Charles Loyd
British Army general (1891-1973)
General Sir Henry Charles Loyd, (12 February 1891 – 11 November 1973), nicknamed "Budget Loyd", was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the world wars, most notably during the Second World War as General Officer Commanding of the 2nd Infantry Division during the Battle of France in May 1940.
Military career
Born on 12 February 1891 in Hertfordshire, the son of Edward Henry Loyd, Charles Loyd was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Coldstream Guards on 3 September 1910. Another future general, Arthur Smith, was among his fellow graduates. He was nicknamed "Budget" because he joined the Coldstreamers in the year of David Lloyd George's People's Budget. He was promoted to lieutenant in April 1912.
Loyd served on the Western Front during the First World War with the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, then part of the 4th (Guards) Brigade of the 2nd Division. Promoted to captain in July 1915, he was wounded in action four times, thrice mentioned in despatches, including on 1 January 1918, appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, and awarded the Military Cross in 1915 and the French Croix de guerre. He was also, by war's end, a brevet lieutenant colonel and, as commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, one of the youngest battalion commanders in the British Army. The citation for his MC reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and ability on 8th October, 1915, near Loos.
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