PAGET, HAROLD, Brevet Colonel, was
born 9 September 1849, son of Leopold G Paget (son of the Honourable
Berkeley Paget) and Georgina, daughter of the Reverend J F Moore Halsey, of
Gaddesden Park, Hertfordshire. He was educated at Wellington, and was
gazetted to the 10th Foot as Ensign 23 January 1869, becoming Cornet, 18th
Hussars, on the same date, and Cornet, 7th Hussars, 27 February 1869;
Lieutenant 22 February 1871. He was ADC to the GOC, Eastern District,
1873-77; promoted to Captain 23 July 1879; extra ADC to the Viceroy of
Ireland, 1879-81. Captain Paget served in the Sudan, 1884-85, in the Nile
Expedition, as Adjutant, Light Camel Regiment, and was present at the affair
at Abu Klea on 17 February (slightly wounded). He was mentioned in
Despatches [London Gazette, 25 August 1885]; was given the Brevet of Major
15 June 1885; received the Medal with clasp and the Bronze Star. He became
Major 5 May 1886, and in the same year passed the Staff College; was Brigade
Major, Cavalry, Aldershot, 1888-91; Military Secretary to the Provincial
Commander-in-Chief, Bombay, 1893; promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 26 January
1895, commanding the 7th Hussars from 1895 to 1899. In 1896-97 he served in
the Matabeleland Campaign; was mentioned in Despatches 9 March 1897, and
created a CB, and on 26 June 1899, was given the Brevet of Colonel. He
served in South Africa in command of a battalion of Imperial Yeomanry (Paget's
Horse) in 1900. Some of Paget's Horse were present at the action at Faber's
Put, by which Sir C Warren crushed the rebellion in Griqualand. When the
Boers attacked Lichtenburg on 3 March 1901, the defenders were 600 in
number, consisting of Paget's Horse and three companies of the 1st Battalion
Northumberland Fusiliers. The attack was made by Delarey, Smuts and
Colliers, with 1,500 men. Sir A Conan Doyle says, in 'The Great Boer War'
(page 440), that a garrison made up of "less sturdy material might have been
overborne by the vigour of the attack. As it was, the garrison were driven
to their last trench, but held out under very heavy fire all day, and next
morning the Boers abandoned the attack. Their losses appear to have been
over fifty in number, and included Commandant Celliers, who was badly
wounded and afterwards taken prisoner at Warm Baths. The brave garrison
lost fourteen killed, including two officers of the Northumberlands, and
twenty wounded". Colonel Paget also performed the duties of Commandant at
Ottoshoop. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 27 September
1901], and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London
Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Harold Paget, CB, Lieutenant Colonel and
Brevet Colonel, Commanding the 19th Battalion imperial Yeomanry, in
recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The
Insignia were sent to the Commander-in-Chief in India, and presented there
15 May 1902. Colonel Paget retired 26 June 1904.
