Gerald Trotter

Gerald Trotter
Born	21 July 1871
Died	14 June 1945
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1892-1912 1914-1919
Rank	Brigadier-General
Battles/wars	Second Boer War First World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Dispatches

Brigadier-General Gerald Frederic Trotter CB CMG CVO DSO (21 July 1871 – 14 June 1945) was a British Army officer and courtier.

Trotter was the son of Major-General Sir Henry Trotter and Hon. Eva Gifford, daughter of Robert Gifford, 2nd Baron Gifford. His younger brother was the army officer, Edward Henry Trotter. Trotter was educated at HMS Britannia, but commissioned into the Royal Scots and transferred to the Grenadier Guards in 1892.^[1]

He first saw active service in the Second Boer War and was severely wounded in March 1900, after which his arm was amputated. Despite his incapacity, he returned to the war and was mentioned in dispatches in September 1901. That same month he was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. He was made Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 1906, was promoted to Major on 8 August 1907 and retired from the regular army on 27 July 1912, joining the Reserve of Officers of the Grenadier Guards. He rejoined the regiment following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, and served with the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards in France from 1914 until 1916. In 1915 he was appointed Temporary Lieutenant Colonel in command of the 1st Battalion until 1916, when he was appointed Brigadier General in command of Infantry Brigade, which appointment he held until June 1917. In October 1917, appointed Brigadier General on the Imperial General Staff to command the British Military Mission (Training) to USA. Trotter was mentioned in dispatches in January and June 1916 and was created a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1916.^[2] He was further mentioned in dispatches in January and June 1917, and was made Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1917.^[3] On 19 December 1918, he was given the honorary rank of Brigadier General.^[4] He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the US government in 1919.^[5]

Trotter served as Gentleman Usher to George V between 1919 and in 1936, Groom-in-Waiting in 1920 and Extra Equerry to the Prince of Wales in 1925. He was made Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1926 Birthday Honours.

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