CO-CCCF-0004

Record Date: 
4 July 2013
Graveyard: 
Christchurch
Exact wording of epitaph: 

IN LOVING MEMORY OF 

MAJOR GENERAL

G. M. FITZGERALD, C.B., M.C.

19TH K.G.V's O. LANCERS

LATE BENGAL LANCERS

DIED 5TH DEC. 1957

Memorial Type: 
Ledger Slab
Grave location
County: 
Cork
Latitude: 
51.909837230016
Longitude: 
-8.7931206800112
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Title: 
Major General
Name: 
G. M.
Surname: 
FitzGerald
Date of death - day: 
5
Date of death - month: 
December
Date of death - year: 
1957
Notes: 

The initials 'C.B.' stand for Companion of the Order of the Bath, a British chivalric order. The initials 'M.C.' stand for Military Cross, a British military decoration.

GENERAL G. M. FITZGERALD (Gerald Michael), a Corkman, served in the Indian Army, in the famous Bengal Lancers, also known as the 7th Hariana Lancers. His regiment became part of Force D (Indian Expeditionary Force) sent to France, where he served. Rising through the ranks, he became a full General, and served in the Army Council during WW2. He retired to Coachford in his final days. (Source: ACR Heritage).

(Thanks to A. Greene for the following additional information)
 
From "The Generals", maintained by Steen Amenthorp:
From 1936 to 1938 he was was appointed Commanding Officer of his regiment, the King's Own Lancers. He was promoted to Quartermaster General, Eastern Command, Indian Army until the outbreak of World War ll. Throughout the war he was Commanding Officer of the Lahore and Lucknow brigades. He retired as the war ended, and came to live at Aghavrin House, near Coachford.
From Cork Examiner dated 6 December 1957:
The death of Major-General Gerard Michael Fitzgerald, C.B., M.C., of Acton's Hotel, Kinsale, took place at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Kinsale yesterday. Born in 1889, he was a son of the late Inspector-General M. Fitzgerald, C.M.G., R.N., of Roughan House, Kilnaboy, Co. Clare. General Fitzgerald, who was widely travelled, had a distinguished military career, and was A.Q.M.G., Eastern Command, India, 1938-1939. He served with the Indian Army and in both World Wars, and retired in 1944. For some time he resided at Aghavrin House, Coachford, and later at Kinsale.