KCB recipients

Brabant, Brigadier General Edward Yewd, CDF, CMG

He was born in 1839, and had had a long and distinguished career in politics and arms, He entered the 2nd Derby Militia as Ensign in 1855, and joined the Cape Mounted Rifles with similar rank in 1855, from which he retired on half pay with Captain's rank in 1870. He entered the arena of polities as Member of the Legislative Assembly for East London in 1873, and was re-elected in the following year. In 1875 he was appointed Field Commandant of the Cape Colonial Forces; became Colonel of the 1st Cape Yeomanry in 1879; was made CMG in 1880; was re-elected member for East London in 1882, and again in 1885. He was a member of the Defence Commission in 1896, and in 1897 was President of the South African League. General Brabant served through the Boer War, at first in command of the Colonial Division and subsequently as Inspector-General of the Colonial Defence Force, until the end of 1901, w hen he retired under the new scheme of Colonial Defence (despatches, medal, and clasps). He resumed his duties in the Cape Parliament, and soon after seceded from his old political leader, Sir Gordon Sprigg, and joined the new Progressive party under Dr Smaart, with whom he was associated in connection with the Suspension movement. He resigned his seat in Parliament on his reappointment in Dec, 1902, to the command of the Cape Colonial Forces, from which He retired in 1904. Subsequently he re-entered the Cape Assembly as member for East London. He was a keen sympathiser with the loyalists who suffered from the effects of the war, and marked his departure from England after the Coronation by the public declaration that "Loyalty does not pay". General Brabant married Mary Burnet, daughter of the Reverend Canon Robertson, of Canterbury.

Chesham, Lord, Colonel C C W, IY

Of Latimer House, Chesham, Bucks, and of the Marlborough, Guards', and Turf Clubs, was born in 1850. He was educated at Eton, and entered the Coldstream Guards in 1870, afterwards joining the 10th Hussars in 1873, and the 16th Lancers in 1878, retiring in the following year. He served in South Africa in 1899-1902, as Brig. General on the Staff, in command of a Brigade of Imperial Yeomanry, after wards as Inspector General of Imperial Yeomanry; present at the operations in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, including the actions at Venterskroon; the operations in the Orange River Colony, and the actions at Lindley and Rhenoster River, and in Cape Colony, north of the Orange River (despatches, QSA with three clasps, KSA with two clasps, and KCB).  Lord Chesham is now Hon Colonel of the Royal Bucks Hussars, and since 1901 has been Lord of the Bedchamber to HRH the Prince of Wales. In 1906 he sat as a member of the Committee of the Volunteer Commission. He married, in 1877, Lady Beatrice Grosvenor, daughter of the Duke of Westminster.

Clark, Rear Admiral B F, RN

He was born in Canada in 1838, and entered the British Army in 1855, from which he retired some fourteen years later, although he still retains hon. rank of Major-General therein. He became lieutenant, 1856; promoted captain, unattached, 1859; brevet major, 1865; appointed to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Regiment, 1859; exchanged to the 27th Regiment, 1862; and retired by sale of commission, 1869. In the course of his career General Dartnell served in the 86th Regiment with the Central India Field Force under Sir Hugh Rose (Lord Strathnairn) in 1857-8, and was present at the storm and capture of Chandarec, and led the only successful escalade attack on the fortress of Jhansi. He was severely wounded, mentioned in despatches (medal and clasp, captain, unattached, and brevet of major). He served in the Bhootan Expedition in 1865 as aide-de-camp to Major General Sir Henry Thombs, and was present at the recapture of Dewangiri (medal with clasp). He was appointed commandant of the Mounted Police and Volunteer Forces of Natal in 1874; was a member of local Defence Committee, 1887; granted the rank of Colonel Commanding the local forces of Natal, 1888; served through the Zulu War, 1879 (medal with clasp); and in the Transvaal Campaign of 1881, being present at the battle of Laing's Nek; CMG, 1881. He became Chief Commissioner of Natal Police, 1894; Justice of the Peace for the Colony; has acted as Secretary for Native Affairs Commissioner of Mines, and Inspector of Prisons. He married, in 1865, a daughter of Judge Steer, of the Calcutta Supreme Court.

KCB, CMG, Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration, Ed VII, Indian Mutiny (1) Central India, IGS (1) Bhootan, Zulu (1) 1879, CGHGSM (1) Basutoland, QSA (4) CC Paar Drie Tr, KSA (2), Natal 1906 (0).

Full size medals and miniatures Glendining’s Jul 1983.  Miniatures DNW Jun 05 £700.

Dixon, Colonel H G, 

See his DSO entry.

French, Major General J D P

See his KCMG entry.

Entered 1877; Brevet Colonel, 1897.  Staff Service —ADC to Governor, Bombay, 1883-85 and 1885-89; DAAG, S District 1894-97; Special Service, Ashanti, 1895-96 (Employed with Niger Coast Protectorate, 1897); AAG South Africa, 1899-1900; Major General, Infantry Brigade, South Africa, April 1900.  War service: Afghan War, 1879-80 (medal); Boer War, 1881 (Despatches) Burmese Expedition 1885 (medal with clasp); Ashanti Expedition 1895-96 (honorary mentioned; Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel; star); Benin Expedition 1897 (Despatches; Brevet of Colonel; medal with clasp); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff; with Ladysmith Relief Force; Colenso; Operations 17th to 24th January; wounded.

Hamilton, Colonel I S M

Commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders.  In 1881 he was badly wounded at Majuba Hill in the First Boer War.  From 1882 to 1890 he was ADC to Roberts.  From 1899 to 1900 he was in Ladysmith, then commanded a large column in Roberts' advance to Transvaal, and then a division.  In 1900 he returned to England as Roberts' Military Secretary.  In 1901 he was sent back to South Africa to be Chief of Staff to Kitchener.  One of the most highly considered soldiers in the Army.  From 1904 to 1905 he was Chief of a Military Mission to report on the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War.  From 1909 to 1910 he was Adjutant-General.  From 1910 to 1914 he was Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Command in Malta.  In 1915 he was given command of the disastrous Dardanelles landings and recalled, never to be re-employed.

Entered Navy 1856; Captain, 1879; Rear-Admiral, 1891.  This gallant officer commanded Training Squadron from 1893 - 95 was Rear- Admiral, Mediterranean Fleet, 1896-98; and Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa, 1898-1900; KCB.

Hildyard, Major General Henry John Thoroton

HILDYARD, Lieutenant General Sir Henry John Thoroton, KCB (1900), Order of the Osmanieh, of Pretoria, and of the United Service Club, was born July 5, 1846. He was educated at the Royal Naval Acad., Gosport, and served in the Navy for five years before entering the Army in 1867, when he joined the 71st Highland Light infantry, of which battalion he was Adjt. from 1868 to 1875. He was Brig. Major at Cyprus, Aug-November, 1878; Brig. Major at Gibraltar from at date till Aug, 1882; and served in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in 1882 as DAA and QMG of the 1st Division, being resent in the engagements at El Magfar and Tel-el-Mahuta, at the action at Kassassin, and t the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (mentioned in despatches, brevet of Lieutenant Colonel, medal with clasp, 4th Class of the Osmanieh, and Khedive's star). After again occupying his Staff appointment at Gibraltar, Sir Henry became DAAG on the HQ Staff, Dec 1883 to March 1889; AAG, Aldershot, Oct, 1889, to March, 1891; AAG, at Army Headquarters, Apr, 1891, to Aug, 1893; Comdt. Staff College till Feb 1898; Major General Commanding Infantry Brigade Aldershot, until 8 Oct 1899, when he took command in SA first of an Infantry Brigade, afterwards commanding an Infantry Div. with local rank of Lieutenant General, and from 19 Oct 1900 to 24 Oct 1901, he had the command of the Natal District. General Hildyard took part in the relief of Ladysmith, including the action at Colenso; the operations of Jan 17 to 24, 1900, and the action at Spion Kop; of Feb 5 to 7, 1900, and the action at Vaal Kranz; on Tugela Heights, Feb 14 to 27, and the action at Pieters Hill; and in Natal, March to June, 1900, and the action at Laing's Nek (four times mentioned in despatches, KCB, medal with five clasps). On Oct 25, 1901, Sir Henry Hildyard was appointed temporarily to the command of the First Army Corps; Director of Military Education and Training at Army Headquarters, Jan 15, 1903; and in March, 1904, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, and appointed to the command of the Forces in SA in succession to Sir Neville Lyttelton. Like many other able commanders, distinguished alike for valour and versatility, he began life in the Royal Navy, afterwards electing to join the sister service.  He is a strict disciplinarian, and a recognised authority on military tactics and strategy. He married, in 1871, Annette, daughter of Admiral J C Prevost.

Howard, Colonel Francis, CMG ADC

Born at Berlin, March 26, 1848; is 2nd son of Sir H F Howard, GCB, and Baroness M E van der Schulenburg, and was educated privately and at the RMC, Sandhurst. He joined the Rifle Brigade in 1866, since which he has seen much active service, including the Jowaki Expedition in 1878 (medal and clasp), Afghan War, Bazaar Valley and Lughman Expeditions, 1878-9 (medal and clasp for Ali Musjid); operations in Upper Burma, 1887-89 (despatches, brevet of Lieutenant Colonel for Burma); commanded the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, 1894-98; ADC to the Queen, 1895; CB and Jubilee decorations, 1897; Sudan Campaign, 1898 (despatches, two medals and clasp for Omdurman, and Distinguished Service Reward); saw active service in Crete in 1898; half-pay in Dec, 1898; commanded the 8th Brigade in the Boer War, 1899-1900, including the defence of Ladysmith (despatches, medal and four clasps); Coronation medal and ADC to the King, 1901; Major General and Inspector General of Recruiting at the War Office, 1903; commanded the NW District in 1904; and in 1905 became Acting General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Welsh and Midland command. Sir Francis married, in 1895, Gertrude, daughter of Hugh Conyngham Boyd.

Born in 1847, and is son of W R Kelly, of Kent. He entered the King's Regiment in 1867, and became a Captain in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1880; served in the NW Frontier Expedition in India in 1876 as Staff Officer in the Peshawar Movable Column; action at Aimall Chabootra; the Egyptian Expedition in 1882-4; present at the battles of El Teb and Tarnai (despatches, two clasps, 4th class Medjidie and brevet of Lieutenant Colonel); the Sudan Expedition in 1885 (despatches and two clasps); and the Boer War in 1899-1902 as Special Service Officer, afterwards on the Staff; operations in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal; present at the actions at Poplar Grove and Driefontein, and the actions near Johannesburg and Pretoria (despatches, KSA with two clasps, and KCB). Since 1903 he has been in command of the Infantry Brigade at Malta. He married, in 1889, Mary, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel C Russell, of Ockenden, Essex.

Knox, Colonel Charles Edmund

Born in 1846, and is the eldest son of Dr Knox, Archbishop of Armagh. He was educated at Eton, and joined the 85th Foot as Lieutenant in 1865; served in the Bechuanaland Expedition in 1884-5, in command of the 4th Pioneers (brevet of Lieutenant Colonel). From 1895-99 he was in command of the Regimental District at Bodmin. He served in the Boer War in 1899-1902, in command of the 13th Brigade, being present at the relief of Kimberley; operations in the Orange Free State, including the actions at Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, and Driefontein; the operations in the Orange River Colony, present at the actions at Bothaville and Caledon River, and the operations in Cape Colony (despatches, promoted Major-General, KSA with two clasps, and KCB).

Born in 1847, and is son of General T E Knox, CB. He was educated at the RMA, Woolwich, and in 1867 entered the Royal Artillery, serving in the Abyssinian Campaign in 1867-8 (medal), the Ashanti Campaign in 1874 (medal and clasp); Afghan Campaign in 1878-9 (medal and clasp); the Zulu and Transvaal Campaigns in 1879 (despatches, medal and clasp), and the Boer War in 1899-1902, being present at the siege of Ladysmith and the operations in the Orange River Colony. General Knox was appointed to command the 8th Infantry Division, with headquarters at Cork, in 1905. He married in 1889, Alice, daughter of Sir Robert Dundas.

Lyttleton, Lieutenant General H G

War service: Jowaki Expedition 1877 (medal with clasp); Egyptian Expedition 1882 (Despatches; medal with clasp; bronze star; Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel; 4th class Osmanieh); Nile Expedition (Despatches; promoted Major General for distinguished service; thanked by both Houses of Parliament; Egyptian medal with clasp; medal); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff.  General Lyttelton is not only a remarkably fine soldier, but an excellent cricketer.  He was the son of 4th Baron Lyttelton, was born in 1845, and married a daughter of the Right Honourable J Stuart Wortley.

Third son of the 4th Baron Lyttelton; was born at Haglyy, Worcestershire, Oct 28, 1845, and was educated at Eton, where he played in the Cricket XL in 1862-3-4, and was senior keeper of the Wall Football in 1863. He won the 100 yards at Eton in 1862, and was second in the 350 yards. Since his schooldays Sir Neville has continued to play cricket for many tears, chiefly regimental and military, and racquets and lawn tennis, and has had a good deal of large and small game shooting. He joined the Rifle Brigade in Jan, 1865, becoming Lieutenant Colonel commanding a battalion in Dec, 1892. He has held the following Staff appointments: ADC to Earl Spencer, Lord-Lieutenant, of Ireland, 1868-73; Private Secretary, to Mr Childers, Secretary, of State for War, 1880-2; ADC to Sir John Adye, Chief of Staff, Egyptian Campaign, 1882; Mil. Secretary, to Sir John Adye, Governor of Gibraltar, 1883-5; Mil. Secretary, to Lord Reay, Governor of Bombay, 1885-90; AAG, War Office, 1895-97; Assistant Mil. Secretary, 1897-9; Brig. General Khartoum Campaign, 1898; Major General Infantry Brigade, Aldershot, 1899; Major General 4th Infantry Brigade, SA, 1899-1900; Lieutenant Gen 2nd and 4th Divisions in Natal and the NE Transvaal, commanding in Natal, 1900-02; Lieutenant General commanding Transvaal and ORC from 1902 to Feb, 1903, and commanded the troops in South Africa from that date until, under the new Army reorganisation scheme, he returned to England early in 1904 to become one of the three military members of the Army Council and Chief of the General Staff. General Lyttelton saw active service in the Fenian raid in Canada in 1866 (medal and clasp), Jowaki Expedition, 1877 (medal and clasp), Egyptian War, 1882, when he was present at Tel-el-Kebir (medal and clasp, bronze star, 4th class Osmanieh, brevet of Lieutenant Colonel), Khartoum Expedition, 1898, including the battle of Khartoum (Egyptian medal and clasp and medal, was promoted Major General and thanked by the Houses of Parliament). His fighting in the Boer War, 1899-1902, included the campaign in Natal, the operations in Eastern and NE Transvaal in the Cape Colony against De Wet, and the operations on the Natal border (medal with clasps for Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast, CO and ORC; also the KSA and two clasps). He was further promoted to Lieutenant General and made KCB He was eight times mentioned in despatches. He has received the Good Service Reward. His other service abroad includes twelve years in India. Sir Neville married, Oct 1, 1883, Katharine Sara, daughter of the Rt Hon James Stuart Wortley.

MacCormac, W, KCVO. 

He was the eldest son of Dr Henry MacCormac, MD, and was born at Belfast in 1836.  Baronet Created, 1897; Kt, 1881; KCVO, 1898.  Consulting Surgeon to the Forces in South Africa; President of Royal College of Surgeons of England and Member of the Court of Examiners, Royal College of Surgeons, and Examiner of HM Naval Medical Service.  Sir William is covered with medical honours acquired in England, France, Italy, Prussia, Sweden, Portugal, Bavaria, Spain, and Turkey.  He was created a baronet on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee in 1897.  Also awarded a civil KCB for the Boer War.

MacDonald, Colonel H A

See his DSO entry.

Entered 1861; Colonel, 1897.  Staff service: Chief Inst.  School of Gunnery, 1893-97; Brigadier General Commanding RA, Aldershot District, 1897-99; Major General Commanding RA, South Africa, 1899.  War service: Boer War, 1899-1900.

Maxwell, Major J G

See his DSO entry.

Entered Guards, 1864; Colonel, 1888; Lieutenant General, 1898.  Staff service: Brigade Major, Home District, 1871-76; Special Service, Ashanti Expedition 1873-74; Assistant Military Secretary, Headquarters, Ireland, 1877; Military Attache, Berlin, 1878-81; AA and QMG Home District 1881-82; Commandant at Headquarters, (AA and QMG), Expedition Forces, Egypt, 1882; AA and QMG, Home District 1882-84; DAG, South Africa, 1888-90; Major General Home District 1892-97; Lieutenant General, Infantry Division, South Africa, 1899.  War Service—Ashanti War, 1873-74 (medal); Egyptian Expedition 1882 (Despatches; medal with clasp; bronze star; 3rd class Osmanieh; CB); Bechuanaland Expedition 1884-85 (honourably mentioned; CMG); Operations on NW Frontier of India, 1897-98 (Despatches; medal with 2 clasps); Boer War, 1899-1900.  Lord Methuen, born 1845, was the son of the 2nd Baron, and was married in 1879 to the daughter of Sir F H Hervey-Bathurst, Baronet, and after her death to the daughter of Mr D A Sanford.  This officer, at the commencement of the war, enjoyed the distinction of being the youngest Lieutenant General in the Army.  He had hitherto taken a prominent part in promoting the efficiency of the Metropolitan Volunteer Corps, which services cannot be too highly estimated.  Owing to his remarkable and increasing activity during the present war, he has proved himself one of the chief mainstays of Lord Roberts's operations.

Murray, Colonel J W

Entered RA 1872; Colonel, 1899.  Staff service:  DAA and QMG N Brit.  District 1884; DAQMG (Intelligence.  Br.) Headquarters of Army, 1884-87; DAAG, 1887-90; Special Service, Officer Headquarters of Army, 1892-94; DAAG for Inst., Aldershot, and DAAG for Aldershot, 1894-97; Special Service, Ashanti, 1895-96; AAG, India, 1898-99; AQMG (Intelligence.  Headquarters, India, 1899; Colonel on Staff, South Africa, 1899; Brigadier General on Staff, South Africa, 1899.  War service: Ashanti Expedition 1895-96 (honourably mentioned; Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel; star); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff; commanding Lines of Communication, Natal.

Entered, Coldstream Guards, 1869.  Staff service: ADC to Viceroy of India, 1879; ADC to Major General, Afghan Campaign, 1879-80; Military Secretary to Commander in Chief, Madras, 1884-85; Military Secretary to Commander in Chief, Madras, 1885; Military Secretary to Commander-in-Chief, E Indies, 1885-90; Commandant Headquarters Staff, South Africa, 1899; Major General Infantry Brigade, South Africa, 1899-1900; Lieutenant General Infantry Division, South Africa, 1900.  War service: Afghan War, 1879-80 (Despatches, January, May, and December, 1880); Egyptian Campaign, 1882 (medal with clasp; bronze star); Burmese Expedition 1886-87 (Despatches; CB); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff (Despatches).

He joined the Coldstream Guards in 1869, and first saw active service under Sir Frederick (now Lord) Roberts in the Afghan War of 1879-80, when he took part in the march to Kandahar, being three times mentioned in despatches. He acted as ADC to the Duke of Connaught in the Egyptian Campaign, and was military secretary to Lord Roberts during the Burmese War of 1886, being again mentioned in despatches, and receiving the CB In the Boer War he successively had command of the 9th Brigade, the Guards Brigade, and afterwards the 11th Division. He took part in the advance on Kimberley, including the actions at Modder River and Magersfontein; the operations in the Orange Free State, including the actions at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Vet River, and Zand River; operations in the Transvaal in May and June, 1900, including the actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Diamond Hill, and from July to November, 1900, was present at the actions at Belfast and district. During the campaign he distinguished himself repeatedly, as much by his cool courage as by his successful strategy, and he was one of the few general officers who went through the war without any of those regrettable incidents which characterised the campaign. For his services so ably rendered he was promoted to Major-General; was created KCB, and received the QSA with five clasps. For three years subsequently General Pole-Carew commanded the 3rd Army Corps, retiring from the army in the summer of 1906. He married, in 1901, Lady Beatrice Butler, eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ormonde, and has one son and two daughters.

Richardson, Colonel W D

Colonel, 1897.  Staff service: DAAG, Aldershot, 1883-87; Egypt, 1889-96; Dublin, 1894-97; AAG, W District; DAG for Supplies, South Africa, 1899.  War service: Ashanti War, 1873-74 (medal); South African War, 1877-78-79 (Despatches; medal with clasp; promoted Deputy Commissary); Egyptian Expedition 1882 (medal; bronze star); Bechuanaland Expedition 1884-85 (honourably mentioned; honorary Lieutenant Colonel); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff.  This remarkable officer, whose labours have been as the labours of Hercules, and to whom much of the success of Lord Roberts's great marches has been due, was born in 1854.  He married the daughter of the Reverend J Ewing.

See his DSO entry.

Entered 1855; Major General, 1893.  Staff service:  Colonel on Staff, Natal, 1891-93; Brigadier General, Natal, 1893-95; Major General, India, 1895-99; Lieutenant General Infantry Division, South Africa, 1899.  War service: Bhootan Expedition 1865-66 (medal with clasp); Boer War, 1878-79 (Despatches, April and August 1879; medal with clasp; CB); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff.  General Tucker, born in 1838, was a son of Mr Tucker of Ashburton and a daughter of Mr Hayter, Painter-in-Ordinary to Queen Victoria.  As a practical, resourceful, and rough-and-ready soldier, he has no equal.  He was rewarded in 1896 for "distinguished and meritorious service with a good-service pension.

Ward, Colonel E W D

Staff service: DAAG, Headquarters, Ireland, 1892-95; DAAG, Home District; Special Service, Ashanti, 1895-96; AAG, Natal, 1899.  War service: Sudan Expedition 1885 (Despatches; medal with 2 clasps; bronze star; promoted Assistant Commandant-General); Ashanti Expedition 1895-96 (honorary mentioned; star); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff.  This remarkable officer, born in 1853, who was one of the prime actors in the gallant defence of Ladysmith, was the son of Captain J Ward, RN.

Born at Rauceby, July 13,1847, and is the eldest son of Anthony Willson, formerly MP for S Lincolnshire. We was educated at Eton, and served in the Nile Expedition in 1885, and as Major General commanding the district west of Johannesburg in the Boer War.

Wood, Colonel Elliott

Born in 1844. He entered the Royal Engineers in 1864, serving with them during the Egyptian War in 1882; present at the actions at Kassassin and Tel el Kebir; the Sudan Expedition in 1884, being attached to the Intelligence Department, and participating in the victories at El Teb and Tamai. During the following year he saw further fighting in the Sudan at Suakim, Hasheen and Tofrek. He also served in the Boer War in 1899-1902, in command of the RE (KCB, QSA and five clasps, KSA and two clasps).

In the early 'seventies, at the age of fifteen, he shouldered a rifle in the Diamond Fields Reverendolt, led by the Fenian Aylward, who singled out young Sampson as one who did not know what fear meant. In 1896 he was one of the two Reform prisoners who, rather than join in the petition to the Executive, elected to complete their terms of imprisonment in Pretoria gaol. He founded the Imperial Light Horse at the beginning of the Boer War, through which he served from 1899 to 1902, participating in the operations in Natal, including the action at Elandslaagte, and doing further excellent service, especially on the Intelligence Staff. He was severely wounded at Elandslaagte, and was several times mentioned in despatches. He has been since March 19, 1903, Hon Colonel of the Right Wing of the ILH, with hon. rank in the British Army (dating from June 26, 1902); was made CB, November 29, 1900, and KCB, June 26, 1902. At the conclusion of the War he joined Major Mullins, VC, in a partnership as financial and estate agents in Johannesburg.