Neville Bowles Chamberlain
Encyclopedia
Field Marshal
Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain GCB GCSI (10 January 1820 – 3 February 1902) was a British soldier who served in India
.
, the third son of Sir Henry Chamberlain, 1st Baronet, consul general and charge d'affaires
in Brazil
, and his second wife Anna Eugenia née Morgan. His elder brother, William Charles Chamberlain
, was an admiral, while younger brothers Crawford Chamberlain
, and Charles Francis Falcon Chamberlain, were also army officers.
He entered the British East India Company
Army in 1837, served as a subaltern in the First Afghan War
(1839–42), and was wounded on several occasions. He was attached to the Governor-General's Bodyguard at the Battle of Maharajpur, in the Gwalior Campaign
of 1843, was appointed military secretary to the governor of Bombay in 1846, and honorary aide-de-camp to the governor-general of India in 1847. He served on the staff throughout the Punjab Campaign
of 1848 to 1849, and was present at the Battle of Chillianwala
. In 1850 he was appointed commandant of the Punjab military police, and in 1852 military secretary to the Punjab
government.
Promoted lieutenat-colonel in 1854, he was given the command of the Punjab Frontier Force with rank of brigadier-general, and commanded in several expeditions against the frontier tribes. In the Indian Mutiny
he succeeded Colonel Chester as adjutant-general of the Indian army
, and distinguished himself at the Siege of Delhi
, where he was severely wounded. He was rewarded with a brevet-colonelcy, the appointment of Aide-de-camp
to Queen Victoria, and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
He was reappointed to the command of the Punjab Frontier Force in 1858, and commanded in the Umbeyla Campaign
(1863), in which he was severely wounded.
He was then made Major-general for distinguished service, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1866, lieutenant-general in 1872, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1873, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1875, and full General in 1877.
From 1876 to 1881 he was Commander-in-chief of the Madras Army
, and in 1878 was sent on a mission to the Emir
of Afghanistan
, Sher Ali Khan
, whose refusal to allow him to enter the country precipitated the Second Afghan War. He was a member of the Madras Legislative Council
. He was for some time acting military member of the council of the governor-general of India. He retired in 1886, was made a Field Marshal
in 1900, and died on the 3 February 1902.
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain GCB GCSI (10 January 1820 – 3 February 1902) was a British soldier who served in India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
Military career
Chamberlain was born in Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, the third son of Sir Henry Chamberlain, 1st Baronet, consul general and charge d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and his second wife Anna Eugenia née Morgan. His elder brother, William Charles Chamberlain
William Charles Chamberlain
William Charles Chamberlain was a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy, and sometime Superintendent at the dockyard, HMNB Devonport....
, was an admiral, while younger brothers Crawford Chamberlain
Crawford Chamberlain
Sir Crawford Trotter Chamberlain GCIE CSI was a General of the Indian Staff Corps. He was the son of Sir Henry Chamberlain, 1st Baronet and his second wife....
, and Charles Francis Falcon Chamberlain, were also army officers.
He entered the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
Army in 1837, served as a subaltern in the First Afghan War
First Anglo-Afghan War
The First Anglo-Afghan War was fought between British India and Afghanistan from 1839 to 1842. It was one of the first major conflicts during the Great Game, the 19th century competition for power and influence in Central Asia between the United Kingdom and Russia, and also marked one of the worst...
(1839–42), and was wounded on several occasions. He was attached to the Governor-General's Bodyguard at the Battle of Maharajpur, in the Gwalior Campaign
Gwalior Campaign
The Gwalior Campaign was fought between British and Marathan forces in Gwalior in India, December 1843.- Background :The Maratha Empire controlled much of central and northern India and had fallen to the British in 1818 giving the British control over almost all of the Indian subcontinent...
of 1843, was appointed military secretary to the governor of Bombay in 1846, and honorary aide-de-camp to the governor-general of India in 1847. He served on the staff throughout the Punjab Campaign
Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
of 1848 to 1849, and was present at the Battle of Chillianwala
Battle of Chillianwala
The Battle of Chillianwala was fought during the Second Anglo-Sikh War in the Chillianwala region of Punjab, now part of modern-day Pakistan. The battle was one of the bloodiest fought by the British East India Company. Both armies held their positions at the end of the battle and both sides...
. In 1850 he was appointed commandant of the Punjab military police, and in 1852 military secretary to the Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
government.
Promoted lieutenat-colonel in 1854, he was given the command of the Punjab Frontier Force with rank of brigadier-general, and commanded in several expeditions against the frontier tribes. In the Indian Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
he succeeded Colonel Chester as adjutant-general of 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...
, and distinguished himself at the Siege of Delhi
Siege of Delhi
The Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...
, where he was severely wounded. He was rewarded with a brevet-colonelcy, the appointment of 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 Queen Victoria, and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
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...
He was reappointed to the command of the Punjab Frontier Force in 1858, and commanded in the Umbeyla Campaign
Umbeyla Campaign
The Umbeyla Campaign was one of numerous expeditions led by British forces in the North-West Frontier Province; this campaign was against local Hindustani Pashtuns and Bunerwals of British India. The local Pashtuns were vehemently opposed to British colonial rule and frequently attacked British...
(1863), in which he was severely wounded.
He was then made Major-general for distinguished service, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1866, lieutenant-general in 1872, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1873, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1875, and full General in 1877.
From 1876 to 1881 he was Commander-in-chief of the Madras Army
Madras Army
The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of the British India within the British Empire.The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three...
, and in 1878 was sent on a mission to the Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Sher Ali Khan
Sher Ali Khan
Sher Ali Khan was Amir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1866 and from 1868 until his death in 1879. He was the third son of Dost Mohammed Khan, founder of the Barakzai Dynasty in Afghanistan....
, whose refusal to allow him to enter the country precipitated the Second Afghan War. He was a member of the Madras Legislative Council
Madras Legislative Council, 1861-1891
The first Indian Councils Act of 1861 set up the Madras Legislative Council as an advisory body through which the colonial administration obtained advice and assistance. The Act empowered the provincial Governor to nominate four non-English Indian members to the council for the first time...
. He was for some time acting military member of the council of the governor-general of India. He retired in 1886, was made a Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
in 1900, and died on the 3 February 1902.
External links
- Field Marshal Sir Neville Chamberlain at www.uua.org