Walter Sinclair Delamain
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Sinclair Delamain KCB KCMG DSO
(1862–1932) was a general of the British Indian Army
.
and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment) on 22 October 1881. On 13 January 1885 he was seconded for service with the Indian Staff Corps, and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Bombay Staff Corps on 1 February 1885, with seniority of 22 October 1881. He was promoted to Captain, 22 October 1892, and given the temporary rank of Major, 4 November 1898. As Commandant of the Native Military Base Depot during the Boxer Rebellion
he was mentioned in despatches. On 26 May 1901 he was appointed a Special Service Officer on the staff of the China Field Force, and his rank of Major was made substantive on 10 July 1901. In 1905 he was again mentioned in despatches for his service with the 123rd Outram's Rifles
, commanding the escort to the Aden Boundary Commission for eight months, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
on 14 April, and promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, with seniority of 12 January 1905. On 12 January 1908 he was made brevet Colonel, and substantive Colonel on 1 January 1911. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General on 17 November 1912.
s at the Battle of Es Sinn
. His conduct was described as "admirable" in General Nixon's despatch, and Delamain was promoted to Major-General, 29 October 1915, for distinguished service in the field. He became a prisoner of war
on 29 April 1916.
from 28 October 1921 until he reached the age limit, being replaced by Major-General R.C. Wilson on 18 February 1932.
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...
(1862–1932) was a general of the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
.
Early service
He attended the Royal Military CollegeRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Berkshire Regiment) on 22 October 1881. On 13 January 1885 he was seconded for service with the Indian Staff Corps, and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Bombay Staff Corps on 1 February 1885, with seniority of 22 October 1881. He was promoted to Captain, 22 October 1892, and given the temporary rank of Major, 4 November 1898. As Commandant of the Native Military Base Depot during the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
he was mentioned in despatches. On 26 May 1901 he was appointed a Special Service Officer on the staff of the China Field Force, and his rank of Major was made substantive on 10 July 1901. In 1905 he was again mentioned in despatches for his service with the 123rd Outram's Rifles
123rd Outram's Rifles
-History:It traced its origins to the 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry, part of the British East India Company's Bombay Army. It fought in the Battle of Khadki on 5 November 1817 in the Third Anglo-Maratha War and became the regiment's 1st Battalion in 1820...
, commanding the escort to the Aden Boundary Commission for eight months, was 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...
on 14 April, and promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, with seniority of 12 January 1905. On 12 January 1908 he was made brevet Colonel, and substantive Colonel on 1 January 1911. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General on 17 November 1912.
First World War
Delamain was appointed temporary Brigadier-General, 27 September 1914. He commanded the 16th and 17th Indian Infantry Brigade17th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 17th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in November 1940, at the Delhi Cantonment in India and assigned to the 8th Indian Infantry Division. They were sent to participate in the Anglo-Iraqi War and the Syria-Lebanon Campaign...
s at the Battle of Es Sinn
Battle of Es Sinn
The Battle of Es Sinn was a military engagement during the Mesopotamian Campaign of World War I. The battle was fought to determine control of the lower Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq. It was also viewed, by the British and Indian governments, as a test of the Ottoman forces and...
. His conduct was described as "admirable" in General Nixon's despatch, and Delamain was promoted to Major-General, 29 October 1915, for distinguished service in the field. He became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
on 29 April 1916.
Post-war
On 14 November 1919 Delamain was given command of a division, and he was promoted to Lieutenant-General on 1 April 1920, with seniority later backdated to 21 December 1919. He served as Adjutant-General in India from 10 November 1920 to 28 March 1923, when he retired from the Indian Army. He was also Colonel of the 117th Mahrattas117th Mahrattas
The 117th Mahrattas were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1800, when they were raised as the Bombay Fencible Regiment....
from 28 October 1921 until he reached the age limit, being replaced by Major-General R.C. Wilson on 18 February 1932.