Most decorated · 15 medals and honours, 2 for gallantry
Lieutenant General Sir Eastwood
Ralph Eastwood was an English-born regular officer of the Rifle Brigade who was aide-de-camp to the Governor of New Zealand in 1912-14 and then served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as a captain and staff officer, winning the Military Cross at Gallipoli in August 1915 and the DSO in 1919. He went on to command Sandhurst, a division and Northern Command, ran the Home Guard in 1940-41 and was Governor of Gibraltar 1944-47. Over his career he collected 15 medals, orders and honours by the counting rule, two of them gallantry awards (MC and DSO).
15medals and honours
2of them for gallantry
His medals and honours
Won for gallantry
Gallantry award
Military Cross (MC)
6-7 August 1915 · Gallipoli peninsula (night advance of 6-7 August 1915) · Captain, Staff captain, NZEF (brigade not named in the Gazette); borne on the Rifle Brigade's list
Gazetted: London Gazette supplement 29344, 29 October 1915, p. 10730 (text read)
The Gazette citation, for conspicuous gallantry and ability on 6-7 August 1915, says Eastwood guided his brigade's night advance with skill and resource, especially when the head of the column came under enemy fire. The opposition was so severe that the advance gradually came to a standstill, and at that point he gave very valuable service in reorganising the column so that it could continue forward. The citation does not name the brigade or battalion; he was a staff captain at the time (Wikipedia, citing a Gazette of 3 August 1915), and the night advance of 6-7 August was the New Zealand force's attack towards Chunuk Bair. The citation is printed under the Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own), his parent regiment, rather than the NZ forces.
The Online Cenotaph dates the MC 29 September 1916; the Gazette read shows 29 October 1915 (also the date in Wikipedia and unithistories).
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 29344 p. 10730; Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'; Online Cenotaph C36267 (https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C36267)
Gallantry award
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
1918-1919 (New Year/Birthday Honours; for services as an acting lieutenant colonel) · Western Front, with the Rifle Brigade · Captain and Brevet Major (acting Lieutenant Colonel), 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (he had returned to the British Army on 17 October 1918)
Gazetted: London Gazette supplement 31370, 3 June 1919 (p. 6818, Birthday Honours DSO list: 'Capt. and Bt. Maj. (A./Lt.-Col.) Thomas Ralph Eastwood, M.C., 2nd Bn., Rif. Brig.'); Edinburgh Gazette 13453, 5 June 1919, p. 1852
The 1919 Birthday Honours DSO list names him by his Rifle Brigade rank. No citation was published with the list and I found none, so there is no detail of a particular action. The Gazette lists him in the DSO list as 'A./Lt.-Col., 2nd Bn., Rif. Brig.' and a July 1919 Gazette makes him temporary lieutenant colonel while commanding a battalion (Wikipedia's infobox names the 12th Battalion, so the exact battalion is uncertain) (temporary Lieutenant Colonel from 24 October 1918, acting Lieutenant Colonel from 20 December 1918 to August 1919, per unithistories), after serving as a GSO2 on the NZ staff in France from October 1917. The DSO was therefore a reward for his staff work and battalion command in 1917-19 rather than for one named action.
The DSO was gazetted under his British Army identity; Cenotaph date '3 June 1919' agrees. Wikipedia cites only the Edinburgh Gazette.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: London Gazette 31370 p. 6818; Edinburgh Gazette 13453 p. 1852; unithistories.com British Army officers 1939-1945 (Eastwood, Sir Thomas Ralph, 19399)
Every other medal and honour (13)
1914-1915 Star1915 · Egypt and GallipoliEarned by service at Gallipoli in 1915.British War Medal 1914-201914-1920 · Egypt, Gallipoli, France, North RussiaIssued for his First World War service overseas.Victory Medal (with oak leaf)1914-1919 · Gallipoli, FranceAllied victory medal for service in a theatre of war; he would have worn the MiD oak leaf.Coronation Medal 1937 (King George VI)1937 · LondonAwarded to officers in the Coronation year; listed by the Cenotaph.King George V Silver Jubilee Medal 19351935 · United KingdomCommemorative medal for the 1935 Silver Jubilee; listed by the Cenotaph.Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)1 January 1941 (New Year Honours, announced 31 December 1940) · United KingdomAppointed Companion of the Bath in the 1941 New Year Honours as 'Major-General (acting Lieutenant-General) Thomas Ralph Eastwood, D.S.O., M.C., late The King's Royal Rifle Corps'. He had just become Director General…Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)1 January 1943 (New Year Honours, announced 29 December 1942) · United KingdomMade KCB in the 1943 New Year Honours as 'Lieutenant-General Thomas Ralph Eastwood, C.B., D.S.O., M.C. (19399), late The Rifle Brigade', while commanding Northern Command.Grand Cross, Order of Adolphe of Nassau (Luxembourg)1944 · Luxembourg (conferred by the Grand Duchess)Conferred by the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg in recognition of services in the cause of the Allies; the Gazette granted unrestricted permission to wear it.1939-1945 Star1939-1945 · France 1940 (Second BEF)Listed by the Cenotaph; qualifying service would have been in France in 1940 as chief of staff of the Second BEF.Defence Medal1939-1945 · United KingdomListed by the Cenotaph for his home-front service.War Medal 1939-1945 (with oak leaf)1939-1945 · United Kingdom, GibraltarListed by the Cenotaph; the oak leaf is the mention in despatches of 20 December 1940.Knight of Justice, Order of St John (KStJ)Not foundListed by the Online Cenotaph as 'Knight of Justice of the Order of St John (KStJ)'. I could not find a Gazette or other notice of the appointment.Mentioned in Despatches28 January 1916; 4 January 1917; 11 December 1917; 20 December 1918; 9 July 1919 (WW1); 20 December 1940 (WW2) · Gallipoli, Egypt/France, North Russia (1919) and Home ForcesSix mentions are recorded in all. The first, in General Hamilton's Gallipoli despatch, was gazetted on 28 January 1916; the 1917 and 1918 lists followed, then one in July 1919 and a Second World War mention in…
His story
Rifle Brigade officer
Commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1910 after Eton and Sandhurst; in November 1912 he became aide-de-camp to the Governor of New Zealand, Lord Liverpool.
Source: Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'
NZEF
On the outbreak of war he was commissioned into the NZEF and served as a captain in the NZ Rifle Brigade; Wikipedia says he took part in the occupation of German Samoa.
Source: Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'; Online Cenotaph C36267 (https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C36267)
Embarks
He left Wellington as a captain on the headquarters staff of the 3rd Reinforcements and reached Suez about forty days later.
As a staff captain he helped keep a brigade's night advance moving; MC gazetted 29 October 1915.
Source: London Gazette 29344 p. 10730
France
After Egypt and the move to France he became a GSO2 and was promoted major (brevet major 1 January 1918).
Source: Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'
Back to the British Army
He transferred to the Rifle Brigade, commanding as an acting lieutenant colonel until August 1919; DSO announced 3 June 1919.
Source: London Gazette 31370; unithistories
North Russia
Served as brigade major on Lord Rawlinson's staff in the North Russia intervention.
Source: Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'
Sandhurst and the early war
Commandant of Sandhurst and major general from 12 January 1938; commanded the 59th Division from December 1939, briefly the 18th, then the 4th Division in 1940.
Source: Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'
Home Guard to Gibraltar
Director General of the Home Guard (CB 1941), GOC-in-C Northern Command from June 1941 (KCB 1943), Governor of Gibraltar from 14 February 1944 to 8 February 1947; retired 31 May 1947.
Source: Wikipedia 'Ralph Eastwood'
Rank and insignia
The ranks he held, and the badge a soldier of that rank wore. These are simplified illustrations.
Second Lieutenant1910 · Rifle BrigadeShoulder strap: one pipLieutenant11 November 1911Shoulder strap: two pipsCaptain30 December 1914Shoulder strap: three pipsMajor1917-18 · temporary 1917; brevet 1 January 1918Shoulder strap: crownLieutenant Colonel13 April 1934Shoulder strap: crown and one pipColonel1936 (seniority 1931)Shoulder strap: crown and two pipsMajor General12 January 1938Shoulder strap: crossed sword and baton, one pipLieutenant General5 December 1941 (acting from 20 November 1940)Shoulder strap: two pips
His ships
HMNZT 17, 18 or 19 (Maunganui, Tahiti or Aparima)Embarked as captain, 3rd Reinforcements HQ staffLeft Wellington 14 February 1915; the nominal roll does not say which ship.
Afterwards
Eastwood stayed in the British Army after the war, serving in North Russia, at Aldershot and Cork, and as a student then instructor at the Staff College. He commanded 2nd Battalion KRRC before taking over Sandhurst in January 1938. In the Second World War he led the 59th Division, was chief of staff of the Second BEF in France in 1940, commanded the 4th Division, then ran the Home Guard (1940-41) and Northern Command (1941-44). He was Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar from February 1944 to February 1947 and retired in May 1947.
He married Mabel Prideaux in 1921; their son Thomas Hugh Eastwood became a composer. Eastwood died at Rodmarton, Gloucestershire, on 15 February 1959.
Later awards, not counted here: CB (1941); KCB (1943); Grand Cross, Order of Adolphe of Nassau (1944); Mention in Despatches (20 December 1940); 1939-1945 Star; Defence Medal; War Medal 1939-1945.
This is the Service Record sign as we would make it from his record: his rank, name, regiment, number and date of embarkation. The medals on the sign are worked out automatically, so the medals listed above are the ones to rely on.
The Service Record
Photograph
We haven’t hosted a photograph here
Rather than copy someone else’s image onto our own site, we’d rather send you to see it where it’s properly held: his full record at the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Online Cenotaph.
SERVED IN WW1: yes, but under NZ forces as a British regular on loan. Born in Kent, commissioned in the (British) Rifle Brigade in 1910, then aide-de-camp to the NZ Governor from November 1912; commissioned into the NZEF in 1914 and embarked 14 February 1915 as a captain (number 15/202); staff captain at Gallipoli (MC), then Egypt and France; returned to the British Army on 17 October 1918. WHAT ARGUES AGAINST listing him as a New Zealander: he was English-born, a British Army regular both before and after, and his DSO, KCB and all later honours came through the British Army; he was in NZ only from 1912 until he embarked in February 1915 (and again as an NZEF officer until October 1918, when he transferred back). Better described as a British officer who served with the NZEF.
Cenotaph title 'General' (rank list) is wrong: he retired as Lieutenant General (Gazette 1943: 'Lieutenant-General'; unithistories).
The MC date on the Cenotaph (29 September 1916) conflicts with the Gazette (29 October 1915); the Gazette was read.
Mentions in despatches: Cenotaph says four (1916, 1917, 1917, 1918); Wikipedia infobox and unithistories say six (adds 9 July 1919 and 20 December 1940). Gazette pages read for 28 Jan 1916, 4 Jan 1917 and 20 Dec 1940. 11 December 1917, 20 December 1918 and 9 July 1919 are from unithistories only. Counted once as the emblem.
CB (1 January 1941) is missing from the Cenotaph and Wikipedia infobox but is in the Gazette (supplement 35029 p. 3). Counted as a separate item from the KCB, as for Freyberg; if the lower grade is treated as subsumed, the total is 14.
KStJ rests on the Online Cenotaph alone; no Gazette or date found. Least certain item; without it the total is 14 (13 without the CB as well).
The DSO has no published citation. It appears in the 3 June 1919 Birthday Honours (London Gazette 31370 p. 6818) in the British Army list, not the NZ forces list, and Wikipedia cites only the Edinburgh Gazette.
Cenotaph-only items: 1914-15 Star, BWM, Victory Medal, 1935 Jubilee Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal, 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal. The Victory Medal oak leaf is inferred from his WW1 mentions; the Cenotaph lists the medal without it.
Wikipedia says he was part of the occupation of German Samoa in 1914; I could not confirm this from the NZEF nominal roll (Cenotaph shows embarkation in February 1915 only).
The Cenotaph names the Luxembourg award 'Order of Merit of Adolphe of Nassau'; the Gazette title is 'Ordre de Merite civil et militaire d'Adolphe de Nassau' (Grand Cross).
Not found: any Russian or other foreign award for North Russia (1919); none listed by the Cenotaph, Wikipedia or unithistories.
