| Hildyard | Henry John Thoroton | | Major General | 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.
Source: List of KCB recipients. Various sources | Staff |
