Brigadier-General Ralph Hamer Husey

The Times 8th November 1918

Brigadier-General Ralph H. Husey, who is reported as having died in a German field hospital on May 30 of wounds received in action on May 27, was educated at Marlborough, and, on leaving, spent a year in Germany. On returning home, he joined the Herts Yeomanry as a trooper, and subsequently took a commission in the London Rifle Brigade. He devoted much time to the regiment, being vice-president of the skill-at-arms, and three times leading a team in the Territorial Marathon race, finally, in 1913, winning in “record” time at Stamford Bridge, and against All England at Newport the same year. He also led a team of 60 men in a march to Brighton in 1914, when the distance was accomplished in 14hrs. 23min., which constituted a “record” for troops under service conditions. On the declaration of war he volunteered for foreign service, and proceeded with the regiment to France on November 3, 1914, being gazetted captain before leaving. He was appointed to the command of the battalion in July, 1916, and, after twice acting temporarily as brigadier-general, was given command of an infantry brigade on May 4 last. Except when home wounded or on short leave, he was continuously at the front. He was four times wounded. He was three times mentioned in despatches, and held the 1914 Star. In 1915 he was awarded the M.C. For his services on the Somme in 1916 he received the Order of Danilo of Montenegro. On January last he was given the D.S.O., and received a bar to the D.S.O. in “immediate award” for his conduct at Arras, March 27-28, when the German advance was help up, the account in the Gazette being as follows: “During an enemy attack, when the enemy approached close to his battalion headquarters, he held the forward part of a communication trench with the personnel of his headquarters and a few other men, and largely assisted in breaking up the enemy attack. He used a rifle himself at close range and inflicted many casualties on the enemy. He then conducted an obstinate withdrawal to the next line of defence, where the enemy was finally held up. He set a magnificent example of courage and determination.” He was unmarried.