Edward Hamilton (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir Edward Owen Fisher Hamilton KCB
(17 February 1854 – 30 March 1944) was an officer of the British Army
during the late 19th century. Originally a junior officer in the Queen's Royal Regiment, he oversaw signalling in the Indian Army
during the late nineteenth century, before commanding a battalion and then a brigade in the South African War. He was later the commanding officer for Army forces in West Africa and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
before retiring in 1914; on the outbreak of the First World War, he briefly returned from retirement to command a division in the New Armies
.
from 1878 to 1880 as the aide-de-camp
to General J. M. Primrose, and was mentioned in despatches.
In 1883 he was promoted to captain, and served with the 2nd Battalion in the Third Anglo-Burmese War
before being appointed a brigade-major under Sir William Lockhart in 1887. He then was appointed a brigade-major at Cawnpore from 1887 to 1888, continuing in India as the Inspector of Signals in the Punjab and Bengal from 1888 to 1893. During this period, he oversaw signals in the Hazara Expedition of 1891. He married Isabel Harris, daughter of General Philip H. F. Harris, in 1886; they would have one son and two daughters. The best man at their wedding was Hubert Hamilton
, a fellow captain in the regiment.
He accompanied the Tochi Expedition in 1895 under Lockhart, and served on the staff of the Malakand Field Force in 1897. He returned to field service that same year with the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment, as the second-in-command of the Tirah Expedition, with a brevet-promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
He was general officer commanding
of Army forces in West Africa from 1908 to 1911, and then Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
—and correspondingly commander of the forces in Guernesy and Alderney—from 1911 to his retirement in 1914.
Shortly after his retirement, following the outbreak of the First World War, he was brought back to serve as the first commander of the newly-raised 20th (Light) Division in the New Armies. He held the command less than a month before handing over to Richard Hutton Davies
, a New Zealand officer who had been invalided home from the Western Front. His final military position was a purely ceremonial one; from 1914 to 1920 he was colonel-in-chief
of the Queen's Royal Regiment.
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...
(17 February 1854 – 30 March 1944) was an officer of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the late 19th century. Originally a junior officer in the Queen's Royal Regiment, he oversaw signalling in the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
during the late nineteenth century, before commanding a battalion and then a brigade in the South African War. He was later the commanding officer for Army forces in West Africa and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
before retiring in 1914; on the outbreak of the First World War, he briefly returned from retirement to command a division in the New Armies
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
.
Early career
Hamilton was born in Ireland in 1854, and after studying at the Hermitage School, Bath, joined the Army as a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment, in 1873. He served in the Second Anglo-Afghan WarSecond Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the nation was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai dynasty, the son of former Emir Dost Mohammad Khan. This was the second time British India invaded Afghanistan. The war ended in a manner...
from 1878 to 1880 as the aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General J. M. Primrose, and was mentioned in despatches.
In 1883 he was promoted to captain, and served with the 2nd Battalion in the Third Anglo-Burmese War
Third Anglo-Burmese War
The Third Anglo-Burmese War was a conflict that took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance and insurgency continuing into 1887. It was the final of three wars fought in the 19th century between the Burmese and the British...
before being appointed a brigade-major under Sir William Lockhart in 1887. He then was appointed a brigade-major at Cawnpore from 1887 to 1888, continuing in India as the Inspector of Signals in the Punjab and Bengal from 1888 to 1893. During this period, he oversaw signals in the Hazara Expedition of 1891. He married Isabel Harris, daughter of General Philip H. F. Harris, in 1886; they would have one son and two daughters. The best man at their wedding was Hubert Hamilton
Hubert Hamilton
Major General Hubert Ion Wetherall Hamilton CB, CVO, DSO was a senior British general who served with distinction throughout his career, seeing battle in the Mahdist War in Egypt and the Second Boer War in South Africa, before being given command of the British Third Division at the outbreak of...
, a fellow captain in the regiment.
He accompanied the Tochi Expedition in 1895 under Lockhart, and served on the staff of the Malakand Field Force in 1897. He returned to field service that same year with the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment, as the second-in-command of the Tirah Expedition, with a brevet-promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
Regimental and senior command
He commanded the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment during the early stages of the South African War, in 1899, and then commanded 2nd Brigade from April 1900 to 1902. For his services in South Africa, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and mentioned in despatches. On leaving South Africa in 1902 he was appointed to command the 1st Brigade of the Secunderabad Division in India, promoted to Major-General in 1906 and relinquishing command in 1907.He was general officer commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of Army forces in West Africa from 1908 to 1911, and then Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the Lieutenant Governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the...
—and correspondingly commander of the forces in Guernesy and Alderney—from 1911 to his retirement in 1914.
Shortly after his retirement, following the outbreak of the First World War, he was brought back to serve as the first commander of the newly-raised 20th (Light) Division in the New Armies. He held the command less than a month before handing over to Richard Hutton Davies
Richard Hutton Davies
Major General Richard Hutton Davies CB was an officer of the New Zealand Army during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the first New Zealander to command an independent force overseas and one of the most senior New Zealand officers during the First World War.Born in London, he...
, a New Zealand officer who had been invalided home from the Western Front. His final military position was a purely ceremonial one; from 1914 to 1920 he was colonel-in-chief
Colonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
of the Queen's Royal Regiment.