George Rowland Patrick Roupell, VC, CB, DL, East Surrey Regiment. Son of Colonel Francis Frederick Fyler Roupell (70th Foot and ) and Edith Maria Roupell (nee Bryden). He was educated at Rossall School (1907-10) and was a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1911. Commissioned into the East Surrey Regiment on 2 Mar 1912. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 29 Apr 1914, to Captain on 21 Apr 1916, to Major on 18 Nov 1928, to Lieutenant Colonel on 21 Dec 1935 and Colonel on 21 Dec 1938. He deployed to France with his battalion at the start of WW1 and took part in the retreat from Mons in 1914. On 20 Apr 1915 during the Battle of Hill 60 near Flanders, Belgium, he was awarded the Victoria Cross when commanding a company "For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, on the 20th April 1915, when he was commanding a company of his battalion in a front trench on Hill 60, which was subjected to a most severe bombardment throughout the day, though wounded in several places, he remained at his post and led his company in repelling a strong German assault. During a lull in the bombardment he had his wounds hurriedly dressed, and then insisted on returning to his trench, which was again being subjected to a severe bombardment. Towards evening, his company being dangerously weakened, he went back to his battalion headquarters, represented the situation to his commanding officer, and brought up reinforcements, passing backwards and forwards over ground swept by heavy fire. With these reinforcements he held his position throughout the night, and until his battalion was relieved next morning. The young officer was one of the few survivors of his company, and showed a magnificent example of courage, devotion and tenacity, which undoubtedly inspired his men to hold out till the end". In the same action 2nd Lieutenant (later Major) B H Geary and Private (later Corporal) E Dwyer were also awarded the Victoria Cross.
During 1918 he was attached to the British Expeditionary Force under the Command of General Edmund Ironside, which was sent to North Russia to strengthen the Allied Forces in support of the Tsarist Russians. During a visit to one of the Tsarist regiments they mutinied, and he, and other soldiers were taken prisoner near Archangel and sent to Moscow. They were eventually repatriated in 1920. Between the wars he served in Gibraltar, the Depot, India and the Sudan as well as holding several staff appointments. Lt Col Roupell commanded the 1st Battalion from 1935 until July 1939. He had commanded the battalion during the First World War. His father commanded the battalion from 1895-1899. He was promoted Brigadier and was commanding 36th Infantry Brigade of 12th Division near Amiens when on 20th May 1940 German armour overran his Brigade Headquarters. Brigadier Roupell ordered the survivors to split up into small parties and endeavour to join the first British unit they could find. He, together with his Staff Captain and a French interpreter, set off, and for a month, lying up by day and walking at night, finally arrived at a farm near Rouen where the interpreter left them. For two years the two officers worked as labourers on the farm until they were taken first into unoccupied France and then into Spain by the French Resistance. Ultimately they reached Gibraltar and were brought home by ship. On return to the United Kingdom, Brigadier Roupell was appointed Garrison Commander at Chatham, his last appointment before retiring from the Army. At the Queen's Coronation he led the Home Guard contingent. In addition to his Victoria Cross he was awarded the Russian Order of St George and the French Croix de Guerre, and was Mentioned in Despatches twice (London Gazette 17 Feb 1915 and 11 Dec 1917). He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 1953, and became the last Colonel of The East Surrey Regiment, holding office in 1959 when amalgamation with The Queen's Royal Regiment took place to form The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. He died at his home in Shalford, Surrey aged 82 years. He was cremated in Guildford Crematorium.
Actual burial here
He is also commemorated on a memorial in Glasnevin Cemetery, Glasnevin, County Dublin, Ireland.
Cenotaph here
During 1918 he was attached to the British Expeditionary Force under the Command of General Edmund Ironside, which was sent to North Russia to strengthen the Allied Forces in support of the Tsarist Russians. During a visit to one of the Tsarist regiments they mutinied, and he, and other soldiers were taken prisoner near Archangel and sent to Moscow. They were eventually repatriated in 1920. Between the wars he served in Gibraltar, the Depot, India and the Sudan as well as holding several staff appointments. Lt Col Roupell commanded the 1st Battalion from 1935 until July 1939. He had commanded the battalion during the First World War. His father commanded the battalion from 1895-1899. He was promoted Brigadier and was commanding 36th Infantry Brigade of 12th Division near Amiens when on 20th May 1940 German armour overran his Brigade Headquarters. Brigadier Roupell ordered the survivors to split up into small parties and endeavour to join the first British unit they could find. He, together with his Staff Captain and a French interpreter, set off, and for a month, lying up by day and walking at night, finally arrived at a farm near Rouen where the interpreter left them. For two years the two officers worked as labourers on the farm until they were taken first into unoccupied France and then into Spain by the French Resistance. Ultimately they reached Gibraltar and were brought home by ship. On return to the United Kingdom, Brigadier Roupell was appointed Garrison Commander at Chatham, his last appointment before retiring from the Army. At the Queen's Coronation he led the Home Guard contingent. In addition to his Victoria Cross he was awarded the Russian Order of St George and the French Croix de Guerre, and was Mentioned in Despatches twice (London Gazette 17 Feb 1915 and 11 Dec 1917). He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 1953, and became the last Colonel of The East Surrey Regiment, holding office in 1959 when amalgamation with The Queen's Royal Regiment took place to form The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. He died at his home in Shalford, Surrey aged 82 years. He was cremated in Guildford Crematorium.
Actual burial here
He is also commemorated on a memorial in Glasnevin Cemetery, Glasnevin, County Dublin, Ireland.
Cenotaph here
George Rowland Patrick Roupell, VC, CB, DL, East Surrey Regiment. Son of Colonel Francis Frederick Fyler Roupell (70th Foot and ) and Edith Maria Roupell (nee Bryden). He was educated at Rossall School (1907-10) and was a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1911. Commissioned into the East Surrey Regiment on 2 Mar 1912. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 29 Apr 1914, to Captain on 21 Apr 1916, to Major on 18 Nov 1928, to Lieutenant Colonel on 21 Dec 1935 and Colonel on 21 Dec 1938. He deployed to France with his battalion at the start of WW1 and took part in the retreat from Mons in 1914. On 20 Apr 1915 during the Battle of Hill 60 near Flanders, Belgium, he was awarded the Victoria Cross when commanding a company "For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, on the 20th April 1915, when he was commanding a company of his battalion in a front trench on Hill 60, which was subjected to a most severe bombardment throughout the day, though wounded in several places, he remained at his post and led his company in repelling a strong German assault. During a lull in the bombardment he had his wounds hurriedly dressed, and then insisted on returning to his trench, which was again being subjected to a severe bombardment. Towards evening, his company being dangerously weakened, he went back to his battalion headquarters, represented the situation to his commanding officer, and brought up reinforcements, passing backwards and forwards over ground swept by heavy fire. With these reinforcements he held his position throughout the night, and until his battalion was relieved next morning. The young officer was one of the few survivors of his company, and showed a magnificent example of courage, devotion and tenacity, which undoubtedly inspired his men to hold out till the end". In the same action 2nd Lieutenant (later Major) B H Geary and Private (later Corporal) E Dwyer were also awarded the Victoria Cross.
During 1918 he was attached to the British Expeditionary Force under the Command of General Edmund Ironside, which was sent to North Russia to strengthen the Allied Forces in support of the Tsarist Russians. During a visit to one of the Tsarist regiments they mutinied, and he, and other soldiers were taken prisoner near Archangel and sent to Moscow. They were eventually repatriated in 1920. Between the wars he served in Gibraltar, the Depot, India and the Sudan as well as holding several staff appointments. Lt Col Roupell commanded the 1st Battalion from 1935 until July 1939. He had commanded the battalion during the First World War. His father commanded the battalion from 1895-1899. He was promoted Brigadier and was commanding 36th Infantry Brigade of 12th Division near Amiens when on 20th May 1940 German armour overran his Brigade Headquarters. Brigadier Roupell ordered the survivors to split up into small parties and endeavour to join the first British unit they could find. He, together with his Staff Captain and a French interpreter, set off, and for a month, lying up by day and walking at night, finally arrived at a farm near Rouen where the interpreter left them. For two years the two officers worked as labourers on the farm until they were taken first into unoccupied France and then into Spain by the French Resistance. Ultimately they reached Gibraltar and were brought home by ship. On return to the United Kingdom, Brigadier Roupell was appointed Garrison Commander at Chatham, his last appointment before retiring from the Army. At the Queen's Coronation he led the Home Guard contingent. In addition to his Victoria Cross he was awarded the Russian Order of St George and the French Croix de Guerre, and was Mentioned in Despatches twice (London Gazette 17 Feb 1915 and 11 Dec 1917). He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 1953, and became the last Colonel of The East Surrey Regiment, holding office in 1959 when amalgamation with The Queen's Royal Regiment took place to form The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. He died at his home in Shalford, Surrey aged 82 years. He was cremated in Guildford Crematorium.
Actual burial here
He is also commemorated on a memorial in Glasnevin Cemetery, Glasnevin, County Dublin, Ireland.
Cenotaph here
During 1918 he was attached to the British Expeditionary Force under the Command of General Edmund Ironside, which was sent to North Russia to strengthen the Allied Forces in support of the Tsarist Russians. During a visit to one of the Tsarist regiments they mutinied, and he, and other soldiers were taken prisoner near Archangel and sent to Moscow. They were eventually repatriated in 1920. Between the wars he served in Gibraltar, the Depot, India and the Sudan as well as holding several staff appointments. Lt Col Roupell commanded the 1st Battalion from 1935 until July 1939. He had commanded the battalion during the First World War. His father commanded the battalion from 1895-1899. He was promoted Brigadier and was commanding 36th Infantry Brigade of 12th Division near Amiens when on 20th May 1940 German armour overran his Brigade Headquarters. Brigadier Roupell ordered the survivors to split up into small parties and endeavour to join the first British unit they could find. He, together with his Staff Captain and a French interpreter, set off, and for a month, lying up by day and walking at night, finally arrived at a farm near Rouen where the interpreter left them. For two years the two officers worked as labourers on the farm until they were taken first into unoccupied France and then into Spain by the French Resistance. Ultimately they reached Gibraltar and were brought home by ship. On return to the United Kingdom, Brigadier Roupell was appointed Garrison Commander at Chatham, his last appointment before retiring from the Army. At the Queen's Coronation he led the Home Guard contingent. In addition to his Victoria Cross he was awarded the Russian Order of St George and the French Croix de Guerre, and was Mentioned in Despatches twice (London Gazette 17 Feb 1915 and 11 Dec 1917). He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1956. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 1953, and became the last Colonel of The East Surrey Regiment, holding office in 1959 when amalgamation with The Queen's Royal Regiment took place to form The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. He died at his home in Shalford, Surrey aged 82 years. He was cremated in Guildford Crematorium.
Actual burial here
He is also commemorated on a memorial in Glasnevin Cemetery, Glasnevin, County Dublin, Ireland.
Cenotaph here
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