Evelyn Wood (general)

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Field Marshal Sir Henry Evelyn Wood VC GCB GCMG (February 9, 1838 - December 2, 1919) was an English Field Marshal and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Contents 1 Early life 2 General officer 3 Victoria Cross 3.1 The medal 4 References 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Early life

Wood was born in 1838 in Braintree, Essex as the youngest son of Sir John Page Wood, Bt., and an elder brother of Katherine Parnell, Evelyn Wood was educated at Marlborough College and served as a midshipman in the Crimean War during the siege of Sebastopol. Heavily wounded in an attack on the Redan, Wood was mentioned in dispatches. He then left the Royal Navy to join the army, becoming a cornet in the 13th Light Dragoons and then a lieutenant in the 17th Lancers. In India he saw action during the Indian Mutiny and saw action at Rajghur, Sindwaho, Kharee, and Barode.

In 1861 Wood was promoted to captain and in 1862 he became a brevet major in the 73rd Highlanders (Black Watch). In 1865 he left the infantry for the cavalry again and after a stint as an aide-de-camp in Dublin, Wood was given a staff position until 1871, when he became a full major in the 90th Foot. Meanwhile he had married the sister of the 4th Viscount Southwell, Mary Pauline Southwell, in 1867.

In 1873 Wood was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel and in 1874 he served in the Ashanti War. Until 1878 Wood was a member of the staff at Aldershot.

[edit] General officer

In January 1879 he took part in the Anglo-Zulu War and was given command of the left column of the army that crossed the Zulu frontier, and shortly afterwards he received the local rank of brigadier ­general. Defeated at Hlobane, he recovered and decisively beat the Zulus at Kambula and also took part in the final battle at Ulundi.

At the close of the war Evelyn Wood became a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. and was appointed to command the Chatham district. With the First Boer War going on, Wood was sent back to South Africa in January 1881 with the local rank of major­ general. He remained in Natal until February 1882, was awarded a GCMG and then returned to the Chatham command.

Wood was given command of a brigade in the Egyptian expedition. He was made Sirdar of the Egyptian army until 1885, during which period he thoroughly reorganized it. In 1886 he was allowed to return to Britain, promoted to lieutenant-general in 1891, Wood was given the Grand Cross in the Order of the Bath. He saw further service as quartermaster-general at the War Office and as adjudant-general.

Promoted full general in 1895, Wood commanded the II Army Corps and Southern Command from 1901 to 1904. On April 8, 1903 Sir Evelyn Wood was promoted field marshal. In 1907 he became colonel of the Royal Horse Guards. After retiring from active service Sir Evelyn Wood became chairman of the Association for the City of London, and on March 11, 1911 he was appointed Constable of the Tower of London.

[edit] Victoria Cross

He was 20 years old, and a Lieutenant in the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 19 October 1858 during an action at Sinwaho, India, Lieutenant Wood was in command of a troop of light cavalry and attacked almost single-handed a body of rebels, whom he routed. He also subsequently at Sindhora, rescued, with the help of a duffadar and a sowar, a Potail from a band of robbers who had captured the man and carried him into the jungle where they intended to hang him.

[edit] The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum (Chelsea, England).

[edit] References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Hampshire)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.