Lieutenant-General Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC

Charles Willougby Moke-Norrie (in 1919 he changed his name to Norrie but retained Moke as a middle name) was born on 26 Sep 1893, the eldest child of George Edward Moke Norrie. The name Moke was the surname of his paternal grandfather, and Norrie was the maiden name of his grandmother. Charles, usually known as Willoughby, was educated at Eton, then trained at Sandhurst before being commissioned into the 11th Hussars in 1913. He distinguished himself in WW1 by winning the MC in 1915, a bar to the MC in 1916 and the DSO in 1919, as well as being wounded four times. He was appointed staff captain in 73rd Brigade, then GSO3 in XVIII Corps, brigade major in 90th Brigade and in 2nd Tank Brigade, followed by 2nd GSO in 2nd Bn Tank Corps.
After his time at Staff College he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 10th Hussars in 1931, serving in India. He was promoted to Colonel and relinquished command in 1935, going on half pay. In 1935-6 he attended the Imperial Defence College and in April 1936 commanded 1st Cavalry Brigade. They mechanised in 1938 and were then re-named 1st Light Armoured Brigade. At the outbreak of war he remained in command until 1940 when he was appointed Inspector of the Royal Armoured Corps and then GOC 1st Armoured Division. In June 1941 he had reached the rank of major-general. Later that year the division was ordered to Egypt and Norrie was put in command of XXX Corps for Operation Crusader. He came under criticism and was replaced by Claude Auchinleck in July 1942.
He returned to England and was an advisor on armoured warfare until April 1944 when he was posted to the CFLN in Algiers. But a few months later, in September 1944, he was appointed Governor of South Australia for which post he had to retire from the army with the honorary rank of lieutenant-general and was knighted (KCMG). He was a well travelled Governor and his family were very involved with volunteer work, and busy welcoming home servicemen from the war. He was also a great influence in the establishment of the Electricity Trust of South Australia.
On 1 Jan 1947 Lieutenant-General Norrie was appointed Colonel of the 10th Hussars, a position he retained until 30 May 1949. Norrie’s term of office in Australia was extended another 4 years in 1848, and in 1952 he was appointed to the Governor-Generalship of New Zealand. When he left that office in 1957 he was created Baron Norrie of Wellington NZ, and of Upton in the County of Gloucester.
He was married twice, first to Jocelyn Gosling in June 1922, having a son and two daughters. Jocelyn died on 7 March 1938 and he remarried to Patricia Merryweather Bainbridge 9 months later. They also had a son and two daughters. The son, Guy, served in the 10th Hussars and became a lieutenant-colonel. Lord Norrie had a ward, his niece Eleanor Kerans who was orphaned at the age of 13 after Norrie’s sister Dorothy died in Sep 1939. Lord Norrie himself, died on 25 May 1977.

Regimental Details | Commanding Officers | Colonels