Sir Charles Warren

Sir Charles Warren CCMG, KCB, FRS was born on 7th February 1840. He joined the Royal Engineers in 1857 and early on in his career was concerned with the exploration and survey of Palestine.

 He first saw active service in the South African War of 1877-9 during which he earned three “mentions in despatches”. On returning to England he was appointed as an instructor in surveying at the Chatham School of Military Engineering, a post which he held from 1880 to 1884. During 1882 he was assigned a special mission to investigate the murder of Professor Palmer who had been sent to negotiate with the Bedouin tribes in the Siaitic Peninsula. In 1884 he was posted to South Africa as Military Administrator. He made a name for himself by helping to avert a rebellion in Bechuanaland which was ultimately converted to a British Colony.

During 1888 and 1889, Sir Charles Warren served as Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police. He became well known for his investigations into the “Jack the Ripper” murders but a declining public opinion on his lack of success eventually forced him to resign.

Between 1889 to 1894 he served in the military as Brigadier-General. His temper had always been a notably fiery one but went against him at this time and his tenure was not a happy one during this period. He became Major General commanding the Thames District, headquarters Chatham, in 1895 and attained the rank of Lieutenant-General in 1897.

Brought out of retirement in 1899, he was sent with the Fifth Division to support Buller in Natal, a decision he resented and which probably played a large part in his complacent attitude toward Sir Redvers Buller and Spioenkop. He landed in Cape Town on 13th December 1899, just two days before the battle of Colenso. He received a message from London informing him that he had been given a dormant commission to replace Buller should the need arise.

Warren was subsequently ordered by Buller to leave Ladysmith for Cape Town which he did on the 6th March 1900. On reaching Durban he was ordered to return to Ladysmith. On 23rd April 1900 he was once again ordered to proceed to Cape Town. He eventually returned in August 1900 to his hometown of Ramsgate, England where he retired. He died on 21st January 1927 at Weston Super Mare and is buried in Westbere Canterbury.