[3rd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|GOC 3rd Cavalry Division]]|years=May–October 1915}} {{s-aft|after=[[John Vaughan (British Army officer, born 1871)|John Vaughan]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Edward Bulfin]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[28th Division (United Kingdom)|GOC 28th Division]]|years=1915–1916}} {{s-aft|after=[[Henry Leycester Croker|Henry Croker]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[George Milne, 1st Baron Milne|George Milne]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[XVI Corps (United Kingdom)|GOC XVI Corps]]|years=1916–1919}} {{s-aft|after=Post disbanded}} |- {{s-hon}} {{succession box|before=[[William Vesey Brownlow]]|title=[[1st King's Dragoon Guards|Colonel of the 1st King's Dragoon Guards]]|years=1926–1939|after=[[Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie|The Lord Gowrie]]}} {{end box}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Briggs, Charles}} [[Category:1865 births]] [[Category:1941 deaths]] [[Category:Macedonian front]] [[Category:Military personnel from Tyne and Wear]] [[Category:British Army cavalry generals of World War I]] [[Category:British Army personnel of the Second Boer War]] [[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]] [[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]] [[Category:Commanders of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:Recipients of the War Cross (Greece)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Medal of Military Merit (Greece)]] [[Category:1st King's Dragoon Guards officers]] [[Category:6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons officers]] [[Category:Imperial Light Horse officers]] [[Category:British Army personnel of the Russian Civil War]] [[Category:British Army lieutenant generals]]