{{Short description|British Army general (1864–1950)}} {{for|the baseball player|Charlie Kavanagh}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] | name = Sir Charles Kavanagh | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCB|KCMG|CVO|DSO}} | image = File:LtGenCharlesKavanagh.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1864|03|25|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Borris, County Carlow]], Ireland<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/10thhussarscharleskavanagh.htm|title=10th Hussars|first=Stephen|last=Luscombe|website=www.britishempire.co.uk|access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> | death_date = {{death date and age|1950|10|11|1864|03|25|df=y}} | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = [[British Army]] | service_years = 1884–1920 | rank = [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] | service_number = | unit = [[3rd Dragoon Guards]]<br/>[[10th Royal Hussars]] | commands = [[10th Royal Hussars]]<br/>1st Cavalry Brigade<br/>7th Cavalry Brigade<br/>[[2nd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|2nd Cavalry Division]]<br/>[[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]]<br/>[[Cavalry Corps (United Kingdom)|Cavalry Corps]] | battles = [[Second Boer War]]<br/>[[First World War]] | awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]]<br/>[[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=12155|page=702|date=29 June 1909|city=e}}</ref><br/>[[Distinguished Service Order]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]<br>[[Legion of Honour]] | relations = | other_work = }} [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] '''Sir Charles Toler MacMorrough Kavanagh''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|sep=,|KCB|KCMG|CVO|DSO}} (25 March 1864 – 11 October 1950) was a [[British Army]] officer who commanded the [[Cavalry Corps (United Kingdom)|Cavalry Corps]] during the [[First World War]], most notably at the [[Battle of Amiens (1918)|Battle of Amiens]] in 1918.
==Early life and military career== [[File:Captain Charles Toler McMurragh Kavanagh (10th Hussars).jpg|thumb|left|Kavanagh, pictured here in 1899 as a captain and adjutant to the 6th Yeomanry Brigade.]]
Kavanagh was born in March 1864 in [[Borris, County Carlow]], the son of [[Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh]], [[Chief of the Name|The MacMorrough]] and Mary Frances Forde-Leathley. He received his education at [[Harrow School]]<ref name=boer/> before going on to the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst|Royal Military College at Sandhurst]] in 1882, from where he was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[second lieutenant]] into the [[3rd Dragoon Guards]] of the [[British Army]] in February 1884,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25315|page=532|date=5 February 1884}}</ref> although he transferred to the [[10th Royal Hussars|10th Hussars]] just two weeks later.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25319|page=844|date=19 February 1884}}</ref><ref name=boer/> In March 1889 he was seconded from his regiment<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25917|page=1865|date=2 April 1889}}</ref> and sent to Jamaica where he served for a time as [[aide-de-camp]] to the [[governor of Jamaica]] at the time, [[Henry Arthur Blake]].<ref name=boer>{{Cite web|url=https://www.angloboerwar.com/index.php/medals-and-awards/british/1884-distinguished-service-order?option=com_grid&gid=22_uw_0&p=28|title= Kavanagh, Charles|publisher=Anglo Boer War|access-date=8 January 2025}}</ref>
In 1890 he returned to the 10th Hussars to assume command of a [[troop]] and was promoted to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in April 1891.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26156|date=28 April 1891|page=2310}}</ref> In June 1895 he was appointed adjutant to the 6th Yeomanry Brigade (Prince Albert's Own Leicestershire Yeomanry Cavalry and Derbyshire Yeomanry Cavalry).<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26633|date=11 June 1895|page=3319}}</ref>
He served in the [[Second Boer War]], which began in October 1899, as [[commanding officer]] (CO) of the 10th Hussars, and was promoted to [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]] in January 1900,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27154|date=16 January 1900|page=287}}</ref> and then to the [[Brevet (military)|brevet rank]] of [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] in November of that year.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27359|date=27 September 1901|page=6305}}</ref> While in command of a [[Flying column|mobile column]], Kavanagh vigorously pursued [[Jan Smuts in the Boer War|Jan Smuts]], who later admitted that Kavanagh had in fact come closer than anyone else in capturing him.<ref name="auto"/>
Following the end of the war in May 1902, Kavanagh, now nicknamed Major Push-Along by the men under his command,<ref name="auto"/> returned to the United Kingdom in the [[RMS Dunottar Castle|"SS Dunottar Castle"]], which arrived at [[Southampton]] in July 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Army in South Africa – Troops returning home |date=8 July 1902 |page=11 |column=c |issue=36814 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/archive/article/1902-07-08/11/5.html}}</ref> He was [[mentioned in dispatches]] by [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]] in his final despatch, dated 23 June 1902,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27459|date=29 July 1902|pages=4835–4838}}</ref> and received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his exemplary services in the war.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27490|date=31 October 1902|page=6898}}</ref>
He was made [[second-in-command]] of the 10th Hussars, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel [[Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]], which was sent to [[British Raj|India]]. While there, Kavanagh played polo for his regiment. In May 1904 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and took command of the regiment from Byng,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27682|page=3552|date=3 June 1904}}</ref> remaining in this appointment until 1908,<ref name="auto"/> during which time he was promoted to brevet colonel in August 1905.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27830|page=5842|date=25 August 1905}}</ref> The next year saw him promoted to [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]]. In May 1909, after four years commanding the regiment, he relinquished command and was placed on [[half-pay]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28136|page=3481|date=12 May 1908}}</ref> In May 1909 he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general and succeeded Major General [[Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy|The Hon. Julian Byng]] as [[general officer commanding]] (GOC) of the [[1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Cavalry Brigade]], then stationed in [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]], as part of [[Aldershot Command]].<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28252|page=3762|date=18 May 1909}}</ref>
He commanded the brigade for the next four years until May 1913 when he went on half-pay and relinquished his temporary brigadier's rank.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28718|page=3440|date=13 May 1913}}</ref> His next assignment came in December that year in India as commander of the [[Fyzabad Brigade]], part of the [[8th (Lucknow) Division]].<ref name="auto"/> He was promoted once more the next month to temporary brigadier general and assumed command of the brigade from Major General [[John Forster (British Army officer)|John B. Forster]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28811|page=2162|date=10 March 1914}}</ref>
==First World War== [[File:The British Army on the Western Front, 1914-1918 Q9679 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Lieutenant-General Charles Kavanagh, GOC Cavalry Corps, pictured here fifth from the left in the front row with members of his staff in November 1918.]]
The [[British entry into World War I]] in August 1914 found Kavanagh on leave in England. Shortly afterwards, on 10 September, he took over the newly formed [[7th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|7th Cavalry Brigade]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28930|page=8018|date=6 October 1914|supp=y}}</ref> which formed part of Major General The Hon. Julian Byng's newly created [[3rd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Cavalry Division]] and departed with the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) for service in France, where he would serve with distinction, most notably at the [[First Battle of Ypres]]. It was here that his skills in leadership made a difference and brought his brigade up to a high standard. He led a [[counterattack]] in early November and which many people believe saved Ypres and the BEF.<ref name="auto"/>
In February 1915 Kavanagh was promoted to [[Major general (United Kingdom)|major general]] "for services rendered in connection with Operations in the Field"<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29074|page=1685|date=16 February 1915|supp=y}}</ref> and three months later he was made GOC of the [[2nd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)|2nd Cavalry Division]].<ref name="auto"/>
His time with the division was short, however, and, after playing a distinctive role in the [[Second Battle of Ypres]], Kavanagh became GOC of the [[5th Infantry Division (United States)|5th Division]], one of the original [[Standing army|Regular Army]] divisions of the BEF.<ref name="auto"/>
Holding this post until March 1916, where he was very active in the front lines and frequently seeing to the wellbeing of his men, he then received promotion to temporary lieutenant-general in April<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29566|page=4435|date=2 May 1916|supp=y}}</ref> and took command of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] from [[Hubert Gough|Sir Hubert Gough]]. Again, however, his period in command was destined to be short, lasting only until July, although in his fairly short time with the corps he managed to irritate many of his division commanders with his interferences into the front lines.<ref name="auto"/>
[[File:The British Army on the Western Front, 1914-1918 Q9690.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Field Marshal [[Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig|Sir Douglas Haig]] (centre front) with his senior commanders and staff officers at [[Cambrai]], France November 1918. Stood in the third row, second on the left, is Lieutenant-General Kavanagh, GOC Cavalry Corps.]]
[[File:The Liberation of Belgium, November 1918 Q7188.jpg|thumb|right|Lieutenant General Charles Kavanagh watching the [[2nd Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|2nd Cavalry Brigade]] passing through [[Spa, Belgium]], 29 November 1918.]]
In August Kavanagh was asked to reform the [[Cavalry Corps (United Kingdom)|Cavalry Corps]] which had been broken up earlier in the year. He was to remain as its GOC until after the end of the war, which came to an end on [[armistice of 11 November 1918|11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/armistice.htm |title=Armistice: The End of World War I, 1918 |year=2004 |website=EyeWitness to History|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126000847/http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/armistice.htm|archive-date=26 November 2018|access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref>
For his services in the war, he was made a [[Order of the Bath|Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] in January 1917<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=29886|page=2|date=29 December 1916|supp=y}}</ref> and in 1919 a [[Order of St Michael and St George|Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]], and was also granted the French [[Legion of Honour]] that year as well.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31150|page=1445|date=28 January 1919|supp=y}}</ref>
==Post-war and final years== He retired from the army in March 1920, with the honorary rank of lieutenant general,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31838|page=3735|date=26 March 1920|supp=y}}</ref> after well over thirty-five years of continuous service.<ref name="auto"/> In retirement he became [[Governor of the Military Knights of Windsor]].<ref>Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.</ref>
He died on 11 October 1950, at the age of 86.<ref name="auto"/>
==Family== In 1895 he married Mary Perry; they had two daughters.<ref name=boer/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{cite TIWW |article=Kavanagh, Lieut.-General Sir Charles Mcmorrough |page=119 }}
{{s-start}} {{S-mil}} {{s-bef|before=[[Thomas Morland]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|GOC 5th Division]]|years=1915–1916}} {{s-aft|after=[[Reginald Byng Stephens|Reginald Stephens]]}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kavanagh, Charles}} [[Category:1864 births]] [[Category:1950 deaths]] [[Category:British Army personnel of the Second Boer War]] [[Category:British Army lieutenant generals]] [[Category:British Army cavalry generals of World War I]] [[Category:British people of Irish descent]] [[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]] [[Category:People educated at Harrow School]] [[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 Royal Victorian Order]] [[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]] [[Category:3rd Dragoon Guards officers]] [[Category:10th Royal Hussars officers]] [[Category:Military personnel from County Carlow]] [[Category:People from Borris, County Carlow]] [[Category:Irish officers in the British Army]] [[Category:British recipients of the Legion of Honour]]