Charles Rudkin

Brigadier-General Charles Mark Clement Rudkin DSO (12 November 1872 – 30 December 1957) was a British soldier, barrister, agriculturist, determined traveller and Liberal Party politician.

Family Rudkin was born in County Louth in 1872, the son of Major H W Rudkin. His family is said to have come from Corries in County Carlow. He remained single until late in life when, on 29 September 1939, aged 66, at Ninfield Church in Sussex, he married Marie the daughter of Thomas Russell from Ascog in Argyll and Bute a Deputy Lieutenant of Bute.

Career Soldier Rudkin served in the South African War. He was aide-de-camp to Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen and went on to command an Artillery brigade between 1899 and 1902. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps and the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps. He commanded the Royal Artillery Reserve at the Coronation of King George V in 1911. He received the 1902 and 1911 Coronation Medals for his role in the coronation parades.

Travel Rudkin was an enthusiastic traveller. He visited and shot in Africa, Australia, India, and Canada. Rudkin travelled in America, New Zealand, Tasmania, China, Burma, Fiji, Samoa, Japan, Hawaii, Ceylon and extensively in Europe, including Russia. He travelled twice round the world. In 1921, still very much the early days of aviation, he undertook a flight over the Alps in the company of the French pilot Marcel Nappez, rising to a height of more than 10,000 feet.

Agriculture Rudkin took a keen interest in the development of agriculture and took it upon himself to learn about progress in the industry by visiting a number of foreign and Commonwealth countries including Holland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, France, Canada, America, Australia, and New Zealand where he educated himself by observation and inspection of farming techniques.

Other honours Rudkin was made a Freeman of the City of London and was a member of the Royal Academy.

Death Rudkin died at his home in Umtali in what was then known as Southern Rhodesia on 30 December 1957 aged 85 years.