Edward Bulfin
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir Edward Stanislaus Bulfin KCB
CVO
(6 November 1862 – 20 August 1939) was a British
general during World War I
, where he established a reputation as an excellent commander at the brigade
, divisional
and corps
levels. He was most noted for his actions during the First Battle of Ypres
, when he organized impromptu forces to slow down the German assault.
In 1917-18 he commanded XXI Corps
in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
.
), and was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin
in 1870. He was educated at Stonyhurst College
, and then at Kensington Catholic Public School Although he attended Trinity College, Dublin
, he did not take a degree, choosing a military career instead.
, when he was appointed Brigade Major
to the 1st (Guards) Brigade. He saw action at several skirmishes in South Africa, but upon his return to England, he abandoned regimental soldiering in favor of a staff career. From 1902 to 1904, he served as deputy assistant adjutant-general with I Corps, and from 1906-1910 as assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general for Cape Colony
. After returning to England, he was promoted to colonel and given command of the Essex Regiment
, an unusual appointment as Bulfin had never commanded a battalion. In 1913, he was promoted again, and appointed to the prestigious command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Bulfin and the 2nd Brigade were transported to the Western Front
as part of the original British Expeditionary Force. During the fighting around Ypres
at the end of October 1914, he organized an impromptu force of six battalions (known as "Bulfin's force") and led a counter attack to stem the German advance. This action won him considerable praise from 1st Corps commander Douglas Haig
, as well as BEF commander John French
. In December, he was promoted to command the newly formed 28th Division
, and led this formation through the heavy German gas attacks
at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, and also at the Battle of Loos
.
Bulfin fell ill in October 1915, and spent the first half of 1916 recuperating in England, thus avoiding a transfer to Salonika
. He returned to the Western Front in June 1916 to command the 60th Division
during the Battle of the Somme, although the division did not play a significant role in the offensive.
, although they remained for only six months and took part in no serious fighting. Moving to Palestine
in June 1917, Bulfin was promoted to lieutenant-general and given command of XXI Corps
. He proved a capable corps commander, leading his formation through Ottoman defenses at the Third Battle of Gaza
, opening the way for the capture of Jerusalem. He later commanded the corps in the overwhelming victory at the Battle of Megiddo
in the waning days of the war.
, Bournemouth
, Dorset
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(6 November 1862 – 20 August 1939) was a British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
general during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, where he established a reputation as an excellent commander at the brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, divisional
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
and corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
levels. He was most noted for his actions during the First Battle of Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
, when he organized impromptu forces to slow down the German assault.
In 1917-18 he commanded XXI Corps
XXI Corps (United Kingdom)
The XXI Corps was a Army Corps of the British Army during World War I.-First World War:The Corps was formed in Egypt in June 1917 under the command of Lieutenant General Edward Bulfin...
in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
.
Early life
Bulfin was born near Dublin, the second son of Patrick Bulfin and Teresa Clare Carroll. His father was a son of Edward Bulfin from Derrinlough, King's County (now County OffalyCounty Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
), and was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
in 1870. He was educated at Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
, and then at Kensington Catholic Public School Although he attended Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, he did not take a degree, choosing a military career instead.
Military career
Bulfin was commissioned into the Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) in 1884, following militia service with the Royal Irish Fusiliers. He married Mary Frances Lonergan in 1898 (immediately prior to posting to South Africa), with whom he had two children. His career did not advance very much until the Boer WarBoer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, when he was appointed Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
to the 1st (Guards) Brigade. He saw action at several skirmishes in South Africa, but upon his return to England, he abandoned regimental soldiering in favor of a staff career. From 1902 to 1904, he served as deputy assistant adjutant-general with I Corps, and from 1906-1910 as assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general for Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
. After returning to England, he was promoted to colonel and given command of the Essex Regiment
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
, an unusual appointment as Bulfin had never commanded a battalion. In 1913, he was promoted again, and appointed to the prestigious command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
World War I
At the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Bulfin and the 2nd Brigade were transported to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
as part of the original British Expeditionary Force. During the fighting around Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
at the end of October 1914, he organized an impromptu force of six battalions (known as "Bulfin's force") and led a counter attack to stem the German advance. This action won him considerable praise from 1st Corps commander Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
, as well as BEF commander John French
John French, 1st Earl of Ypres
Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC, PC , known as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a British and Anglo-Irish officer...
. In December, he was promoted to command the newly formed 28th Division
28th Division (United Kingdom)
- History :Formed in England in December 1914 - January 1915 from regular arm battalions returning from India , Singapore and Egypt . In January 1915 the division moved to France and on to the Western Front....
, and led this formation through the heavy German gas attacks
Poison gas in World War I
The use of chemical weapons in World War I ranged from disabling chemicals, such as tear gas and the severe mustard gas, to lethal agents like phosgene and chlorine. This chemical warfare was a major component of the first global war and first total war of the 20th century. The killing capacity of...
at the 2nd Battle of Ypres, and also at the Battle of Loos
Battle of Loos
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
.
Bulfin fell ill in October 1915, and spent the first half of 1916 recuperating in England, thus avoiding a transfer to Salonika
Macedonian front (World War I)
The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
. He returned to the Western Front in June 1916 to command the 60th Division
60th (2/2nd London) Division
The British 60th Division was the second of two second-line Territorial Force divisions formed from the surplus of London recruits in 1914. Originally the division merely supplied the first-line Territorial divisions with drafts to replace losses through casualties...
during the Battle of the Somme, although the division did not play a significant role in the offensive.
Salonika and Palestine
In December 1916, 60th Division was transferred to SalonikaMacedonian front (World War I)
The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
, although they remained for only six months and took part in no serious fighting. Moving to Palestine
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
in June 1917, Bulfin was promoted to lieutenant-general and given command of XXI Corps
XXI Corps (United Kingdom)
The XXI Corps was a Army Corps of the British Army during World War I.-First World War:The Corps was formed in Egypt in June 1917 under the command of Lieutenant General Edward Bulfin...
. He proved a capable corps commander, leading his formation through Ottoman defenses at the Third Battle of Gaza
Third Battle of Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
, opening the way for the capture of Jerusalem. He later commanded the corps in the overwhelming victory at the Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo (1918)
The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
in the waning days of the war.
Post war
After the armistice, Bulfin remained in the army in a variety of staff positions, finally retiring in 1926. He died in 1939 at his home in BoscombeBoscombe
Boscombe is a suburb of Bournemouth. Located to the east of Bournemouth town centre and west of Southbourne, It developed rapidly from a small village as a seaside resort alongside Bournemouth after the first Boscombe pier was built in 1888...
, Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.