James Bevan Edwards

Sir James Edwards
Born 5 November 1835
Died 8 July 1922 (aged 86)
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank Lieutenant-General
Commands held Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong
Battles/wars Crimean War
Indian Mutiny
Mahdist War
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

Lieutenant General Sir James Bevan Edwards KCB KCMG (5 November 1835 – 8 July 1922) was a senior British Army officer and politician.

Contents

Military career

Edwards was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1852.[1] He served with the Royal Engineers in the Crimean War in 1853 and the Indian Mutiny of 1857.[2]

He transferred to the Indian Staff Corps in 1882[3] and, during the Mahdist War, became Commanding Royal Engineer for the Suakin Expeditionary Force in 1885.[4] He was mentioned in despatches for his role in this Expedition.[5]

On return to the UK he became Commandant of the Royal School of Military Engineering.[6] He was then appointed Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1889.[7]

Edwards was also chosen by the British Government to inspect the forces of the Australian colonies in 1889 and to advise on their organisation. He recommended a structure to enable the colonies to combine for mutual defence, uniform organisation and armament, a common Defence Act, a military college to train officers and a uniform gauge for railways.[2]

At the 1895 general election, he was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hythe in Kent,[8] but he made his resignation from the British House of Commons in February 1899.[9]

He became colonel-commandant of the Royal Engineers in 1903.[2]

Edwards died in 1922 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.[10]

Family

In 1868, he married Alice Brocklebank, in 1901, he married Nina Balfour, and, in 1918, he married Amy Ann Harding.[2]

References

  1. ^ London Gazette: no. 21397. p. 3941. 31 December 1852. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  2. ^ a b c d Australian Dictionary of Biography
  3. ^ London Gazette: no. 25104. p. 2076. 5 May 1882. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  4. ^ London Gazette: no. 25444. p. 759. 20 February 1885. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  5. ^ London Gazette: no. 25505. p. 4042. 25 August 1885. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  6. ^ London Gazette: no. 25793. p. 1428. 6 March 1888. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  7. ^ London Gazette: no. 25940. p. 2879. 28 May 1889. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  8. ^ London Gazette: no. 26651. p. 4481. 2 August 1895. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 27055. p. 1116. 21 February 1899. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  10. ^ Brompton Cemetery site

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir William Cameron		 Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong
1889–1890		 Succeeded by
Sir George Barker
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir Edward William Watkin		 Member of Parliament for Hythe
1895–1899		 Succeeded by
Sir Edward Sassoon