C. V. F. Townshend
| Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 21 February 1861 London, England, United Kingdom |
| Died | 18 May 1924 (age 63) Paris, France |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom / British Empire
|
| Service/branch |
|
| Rank | Major-General |
| Unit | 6th (Poona) Division |
| Commands held | 12th Sudanese Battalion Orange River Colony District East Anglian Division Jhanzi Brigade Rawal Pindi Brigade 6th (Poona) Division |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order |
| Relations | Charles Townshend, 1st Marquess of Townshend |
Major General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend KCB DSO (21 February 1861 – 18 May 1924) was a British Imperial soldier who during the First World War led an overreaching military campaign in Mesopotamia, which led to the defeat and destruction of his command. Known as the Siege of Kut, it lasted from December 1915 to April 1916 and was possibly the worst suffered by the Allies during the war. Forced to surrender, Townshend was held as a prisoner of war on Prinkipo, although he was treated like an esteemed guest, before being released in October 1918.
Townshend grew up poor in an otherwise prominent family, the son of a railroad clerk, Charles Thornton Townshend (1840–1889), and Louise Graham, a Melbourne native who brought no dowry. He was the great-great-grandson of Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend. His paternal grandfather, Rev. George Osborne Townshend (1801–1876), was the son of politician Lord John Townshend and grandson of the first marquess.
He was very ambitious and nourished high hopes of inheriting the family title and the family estate at Raynham Hall in Norfolk, as his cousin Viscount Raynham, the heir to the title, had no children until later in life. He was educated at Cranleigh School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. On graduation from Sandhurst, he was granted a commission with the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1881.
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