Reginald May

{{Infobox military person

| name = Sir Reginald May

| image = Reginaldmay.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Gen. Sir Reginald May

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth-date|10 August 1879}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death-date and age|26 October 1958|10 August 1879}}

| death_place =

| placeofburial =

| allegiance = United Kingdom

| branch = British Army

| serviceyears = 1898–1939

| rank = General

| servicenumber = 26289{{London Gazette|issue=35243|page=4654|date=8 August 1941|supp=y}}

| unit = Royal Fusiliers

| commands = 49th (West Riding) Division
Royal Military College, Sandhurst

| battles = Second Boer War
First World War

| awards = Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches
Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
Army Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
Commander of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)

| relations =

| laterwork =

}}

General Sir Reginald Seaburne May, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|sep=,|KCB|KBE|CMG|DSO}} (10 August 1879 – 26 October 1958) was a British Army officer who served as Quartermaster-General to the Forces.

Military career

Educated at Haileybury,[http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/obituary/may_r.html Obituary: Sir Reginald May] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528102034/http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/obituary/may_r.html |date=28 May 2010 }} The Times, 28 October 1958 May was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers as a second lieutenant on 3 August 1898, and promoted to lieutenant on 2 August 1899.{{cite web|url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/MAY1.shtml |title=May, Reginald|publisher=Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922063536/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/MAY1.shtml|access-date=14 June 2020|archive-date=22 September 2012}}Hart′s Army list, 1903 He served with the 2nd Battalion in the Second Boer War, where he took part in the battles of Colenso (December 1899), engagements at Pieter's Hill, Hussar Hill and Hlangwani and the Relief of Ladysmith (February 1900); and later served in the Western Transvaal under Sir Archibald Hunter. May stayed in South Africa until the end of the war, and returned home on the SS Assaye in September 1902.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Army in South Africa – Troops returning Home|date=5 September 1902 |page=6 |issue=36865}} For his service in the war he was noted for future promotion,{{London Gazette|issue=27490 |date=31 October 1902 |page=6901}} which followed the next year when he was promoted to captain on 3 November 1903, with the brevet rank of major from the next day.Hart′s Army list, 1908

In January 1907 he became an officer in command of a company of gentlemen cadets at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.{{London Gazette|issue=27992|page=828|date=5 February 1907}}

May later served in the First World War. After the war he became Director of Movements and then, from 1923, Director of Recruiting and Organisation at the War Office. He was made Brigadier in charge of Administration at Northern Command in 1927 and then General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 49th (West Riding) Division in 1930. He was appointed Commandant of the Royal Military College Sandhurst in 1931 and Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1935; he retired in 1939. In retirement he was Chairman of the Toc H Christian movement for ten years. He also served as colonel of the Royal Fusiliers.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/britishinfantry/fusilierscolonels.htm|title=Royal Fusiliers colonels|publisher=British Empire|access-date=23 January 2016}}