Lieut Colonel Cyril Moseley Townsend (6C28)
| Date of Birth: | 8 Aug 1908 |
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| Date of Death: | viv 1975 |
| Generation: | 8th |
| Residence: | Newton Abbot, Devon |
| Father: | Admiral Cyril Samuel Townsend CMG [6C14] |
| Mother: | Moseley, Mary Elizabeth |
| Spouse: |
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| See Also: | Table VIC ; Scrapbook ; Lineage ; Ancestors' Tree ; Descendents' Tree |
Notes for Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Moseley Townsend
Married 26 September 1933 at St Nicholas' Church, Cranleigh. Lois Isabel Henderson (1) was the only daughter of David Henderson of Vachery, Cranleigh, Surrey.
Cyril was educated at Bradfield and the Royal Military College Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Durham Light Infantry on 30 August 1928 (2). The battalion at the time was stationed at Razmak in Waziristan on the North West Frontier in Pakistan. They were involved in the Relief of Datta Khel and clearing out the Mahoud stronghold of Makin. They returned to England at end of 1937 after 1 year in Khartoum.
Promoted Captain on 27th July1938 (3), Cyril was appointed Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry in 1939 and served with the Battalion in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) commanded by Major General Henry Loyd. In 1940 the BEF, including the 2nd Division, was driven from France in the Dunkirk evacuation, with few casualties but losing almost all its equipment. Cyril was wounded during the evacuation and was Mentioned in Despatches.
Cyril attended the Staff College at Camberley in 1942-43 following which he saw further active service in Burma with 1st Battalion The North Staffordshire Regiment. Promoted Major in August 1945 (4) he worked in the War Office 1947-49. Cyril was promoted Lieutenant Colonel in September 1950 (5) and appointed Commanding Officer of the 6th Kings African Rifles. The battalion was much involved in the Mau Mau rising in Kenya 1950-53.
Cyril retired on 1 October 1956 (6) and was appointed an Officer of the Order of St John (7). He is the twin brother of Philip Arthur Townsend [6C29].
(1) Lois died on 31 December 1997. London Gazette 55033 of 3 February 1998.
(2) London Gazette 33417 page 5772 dated 31 August 1928.
(3) London Gazette 34543 page 5772 dated 19 August 1938.
(4) London Gazette 37245 page 4379 dated 28 August 1945.
(5) London Gazette 39022 page 4738 dated 22 September 1950.
(6) London Gazette 40890 page 5557 dated 28 September 1956.
(7) London Gazette 44646 page 6814 dated 20 June 1967.