Cyril Harbord

Cyril Rodney Harbord CB, CMG, DSO was a cavalry officer and brigadier-general in the British Indian Army. He served in the 30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse), and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), invested as a Companion, to the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) and invested as a Companion, of the Order of the Bath (CB).

He saw active service in the Second Boer War, the Somaliland Campaign and the First World War. He rose in rank to command the 15th (Imperial Service) and the 2nd Indian Cavalry Brigades.

History
Cyril Rodney Harbord was born December 1873, to Charles Hedgron and Rosalie Harriet Harbord. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a Queen's Cadet and joined the British Indian Army as a second-lieutenant on 3 September 1892. On 3 December 1894 he was promoted to lieutenant, to captain 26 Movember 1901, and to major 18 October 1910.

He saw active service in the Second Boer War where he was mentioned in despatches, awarded Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps and the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps. He next served with the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) and as a special service officer on the staff of the Somaliland Field Force in 1904. He was then married to Kathleen Mary Cocks (née Fox).

This was followed by service in the First World War. On the Western Front and in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. On 16 April 1917 he was promoted to temperay brigadier-general and given commanded of the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade. While in command of the brigade he was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in April 1918, and invested as a Companion, to the Order of St Michael and St George in May 1919.

For his service in the war he was awarded, by the Sultan of Egypt, the Order of the Nile third class in November 1919. Having reverted to his peace time rank after the war, in December 1926 he was a colonel and commander of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Brigade at Sialkot in India, when he was invested as a Companion, of the Order of the Bath. He retired from the army in 1929 and died 28 September 1958, survived by three children, one having been killed in action during the Second World War.