Charles Firth (British Army officer)


Charles Edward Anson Firth, was a British Army officer.

Early life

He was the son of Major Edward William Anson Firth of the 69th Punjabis, who died in 1906. He was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Military career

Firth was commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment on 1 February 1923. He became commanding officer of 1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, in the Middle East in 1942 during the Second World War. He also served as Commander of the 167th Brigade in North Africa from June 1943, as Commander of 21st Army Tank Brigade in North Africa and in Italy from February 1944 and as Commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade from May 1944.
After the war he became Deputy Director of Personal Services at the War Office in February 1946, Commander of the Berlin Infantry Brigade in February 1949 and General Officer Commanding East Anglian District in April 1950. He went on to be General Officer Commanding, Salisbury Plain District in May 1951 and Director of Personal Services at the War Office in August 1953 before retiring in September 1956.
He served as Honorary Colonel of the Gloucestershire Regiment from 1954 to 1964.