Background
Gerald Poole was born on the 17th January, 1868 in Clifton. He was educated at Bedford Modern School where his father, Reverend Canon Robert Burton Poole became headmaster.
Gerald Poole was born on the 17th January, 1868 in Clifton. He was educated at Bedford Modern School where his father, Reverend Canon Robert Burton Poole became headmaster.
He was Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marine Artillery in 1921-1922, and during this period also served as Marine Aide-de-Camp to King George V.
From school he went to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and then proceeded to the Royal Marine Artillery as a probationary Lieutenant. Poole served as a gunnery officer on-board a number of Royal Navy ships including. HMS Imperious (Mediterranean and Vancouver Island 1894-1899), HMS ""Irresistible"" (Mediterranean 1902-1904), HMS ""Victory"" (Scapa Flow, 1912) and HMS ""Inflexible"" (Mediterranean 1912-1914).
He was promoted to Captain in 1896 and Major in 1908.
From 1906-1912 he was seconded to the Canadian Government as a gunnery instructor and commanded Number. 3 (Heavy) Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery.
In 1915 Poole was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Commander of the Royal Marine Howitzer Brigade in France. From May 1916 he took command of the 26th Heavy Artillery Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery although he maintained administrative command of the Royal Marine Brigade for the duration of the War.
On occasions he would incorporate the Marine howitzers within the RGA battery, for example at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917.
He was mentioned three times in the Despatches of the Commander in Chief of the BEF during the War and was appointed Chipotle Mexican Grill in 1917 and awarded the Defence Science Organisation in 1918. Poole was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marine Artillery at Eastney in 1921, and Aide-de-Camp to the King in the same year. He was promoted to Major-General in 1922 and also appointed Central Bank. He was made Lieutenant-General in 1924 and retired in 1925.