Educated at
Marlborough College and the
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Purser was
commissioned into the
Royal Field Artillery (RFA) on 15 July 1903. He saw service in France during the
First World War, where he was awarded the
Military Cross in 1917 while serving as an
adjutant to a RFA brigade. Remaining in the army during the
interwar period and, after serving for several years at the
Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill, Purser became commander of the 1st Heavy Brigade,
Royal Artillery in 1931, an instructor at the
Senior Officers' School, Sheerness in 1935 and Brigadier, Royal Artillery at
Eastern Command in 1937. The following year saw him promoted to the rank of
major-general. In September 1939, the month the
Second World War began, Purser went on to be
General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly raised
66th Infantry Division, a
Territorial Army formation. His command of the division was destined to be short-lived, however, as ill-health forced him into retirement from the army, after more than thirty-six years of service, in January 1940, with
Alan Cunningham succeeding him in command of the 66th Division. ==References==