Geoffrey Rawson

Geoffrey Rawson

Personal information
Full name	Geoffrey Grahame Rawson
Born	2 December 1887 Shirmadavy, India
Died	14 January 1979 (aged 91) Kensington, London, England
Batting style	Right-handed
Role	Batsman
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1921	Army
First-class debut	4 June 1921 Army v Cambridge University
Last First-class	24 June 1921 Army v Royal Navy
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 3 Runs scored 69 Batting average 13.80 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 39 Balls bowled 0 Wickets - Bowling average - 5 wickets in innings - 10 wickets in match - Best bowling - Catches/stumpings 5/0
Source: CricketArchive, 20 April 2008

Major-General Geoffrey Grahame Rawson CB OBE MC (2 December 1887–14 January 1979)^[1] was a senior British Army officer who served in both the First and Second World Wars and had a notable cricket career, playing first-class cricket for the Army in 1921.^[1]

Military career

On graduation from Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1908, Rawson was commissioned into the Royal Engineers as a second lieutenant.^[2] He was promoted lieutenant on 18 August 1910.^[3] By 20 November 1915 he had been promoted to captain, and he was then given command of a signals company at a corps headquarters, with a temporary majority,^[4] he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in the 1916 King's Birthday Honours.^[5] His temporary rank became a brevet on 3 June 1917.^[6] He was appointed assistant director, army signals (with the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel) on 19 April 1917, relinquishing the post (and the rank) on 13 November 1917.^[7] He was then appointed a Staff Captain at the War Office on 6 April 1918.^[8] He formally transferred from the Engineers to the newly established Royal Corps of Signals on 22 March 1921, and since taking up the post of Staff Captain, had been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.^[9]

On 1 April 1921 he was promoted from Staff Captain to Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, still at the War Office,^[10] holding the post until 29 January 1923.^[11] By 1928 he was substantive lieutenant-colonel and commanded a signals regiment for four years until 15 May 1932, when he was promoted to colonel and placed on the half pay list.^[12] On 5 December 1932 he was appointed chief instructor at the School of Signals,^[13] holding the post until 5 December 1936.^[14] On 30 June 1937 he was appointed deputy director of the signals department at the War Office, and was granted the temporary rank of brigadier;^[15] he became director, with the acting rank of major-general, on 3 January 1941.^[16] He held the additional honorary appointment of Aide-de-camp to George VI between 1 August 1938^[17] and April 1941, vacating the appointment when his acting rank of major-general was made substantive.^[18] The promotion was back-dated to 14 January 1941, with seniority from 14 June 1938.^[19] He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1941 King's Birthday Honours.^[20] He retired on 2 December 1944,^[21] and was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Corps of Signals on 31 December 1944,^[22] holding the role until 18 September 1950.^[23]

Cricket career

A right-handed batsman,^[24] Rawson played three first-class matches during the 1921 English cricket season, all for the Army. He first played against Cambridge University and Oxford University, before playing against the Royal Navy at Lord's.^[25]

He later played three matches for the Egypt national cricket team. Two against Free Foresters in 1927, and one against HM Martineau's XI in 1935.^[26]

References

1. Cricinfo profile
2. The London Gazette: no. 28171. p. 6219. 25 August 1908. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
3. The London Gazette: no. 28408. p. 6039. 19 August 1910. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
4. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29534. p. 3557. 4 April 1916. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
5. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29608. pp. 5570–5576. 2 June 1916. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30111. p. 5465. 1 June 1917. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
7. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30461. p. 415. 4 January 1918. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
   The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30463. p. 457. 4 January 1918. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
   The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30577. p. 3293. 12 March 1918. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
8. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30653. p. 5040. 23 April 1918. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
9. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32322. p. 3837. 12 May 1921. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
10. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32334. p. 4168. 25 May 1921. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
11. The London Gazette: no. 32794. p. 994. 9 February 1923. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
12. The London Gazette: no. 33826. p. 3220. 17 May 1932. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
    The London Gazette: no. 33827. p. 3277. 20 May 1932. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
13. The London Gazette: no. 33902. p. 302. 13 January 1933. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
14. The London Gazette: no. 34346. p. 7819. 4 December 1936. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
15. The London Gazette: no. 34414. p. 4249. 2 July 1937. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
16. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35096. p. 1350. 4 March 1941. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
17. The London Gazette: no. 34547. p. 5605. 2 September 1938. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
18. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35170. p. 2937. 20 May 1941. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
19. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35144. p. 2348. 22 April 1941. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
20. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35204. pp. 3735–3736. 27 June 1941. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
21. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36818. p. 5498. 27 June 1941. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
22. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36861. p. 5936. 26 December 1944. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
23. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39082. p. 6061. 5 December 1950. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
24. CricketArchive profile
25. First-class matches played by Geoffrey Rawson at CricketArchive
26. Other matches played by Geoffrey Rawson at CricketArchive