{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{For|the Anglo-Irish author|Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = Brigadier-General |name= Percy FitzGerald |honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DSO}} |image= |image_size= |alt= |caption= |nickname= |birth_date= {{birth date|1873|04|18|df=yes}} |birth_place= St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia |death_date= {{death date and age|1933|08|17|1873|04|18|df=yes}} |death_place= Marylebone, London, England |burial_place= |allegiance= United Kingdom |branch= British Army |service_years= 1893–1920 |rank= Brigadier-General |unit= Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)<br/>11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars |commands= 5th Mounted Brigade |battles= Second Boer War<br/>First World War |awards= Distinguished Service Order<br/>Mentioned in Despatches (5)<br/>Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) |relations= Nicholas FitzGerald (father) |other_work= }} [[File:Grab Percy Desmond Fitzgerald.jpg|thumb|Tomb of Percy FitzGerald at St Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, London]] Brigadier-General '''Percy Desmond FitzGerald''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|DSO}} (18 April 1873 – 17 August 1933) was a cavalry officer in the British Army and a sportsman, playing polo and cricket at competition levels.
Born in Australia, he moved to Great Britain and joined the army, initially serving in the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), and then the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars. The highlight of his military career was as commander of the 5th Mounted Brigade during the Sinai and Palestine campaign.
==Civilian life== Percy Desmond FitzGerald was born 18 April 1873 in St Kilda, Melbourne. He was the son of Nicholas FitzGerald and Marianne (née O'Shanassy).<ref name=peer>{{cite web|accessdate=19 September 2013|publisher=Lundy Consulting Ltd |work=The Peerage|title=Brig.-Gen. Percy Desmond FitzGerald |url=http://thepeerage.com/p1210.htm#i12093 |date=30 January 2011 }}</ref> His father was member of the Parliament of Victoria, having moved there in 1859 and established the Castlemaine brewery.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=19 September 2013|publisher=Parliament of Victoria|title=Fitzgerald, Nicholas|url=http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=373|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823133103/http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/re-member/bioregfull.cfm?mid=373|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 August 2006}}</ref>
FitzGerald was educated at St Mary's College, Oscott.<ref name=peer/> He became a first-class cricketer with the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1897, and a polo player competing several times for the Roehampton Trophy.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=19 September 2013|publisher=ESPN|title=Percy Fitzgerald|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/13075.html}}</ref>
In October 1914, during the First World War, he married Lady Millicent Fanny St. Clair-Erskine, the daughter of Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn and Blanche Adeliza Fitzroy. The marriage was annulled without issue in 1919. FitzGerald died in Marylebone, London, on 17 August 1933.<ref name=peer/>
==Military career== [[File:Group portrait of officers at the British Army Staff College, Camberley, 1906.jpg|thumb|left|Group portrait of officers at the British Staff College at Camberley, England, 1906. Percy FitzGerald, then a captain, is in the second row, second on the left.]]
FitzGerald's military career began with the Victorian local military force, but in December 1893 he became a second lieutenant in the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment).<ref>{{London Gazette|date=22 December 1893|issue=26469|page=7459}}</ref> While still a second lieutenant he transferred from the Buffs to the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars in January 1894,<ref>{{London Gazette|date=23 January 1894|issue=26478|page=440}}</ref> and on 20 November 1897 he was promoted to lieutenant.
FitzGerald saw service in the Second Boer War, being mentioned in despatches four times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1901.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=19 April 1901|issue=27306|page=2699}}</ref><ref name=peer/> His Queen's South Africa Medal had four clasps: Belfast, Orange Free State, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=19 September 2013|publisher=North-east medals|title=The Queen's South Africa Medal to the 11th Hussars|url=http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/british_cavalry_regiment/11th_prince_alberts_own_hussars_boer_medal_roll.htm}}</ref> While still in South Africa, he was appointed adjutant of his regiment on 6 May 1902.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27456 |date=22 July 1902 |page=4671 }}</ref> Following the war, in December 1903, FitGerald became the aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Michael Rimington, commanding the 3rd Cavalry Brigade.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=22 March 1904|issue=27660|page=1874}}</ref> Then, in January 1905, he was promoted to captain.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=3 January 1905|issue=27750|page=26}}</ref> By 1913, FitzGerald had been promoted to major and was holding the position of a brigade major, Staff Officer at the War Office.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=25 April 1913|issue=28713|page=2978}}</ref> In April 1914 he was made a GSO3 there.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28818|page=2879|date=3 April 1914}}</ref>
At the start of the First World War he was General Staff Officer Grade 2.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=29 September 1914|issue=28920|page=7771|supp=y}}</ref> He eventually became a brevet lieutenant colonel and temporary brigadier general, commanding the 5th Mounted Brigade in the Sinai and Palestine campaign.<ref>{{London Gazette|date=11 October 1918|issue=30952|supp=y|page=12107}}</ref> During the war he was again mentioned in despatches, and awarded the French Legion of Honour. He retired from the army in 1920.<ref name=peer/>
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:FitzGerald Percy}} Category:1873 births Category:1933 deaths Category:Alumni of St Mary's College, Oscott Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Category:British polo players Category:Roehampton Trophy Category:British Army cavalry generals of World War I Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour Category:11th Hussars officers Category:Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) officers Category:English cricketers Category:Military personnel from Melbourne Category:British Army brigadier-generals Category:Australian people of Irish descent Category:Australian emigrants to England Category:People from St Kilda, Victoria