SURTEES, HERBERT CONYERS, Lieutenant
Colonel, was born 13 January 1858, only son of Colonel C F Surtees, DL, JP,
late 10th Hussars, of Nainsforth Hall, Ferryhill, and MP for South Durham,
1865-68, and of Bertha, daughter of N S Chauncy, of Green End,
Hertfordshire. He was educated at Sandhurst; entered the 49th Foot 11
September 1876; became Second Lieutenant, Coldstream Guards, 31 October
1877; Lieutenant, Army, 11 September 1876; Coldstream Guards, 31 October
1877; Instructor of Musketry, Coldstream Guards, 1 February 1882 to 31 March
1883. He was employed with the Egyptian Army 23 February 1884 to 12 June
1887, and served in the Nile Expedition, 1884-85, in command of the Turkish
Mounted Infantry of the Egyptian Army, and afterwards of a boat convoy,
receiving the Medal with clasp, the Bronze Star, and the 4th Class Medjidie.
In 1885-86 he again saw active service in the Sudan with the Frontier Field
Force, taking part in the action of Giniss, in command of the 3rd Camel
Corps, Egyptian Army. He was promoted to Captain 7 May 1887; to Major 5
February 1895. He passed the Staff College. Major Surtees was DAAG,
Southern District, 1 July 1897 to 30 January 1899. He served in the South
African War, 1899-1900, in command of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
(23 March to 14 December 1900), taking part in the advance on Kimberley,
including actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein;
operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, including actions
at Driefontein, Vet River (5 and 6 May) and Zand River. Operations in the
Transvaal in May and June 1900, including actions near Johannesburg,
Pretoria and Diamond Hill (11 and 12 June); operations in the Transvaal,
east of Pretoria, July to 29 November 1900, including actions at Belfast (26
and 27 August). He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 10
September 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with six clasps, and was created
a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September
1901]: "Herbert Conyers Surtees, Lieutenant Colonel, Coldstream Guards. In
recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The
Insignia were presented to him by the King 29 October 1901. He became
Lieutenant Colonel 3 October 1900; was given the Brevet of Colonel 10
February 1904; was Military Attache, Constantinople and Athens, 15 August
1905 to 1909 (Cross of the Grand Commander of St Saviour of Greece); was
created a CB in 1906 and a MVO in the same year, and retired 14 August
1912. During the European War General Surtees commanded the 52nd Infantry
Brigade in France and Belgium (1915-16), and was an Inspector of Infantry in
1916; was twice mentioned in Despatches; given the honorary rank of
Brigadier General 12 April 1917, and created a CMG in 1919. He was an FSA
and an FHGS, and was Lord of the Manor of Mainsforth; was County
Commissioner for Boy Scouts, County Durham, Deputy Lieutenant and a Justice
of the Peace. General Surtees was been MP for Gateshead from 1918. He
married, in 1887, Madeline Augusta (Mrs Surtees has the Turkish Order of the
Chefaket), daughter of Edward Crabbe, and they had two daughters.
