Clement Armitage

General Sir Charles Clement Armitage, (12 December 1881 – 15 December 1973) was a British Army officer who commanded 1st Division during the 1930s.

Early life The son of Charles Ingram Armitage, Armitage was born in Honley, West Riding of Yorkshire. His family were historically mill-owners who lived at Milnsbridge House, Huddersfield. After the end of this war in June 1902, Armitage was attached to the 74th Battalion, Royal Field Artillery, which left Durban for British India in October 1902, and was stationed at Lucknow, Bengal Presidency.

He later fought in the First World War, serving in France and Belgium.

He was promoted in July 1922 to brevet colonel and, after being seconded from his regiment, was appointed chief instructor in gunnery at the School of Artillery on 18 May 1925, He was promoted to colonel (with seniority dated back to 1 January 1921), on 17 June and on 6 November 1926 became commandant of the School of Artillery, receiving a temporary promotion to colonel commandant whilst employed in this role. He was commander of the 7th Infantry Brigade in 1929. He was promoted on 6 June 1932 to major general and went on to be commandant of the Staff College, Camberley, in 1934, and later was general officer commanding (GOC) of the 1st Infantry Division. The division was sent to Palestine during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt. He was aided throughout this difficult period by his General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1), Thomas Hutton and in December 1937 was promoted to lieutenant general. After handing over command of the division to Major General The Hon. Sir Harold Alexander, later a field marshal, Armitage was appointed master general of the Ordnance in India on 1 April 1938, in which role he served in the Second World War before retiring in 1942.

Armitage lived at Downington House in Lechlade, and served as deputy lieutenant for the county of Gloucestershire.

Family In 1915, Armitage married Hilda Hirst of Meltham Hall, and they had three sons, Charles, Robert and Johnny, and a daughter Mary.