Charles Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie

Lieutenant General Charles "Willoughby" Moke Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie, GCMG, GCVO, CB, DSO, MC (26 September 1893 - 25 May 1977) was a British Army general during World War II. After the war he was an Australian-New Zealand political figure. He served as the Governor of South Australia between 1944 and 1952. He then served as the Governor-General of New Zealand between 1952 and 1957. He was created a peer in 1957 as Baron Norrie, of Wellington in the Dominion of New Zealand and of Upton in the County of Gloucester.

After education at Eton and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst he was commissoned into the 11th Hussars in 1913. He served in World War I where he was awarded the DSO, the MC and Bar, was twice mentioned in dispatches, and was wounded four times. He became, successively, a Staff Captain in the 73rd Infantry Brigade; third General Staff Officer in the XVIIIth Army Corps; Brigade Major in the 90th Infantry Brigade, and in the 2nd Tank Brigade; and second General Staff Officer in the 2nd Tank Corps.

During World War II Norrie served as commander of 1st Armoured Brigade, Inspector of the Royal Armoured Corps, GOC 1st Armoured Division before finally seeing action as GOC XXX Corps. He commanded XXX Corps during Operation Crusader with some success. Later he was criticised for his "cavalry" approach to armoured warfare and returned to Britain prior to the Second Battle of El Alamein to be appointed Commander of the Royal Armoured Corps.

External links

* [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/N/NorrieFirstBaronSirCharlesWilloughbyMoke/NorrieFirstBaronSirCharlesWilloughbyMoke/en 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand]
* [http://www.gg.govt.nz/utilities/popupimage.asp?ID=12 Official biography] (Government House, Wellington)
* [http://www.generals.dk/general/Norrie_of_Wellington_and_Upton/Charles_Willoughby_Moke_Baron/Great_Britain.html Summary of military career]
* [http://www.geocities.com/noelcox/Norrie.htm?20052 The Arms of Lord Norrie]

References

*"The Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of The Second World War", Nick Smart. ISBN 1-84415-049-6

Persondata
NAME=Norrie, Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie, Baron
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Military leader, viceroy
DATE OF BIRTH=26 September 1893
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=1977
PLACE OF DEATH=