Hugh Montgomery (British officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
Hugh Ferguson Montgomery CMG
, DSO
(6 May 1880, Umbala
, Bengal, India
– 10 December 1920, Bray
, County Dublin
, Ireland
) was a British first-class cricketer and Royal Marine Light Infantry officer. Montgomery was born in India and was a cousin of Field Marshal Montgomery. He died as a result of injuries sustained in the Bloody Sunday
assassination of high-ranking British intelligence officers by the Irish Republican Army
in the Irish War of Independence
.
cricket
for Somerset
between 1901 and 1909. He also played a few matches for the MCC
and one each for the Royal Navy and a "Gentlemen of England" team; he played in other non-first-class matches for both MCC and the Navy sides.
Montgomery was a middle-order right-handed batsman and an occasional bowler whose bowling style is not known. He was educated at Marlborough College
where he played in the annual match at Lord's against Rugby School
in both 1897 and 1898. He made his first-class debut in two matches for Somerset in 1901. In the first, against the South Africans he made 1 and 0. He did marginally a few weeks later with scores of 7 and 8 in the match against Gloucestershire
. He then made irregular appearances for Somerset until 1909, playing more than a couple of matches only in the 1904 season. In this year he made his only score of 50, reaching that exact score when opening the second innings as Somerset lost heavily to Sussex
. It was in 1904 as well that he took his only first-class wickets, five in all, with a best return of two for 17 against Hampshire
.
As well as playing odd games for Somerset, he also appeared in most seasons in a couple of matches for MCC, though none of these matches were first-class until 1907. Similarly, he played for the Royal Navy cricket team against the Army
from 1908, but the only first-class match in this series he played in was his last first-class match in 1912.
but by 1916 during the First World War
he was seconded to the General Staff as a brevet Major serving in the Royal Marine Light Infantry at the Admiralty. In 1917 he was promoted to be a temporary lieutenant-colonel and the citation in the London Gazette
records that he has by this time been awarded the Distinguished Service Order
medal. His Commonwealth War Graves Commission citation says that he was mentioned in despatches six times. In 1920 he was seconded to the British Army
serving in Dublin during the Anglo-Irish War. He was one of the senior British intelligence officers known as the Cairo Gang
who were shot by IRA gunmen in the events of Bloody Sunday
, dying of his wounds almost three weeks later. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery
.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Hugh Ferguson Montgomery CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(6 May 1880, Umbala
Ambala
Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...
, Bengal, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
– 10 December 1920, Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) was a British first-class cricketer and Royal Marine Light Infantry officer. Montgomery was born in India and was a cousin of Field Marshal Montgomery. He died as a result of injuries sustained in the Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1920)
Bloody Sunday was a day of violence in Dublin on 21 November 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. In total, 31 people were killed – fourteen British, fourteen Irish civilians and three republican prisoners....
assassination of high-ranking British intelligence officers by the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
in the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
.
Cricket career
Montgomery played first-classFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
between 1901 and 1909. He also played a few matches for the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
and one each for the Royal Navy and a "Gentlemen of England" team; he played in other non-first-class matches for both MCC and the Navy sides.
Montgomery was a middle-order right-handed batsman and an occasional bowler whose bowling style is not known. He was educated at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
where he played in the annual match at Lord's against Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
in both 1897 and 1898. He made his first-class debut in two matches for Somerset in 1901. In the first, against the South Africans he made 1 and 0. He did marginally a few weeks later with scores of 7 and 8 in the match against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
. He then made irregular appearances for Somerset until 1909, playing more than a couple of matches only in the 1904 season. In this year he made his only score of 50, reaching that exact score when opening the second innings as Somerset lost heavily to Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
. It was in 1904 as well that he took his only first-class wickets, five in all, with a best return of two for 17 against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
.
As well as playing odd games for Somerset, he also appeared in most seasons in a couple of matches for MCC, though none of these matches were first-class until 1907. Similarly, he played for the Royal Navy cricket team against the Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
from 1908, but the only first-class match in this series he played in was his last first-class match in 1912.
Military career
Montgomery served with the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
but by 1916 during the First World War
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...
he was seconded to the General Staff as a brevet Major serving in the Royal Marine Light Infantry at the Admiralty. In 1917 he was promoted to be a temporary lieutenant-colonel and the citation in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
records that he has by this time been awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
medal. His Commonwealth War Graves Commission citation says that he was mentioned in despatches six times. In 1920 he was seconded to 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...
serving in Dublin during the Anglo-Irish War. He was one of the senior British intelligence officers known as the Cairo Gang
Cairo Gang
The Cairo Gang was a group of British Intelligence agents who were sent to Dublin during the Anglo-Irish War to conduct intelligence operations against prominent members of the Irish Republican Army...
who were shot by IRA gunmen in the events of Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1920)
Bloody Sunday was a day of violence in Dublin on 21 November 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. In total, 31 people were killed – fourteen British, fourteen Irish civilians and three republican prisoners....
, dying of his wounds almost three weeks later. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
.