Obituaries Australia

Herbert Chermside, n.d.

State Library of Queensland, 76990

The death is announced of Lieut. General Sir Herbert Charles Chermside, G.C.M.G., who was Governor of Queensland from 1901-1905.

Lieut.-General Sir Herbert Charles Chermside had a distinguished career. He was born at Wilton, near Salisbury on July 31, 1850, being the second son of Rev. Seymour Chermside, and grandson of Sir Robert Chermside. He married in 1899 Geraldine Webb, of Newstead Abbey, who died in 1910. In 1920 he married Countess Stentbock, daughter of the late Baron Reuter. He was educated at Eton, and entered the Army in 1868. A lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in 1870, he rose to the rank of captain in 1882, being promoted to major in the same year, and three years later became Lieut. Colonel. He received his colonelcy in 1887, and became Major-General in 1898. He acted as Military Attache in the Turco-Russian War of 1877-78, and was associated with the Commission on the Delimitation of the Frontiers of Turkey in 1878-79, holding the position of Military Vice-Consul in Anatolia, in 1879-82. He took part in the Egyptian Expedition of 1882; served in the Egyptian Army in 1883-88; Soudan, 1884-1888, including Suakin Expeditions, 1884-85. In 1884-1880 he was Governor General of the Red Sea Littoral, and commanded the Egyptian Nile Frontier in 1886-88. He was in command at the action of Sarras. Then followed his appointment as Consul for Kurdistan in 1888-1889. Other appointments prior to his appointment as Governor of Queensland in 1901 were: Military Attache, Constantinople, 1889-96; British Military Commissioner and commanding H.M. troops, Crete, to 1899; in command of Curragh district, 1899-1900. He also commanded the Third Division in South Africa, and was mentioned in despatches.