Herbert Cecil Potter

Hebert Cecil Potter was born in Nagasaki in Japan on 10 October 1875, the son of Frederick Anthony Potter and Florence Bessie Marshall (née Higgins).{{cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org|title=Free Family History and Genealogy Records|publisher=FamilySearch.org|accessdate=2 July 2015}} He was educated at Bedford Modern School and Sandhurst."Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes 1958", Published by Kelly's Directories Limited, 1958

After Sandhurst, Potter joined the King's Liverpool Regiment as a second lieutenant on 29 February 1896, was promoted to lieutenant on 2 March 1899 and to captain on 5 December 1900.The Quarterly Army List for the Quarter Ending 31st, December 1919 (Volume October–December 1919 ) – Page 309 He was seconded for service in South Africa in November 1901,{{London Gazette|issue=27395|date=7 January 1902|page=149}} during the Second Boer War, and served there with a Mounted Infantry column. Staying in South Africa until after the end of the war in June 1902, he left Cape Town on the SS Orient in October that year.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home |date=22 October 1902 |page=9 |issue=36905}}

He later served in Sudan (1908) and throughout World War I on the Western Front.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/public/home.html?url=%2Fapp%3Fservice%3Dexternalpagemethod%26page%3DIndex%26method%3Dview%26&failReason=|title=Who's Who|publisher=ukwhoswho.com|access-date=2 July 2015}}

At the start of the war Potter was under no illusion about the task ahead, writing to his mother on 16 August 1914 that he hoped 'to come home safe and sound from the war although many will not, very many. The Germans seem to have gone mad and appear to wish to fight everyone at once'. Within a month of writing that letter he was 'temporarily out of action slightly wounded thro' both legs'.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XTERBQAAQBAJ&q=herbert+cecil+potter&pg=PT79|title=Haig's Medical Officer|isbn=9781473829930|access-date=2 July 2015|last1=Ryan|first1=Eugene|date=8 October 2013}}

Potter was again on active service in 1916, where, after being promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general in March, he succeeded Major General William Douglas Smith in command of the 9th Infantry Brigade,{{London Gazette|issue=29537|page=3679|date=4 April 1916|supp=y}} which he commanded during the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Arras, and the Battle of Passchendaele. He was twice wounded at the Somme in August 1916, the second time by a 'large shell which sat down beside me and made me stone deaf for some days'. At the end of the war, Potter expressed his joy of Allied Victory in a letter written to his wife dated 16 November 1918: 'We can scarcely realise yet what a wonderful victory God has given us. And it all came almost like a miracle. I've never waivered [sic] in my belief that God would not allow the Bosches to win'.{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=181}}

In February 1922, Potter was made 'Military Chief' in Belfast. On his appointment Potter commented: ‘My advent here was heralded by newspaper posters all over the place. ‘’New Military Chief For Belfast’’. I Crept past these as, I imagine, a murderer does past the posters of his crime!’ He was later Colonel Commandant, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Peshawar.{{cite web|url=http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Kellys-Handbook-to-the-Titled-Landed-Official-Classes-for-1923/621348/1430|title=Kellys Handbook to the Titled, Landed & Official Classes for 1923|work=Mocavo|accessdate=2 July 2015}}

Potter retired from the army on full pay in 1927.{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=181}}

Potter received the Queen's medal and three clasps in the Second Boer War (1901–02). He was awarded a medal and clasp, 4th Class Osmanieh, 3rd Class Mejidieh in Sudan (1908).{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28823/page/3293/data.pdf|title=THE LONDON GAZETTE, 21 APRIL, 1914}} During World War I Potter was mentioned in despatches, decorated with the Legion of Honour by Sir Douglas Haig in November 1915, made DSO in 1917{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30530/supplement/2163/data.pdf|title=SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 18 FEBBUARY, 1918}} and CMG in 1918 . On the reason for his award of the Legion of Honour he wrote '…for trying to do my job, I suppose'.

Potter was made Companion Order of the Bath in 1927.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33280/supplement/3605/data.pdf|title=SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 3 JUNE, 1927}}

In 1913 at Temple Church, Bristol, Potter married Mary Kingston (née Griffith) who predeceased him.{{cite web|url=http://www.ancestry.co.uk|title=Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records at Ancestry.co.uk|publisher=ancestry.co.uk|accessdate=2 July 2015}} There was one son (Cecil) and two daughters (Eileen and Joan)Eileen Mary Kemp Potter, born in 1913, was the eldest child of Herbert and Mary Potter. from the marriage. Potter's brother, Frederick William Potter, was also born in Nagasaki and became Chief Engineer of the Shanghai Gas Company.{{cite book|title=Bedford Modern School of the black & red|publisher=worldcat.org|oclc = 16558393}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20138/lot/8/|title=Bonhams|publisher=bonhams.com|accessdate=2 July 2015}}

Potter died on 11 June 1964 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.Obituary Notice, The Times, 15 June 1964{{sfn|Davies|1997|p=181}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Bloody Red Tabs: General Officer Casualties of the Great War 1914–1918 |last=Davies |first=Frank |year=1997 |publisher=Pen & Sword Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-85052-463-5}}

• [http://www.richardfordmanuscripts.co.uk/catalogue/10530 Richard Ford Manuscripts – the correspondence of Brigadier-General Herbert Cecil Potter]
• [https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20138/lot/8/ Photographs owned by Potter’s brother, Frederick William Potter, sold by auction at Bonhams]

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Category:1875 births

Category:1964 deaths

Category:People from Nagasaki

Category:British Army personnel of the Second Boer War

Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath

Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George

Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order

Category:People educated at Bedford Modern School

Category:King's Regiment (Liverpool) officers

Category:Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers officers

Category:British Army generals of World War I

Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst

Category:British expatriates in Japan

Category:British Army brigadiers