21 Facts About Herbert Chermside

Herbert Chermside's parents were Rev Richard Seymour Conway Chermside, rector of Wilton and son of Sir Robert Alexander Chermside, and Emily Dawson.

Herbert Chermside was a scholar at Eton College and then attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, where he graduated at the top of his year and was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1870.

In 1876, Herbert Chermside was sent to Ottoman Turkey to work with the Turkish forces after Serbia and Montenegro declared war on the country in July.

Herbert Chermside was working as a military attache to Turkey in 1877, when Russia declared war.

In 1882, Herbert Chermside was promoted to captain, and appointed to the British Army's intelligence staff in Egypt.

Herbert Chermside was given command of the Egyptian Army's 1st Battalion by the army's Sirdar, Evelyn Wood, and spent four years in Egypt where he took part in the Suakin Expedition of 1884, against Muhammad Ahmad's Mahdist forces and served as governor-general of the Red Sea littoral.

Herbert Chermside was transferred to Wadi Halfa in October 1886, and spent the next two years repelling Mahdist incursions at Sarras.

Herbert Chermside then was assigned to reorganise the gendarmerie of the newly-autonomous Cretan State, later taking command of the British troops there and serving as military commissioner from 1896.

In 1899 Herbert Chermside returned to Britain, but was sent to South Africa to command the 14th Brigade and the 3rd Division during the Second Boer War.

Herbert Chermside was back in the United Kingdom to take up command of the Curragh Camp in Ireland from January 1901.

Herbert Chermside arrived in Australia in early March 1902, landing in Fremantle.

Herbert Chermside arrived in Brisbane on 24 March 1902 to find Queensland in the grip of a drought and economic recession.

Herbert Chermside immediately volunteered to forgo 15 per cent of his vice-regal salary, and his sacrifice and approachable nature made him a popular figure amongst the Queensland public.

However, concerned by the parliamentary attitude to the role of governor, Herbert Chermside decided to resign in 1904, although he delayed the announcement until a political crisis had been dealt with by granting a dissolution of parliament to Premier Sir Arthur Morgan after several failed attempts to establish a stable government.

Herbert Chermside was the second son of the rector of Wilton, Reverend Richard Seymour Conway Herbert Chermside, and his wife, Emily Dawson.

Herbert Chermside remarried in 1920 to Clementine Maria Reuter, and there were no children of the marriage.

Herbert Chermside retired from the British Army in February 1907 at the honorary rank of lieutenant-general.

Herbert Chermside died in London, aged 79, on 24 September 1929.

Herbert Chermside was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1886.

Herbert Chermside was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1880, upgraded to Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1897, and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1899.

The Brisbane suburb of Herbert Chermside is named in Herbert Chermside's honour.