Sir John Helier Le Rougetel KCMG MC (19 June 1894 – 3 January 1975[1]) was a British diplomat.

Sir John Le Rougetel
British Ambassador to South Africa
In office
1951–1955
Preceded byEvelyn Baring
Succeeded byPercivale Liesching
British Ambassador to Belgium
In office
1950–1951
Preceded bySir George Rendel
Succeeded bySir Christopher Warner
British Ambassador to Persia|British Ambassador to Iran|British Ambassador to Persia
In office
1946–1950
Preceded bySir Reader Bullard
Succeeded bySir Francis Shepherd
Personal details
Born(1894-07-19)19 July 1894
Died3 January 1975(1975-01-03) (aged 80)
NationalityBritish
OccupationDiplomat
AwardsMilitary Cross
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1915–1920
UnitNorthamptonshire Regiment
Battles/warsFirst World War

Biography

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Le Rougetel was educated at Rossall School and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He was commissioned into the Northamptonshire Regiment at the start of the First World War, joining its 3rd Battalion.[2] He was awarded the Military Cross and Bar for his actions during the war, in which he served on the Western Front and was attached to the Machine Gun Corps.[3]

Le Rougtel joined the Foreign Office in 1920, and subsequently served in postings in Vienna, Budapest, Ottawa, Tokyo, Pekin, The Hague, Bucharest, Moscow, Shanghai. He was made a Second Secretary in 1923[4] and a First Secretary in 1930.[5] He was in Shanghai during its occupation by the Japanese and was taken prisoner in 1942, although was later repatriated. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1943.[6] From 1944 to 1946 he was Political Representative in Romania, before receiving his first ambassadorial posting to Tehran in 1946. Le Rougetel later served as British Ambassador to Belgium (1950-1) and as a High Commissioner to South Africa (1951-5). He retired in 1955, having been made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

References

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  1. ^ "Sir John Le Rougetel". The Times. No. 59289. 9 January 1975. p. 17.
  2. ^ The London Gazette (8 July 1915) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29223/supplement/6688/data.pdf
  3. ^ The London Gazette (16 August 1917) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30234/supplement/8433/data.pdf
  4. ^ The London Gazette (22 June 1923) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32836/page/4346/data.pdf
  5. ^ The London Gazette (14 March 1930) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33588/page/1641/data.pdf
  6. ^ The London Gazette (1 January 1943) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35841/page/6/data.pdf