Charles Edward Hudson

Major General Charles Edward Hudson (29 May 1892 – 4 April 1959) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life and career
Charles Edward Hudson was born on 29 May 1892, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel H.E. Hudson. He was educated at a Prep School in East Grinstead, Surrey, and later at Sherborne School, Dorset, which he attended (The Green) from September 1905 to July 1910. Charles did not stand out during his time at Sherborne School. He later recounted in his biography, Two Lives 1892-1992, that being morbidly afraid of physical pain he was "terribly conscious of being a coward on the football field" and that it was not until he had been at Sherborne for some years that he was able to overcome these physical fears.

After leaving Sherborne School, Hudson went to Sandhurst but was unable to finish the course owing to the death of his father. Instead he went to Ceylon and from 1912 to 1914 worked as a rubber planter. On the outbreak of the First World War he returned to England and was granted a commission in the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) 2nd Bn., with whom he served in France and Italy, to the rank of temporary Lieutenant-Colonel. During this time he received numerous military honours: in 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross, in 1917 the DSO and bar, and in 1918 the Victoria Cross. He was also mentioned in despatches five times and was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Italian Silver Medal for Valour. At just the age of 26, Hudson was one of the youngest Old Shirburnians to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

VC action
Hudson was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in the First World War: On 15 June 1918 near Asiago, Italy, the 26 year-old Hudson was a lieutenant colonel in the Sherwood Foresters (The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), British Army, Commander 11th Battalion. During an attack when the enemy had penetrated the front line, Lieutenant Colonel Hudson collected and personally led various headquarter details such as orderlies, servants, runners, etc. to deal with the situation. He rushed a position with only two men, shouting to the enemy to surrender, some of whom did. He was severely wounded by a bomb that exploded on his foot. In great pain he gave directions for a successful counter-attack that captured about 100 prisoners and six machine-guns. For this, he was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation appeared in The London Gazette Supplement, 11 July 1918

Subsequent career and death
After the First World War, Hudson was made in 1932 a PSC, brevet Lieutenant-Colonel (K.O.S.B.). He became a Chief Instructor at the R.M.C. 1933-1936. From 1938 to 1940, Hudson commanded 2nd Brigade, including during the Battle of France. He was GOC 46th Division from December 1940 to May 1941, but never again held a divisional command. He was Aide-de-camp to the King from 1944 until his retirement in 1946. He was awarded the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Commander). He died on 4 April 1959.

An obituary for Brigadier Charles Edward Hudson was published in the Old Shirburnian Society Annual Report, September 1959: ''The decorations bestowed on Charles Edward Hudson themselves give proof of his calibre as a soldier: V.C., C.B., D.S.O and bar, M.C., Croix de Guerre, and Italian Silver Medal for Valour. He was a graduate of the Staff College, had been the Chief Instructor at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from 1933 to 1936, had commanded a Battalion and Infantry Brigade and from 1944 to 1946 was an A.D.C. to the King. In 1949 he became the Devon County Commissioner of St Johns Ambulance Brigade and later, Chairman of the Order of St John in Devon. His two sons were both Shirburnians - J.P.C. Hudson (Harper House 1936-1940) was killed in action in North Africa in 1943, and M.M.L. Hudson (Harper House 1939-1943) is a Major in the 12th Royal Lancers. His brother T.H. Hudson was at The Green from 1903 to 1906. It was most fitting that such a distinguished Shirburnian whose own son was amongst those whose memory was there to be perpetuated, should perform the ceremony opening the Big Schoolroom on 10 November 1956. His speech on that occasion will still be fresh in the minds of those who heard it.''

His medals are on display at Nottingham Castle.