Cyril Harbord

Cyril Rodney Harbord was born on 2 December 1873, to Charles Hedgron and Rosalie Harriet Harbord. He was educated at Bedford School, graduated from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst as a Queen's Cadet, and joined the Indian Army as a second-lieutenant on 3 September 1892.[1][2][3]

Harbord was promoted to lieutenant on 3 December 1894,[4] to captain 26 November 1901,[5] and to major 18 October 1910.[6]

He was commissioned in the Imperial Yeomanry and saw active service with the 3rd Battalion in the Second Boer War, for which he was mentioned in despatches, awarded Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps and the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps.[7] He left Cape Town in April 1902,[8] arrived at Southampton the following month,[9] and relinquished his commission with the Imperial Yeomanry in August 1902.[10] Following his return, he served with the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) and as a special service officer on the staff of the Somaliland Field Force in 1904.[11]

This was followed by service in the First World War. On the Western Front and in the Sinai and Palestine campaign. On 16 April 1917 he was promoted to temperay brigadier-general and given commanded of the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade.[12] While in command of the brigade he was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in April 1918,[13] and invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in May 1919.[14]

For his service in the war he was awarded, by the Sultan of Egypt, the Order of the Nile third class in November 1919.[15] Having reverted to his peace time rank after the war, in December 1926 he was a colonel and commander of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Brigade at Sialkot in India, when he was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[16]

Harbord retired from the army in 1929 and died 28 September 1958.

Harbord was married to Kathleen Mary Cocks (née Fox),[7] with whom he had four children. One son was killed in action during the Second World War.[7][17][18]