Robert Fanshawe (British Army officer)
| Sir Robert Fanshawe | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Fanny" "The Chocolate Soldier" |
| Born | 5 November 1863 |
| Died | 24 August 1946 (aged 82) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 British Army
|
| Years of service | 1883–1919 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Oxfordshire Light Infantry |
| Commands held |
6th Brigade 48th (South Midland) Division 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division |
| Battles/wars |
Tirah Campaign Second Boer War World War I |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches |
| Relations |
Edward Fanshawe (brother) Hew Dalrymple Fanshawe (brother) |
Major General Sir Robert Fanshawe, KCB, DSO (5 November 1863 – 24 August 1946) was a British Army general, who, during World War I, commanded the 48th (South Midland) Division from 1915 to 1918. He was the youngest of three brothers (Edward, Hew, and Robert) who all rose to command divisions or corps during the war.
Fanshawe joined the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in 1883, and served with his regiment in India until the Second Boer War, where he commanded a mobile column and was mentioned in despatches. At the outbreak of World War I he was on the staff of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), and later commanded a regular brigade on the Western Front, before being promoted to divisional command in 1915. He commanded the 48th (South Midland) Division for three years, including service at the Somme, Ancre, Passchendale, and on the Italian Front, before being removed from command after his corps commander objected to his defensive strategy. He was relegated to commanding a second-line home service division, and retired from the army in 1918.
Fanshawe was born in 1863, the youngest son of the Reverend Henry Leighton Fanshawe, of Chilworth, Oxfordshire. After attending Marlborough College, Fanshawe joined the 2nd Battalion of the newly formed Oxfordshire Light Infantry, the former 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot, in 1883. He spent the next sixteen years with the regiment, primarily on service in India, during which he was promoted to captain on 15 April 1892, and served in the Tirah Campaign of 1897–1898. He was the younger son of three brothers with significant military careers; Edward (b. 1859) joined the artillery and Hew (b. 1860) joined the cavalry, all three rising to command corps or divisions during World War I.
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