Hugo de Pree

Major General Hugo Douglas de Pree, CB, CMG, DSO (25 December 1870 – 30 March 1943) was a British Army officer who served as Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.

Hugo de Pree
Born	(1870-12-25)25 December 1870 Brome, Suffolk
Died	30 March 1943(1943-03-30) (aged 72)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1890–1931
Rank	Major General
Unit	Royal Artillery
Commands held	Royal Military Academy, Woolwich 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division 13th Indian Infantry Brigade
Battles/wars	North West Frontier Second Boer War First World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches

Military career

Educated at Eton College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich,[1] de Pree was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 25 July 1890.[2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 25 July 1893, and served on the North West Frontier of India in 1897. Promotion to captain followed on 3 February 1900,[3] when he was divisional adjutant at Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich.[4] After the outbreak of the Second Boer War in South Africa, he volunteered for service with the Imperial Yeomanry. He served originally with the 17th Battalion, but was on 3 May 1902 appointed second-in-command of the 7th Battalion, with the temporary rank of major.[5] He relinquished his appointment with the Imperial Yeomanry on 5 September 1902.[6]

De Pree later served in the First World War.[2] He was appointed Commander of the 13th Indian Infantry Brigade in 1920, General Officer Commanding 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division in 1925 and Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1926,[7] before retiring in 1931.[2]

There is a memorial to de Pree at All Saints' Church, Beckley.[8]

Family

Pree married firstly Diones Thornhill;[8] they had three sons and one daughter. He later married Mary Fisher.[8]

References

1. Haig Family Tree
2. "Hugo de Pree". Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
3. "No. 27170". The London Gazette. 2 March 1900. p. 1433.
4. Hart′s Army list, 1901
5. "No. 27441". The London Gazette. 10 June 1902. p. 3751.
6. "No. 27479". The London Gazette. 3 October 1902. p. 6276.
7. Army Commands Archived 2015-07-05 at the Wayback Machine
8. Sussex On Line Parish

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Lothian Nicholson	GOC 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division 1925–1926	Succeeded by Basil Hitchcock
Preceded by Ronald Charles	Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Woolwich 1926–1930	Succeeded by Cyril Wagstaff