Alfred Gaselee

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Sir Alfred Gaselee was born on 3 June 1844 at Little Yeldham, Essex, the eldest son of the Reverend John Gaselee, rector of Little Yeldham, and his wife, Sarah Anne Mant. He entered Felsted School in 1853 and Sandhurst in 1861.

In 1882, Gaselee married Alice Jane, daughter of the Rt. Hon. William Edward Baxter, from whom he obtained a divorce in 1893. He married Alice Margaret, daughter of Gartside Gartside-Tipping of Rossferry, County Fermanagh, Ireland, on 20 August 1895, who outlived him. There were no children from either marriage.

[edit] Career

Gaselee was commissioned as ensign in the 93rd regiment of the Sutherland Highlanders on 9 January 1863. He was involved in the campaign on the north-west frontier of India in that year. He was promoted lieutenant on 11 October 1866, transferred to the Bengal staff corps, and joined the 4th Punjab infantry on 27 September 1867. He went with the Indian force to Abyssinia, where he acted as assistant to the director-general of transport and was present at the capture of Magdala (13 April 1868). He was promoted captain on 9 January 1875, and served with the Jowaki expedition of 1877–8. In the Anglo-Afghan War of 1879–80, he was a deputy assistant quartermaster-general, and accompanied Roberts on the march from Kabul to the relief of Kandahar. He was made brevet major on 2 March 1881.

Gaselee was promoted major on 9 January 1883, and lieutenant-colonel on 9 January 1889, and received the CB on 19 November 1891. On 27 September 1892, he was promoted to the command of the 1st battalion, 5th Gurkha rifles. On 1 February 1893, he was promoted colonel and appointed aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria. He served in the Isazai expedition (1892), the Waziristan field force (1894–5), and the Tirah campaign (1897–8). For his services in Tirah Gaselee, was created KCB on 20 May 1898. From 25 July 1898 to 3 June 1901, he served simultaneously as quartermaster-general at Simla and brigadier-general commanding Bundelkhand district. He was promoted major-general on 3 July 1900.

In the summer of 1900, when the Boxer uprising in China was at its height, Gaselee was chosen to command the British element in the international expeditionary force. A large force was to have been assembled under the German commander, Count Von Waldersee, consisting, in addition to British, of Japanese, Russian, Italian, French, American, and German troops. Before Von Waldersee's arrival news broke that the foreign legations in Peking were still holding out. Gaselee was therefore put in command of a smaller force of 20,000 men, mostly Japanese and Russian, but including 3000 British and Indian troops, which set out for Peking immediately. The 7th Rajputs, under Gaselee himself, were the first troops to enter Peking, reaching the legations on the afternoon of 14 August 1900. The international rivalries between the component parts of the relieving forces might have given rise to the most serious complications. Gaselee showed tact and firmness in his handling of a very delicate situation. As a reward for his services, he was created GCIE on 24 July 1901.

Gaselee was promoted lieutenant-general on 30 June 1903 and full general on 30 June 1906. From 30 June 1903 to 29 June 1908, he was commander of the forces in Bengal. He then retired to Guildford. He was created GCB on 25 June 1909 and was colonel of the 54th Sikhs from 13 May 1904 until his death, which took place at Grove End House, 12 Pit Farm Road, Guildford, GU1 2JH, on 29 March 1918.