| Field Marshal Sir John Simmons GCB GCMG |
|
|---|---|
Sir John Simmons |
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| Born | 12 February 1821 |
| Died | 14 February 1903 (aged 82) Hawley, Hampshire, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1837-1903 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Commands held | Royal Military Academy Royal School of Military Engineering Royal Engineers |
| Battles/wars | Crimean War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George |
| Other work | Governor of Malta |
Field Marshal Sir John Lintorn Arabin Simmons GCB GCMG (12 February 1821 – 14 February 1903), was a British soldier.
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Simmons was the fifth son of Captain Thomas Frederick Simmons, Royal Artillery of Langford in Somerset.[1] From the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1837[2] and completed the young officer's course at the Royal Engineer Establishment in Chatham.
After serving in the British North American colonies in Canada from 1839 to 1845,[2] he was promoted to Captain upon his return to England.[2] He was appointed Inspector of Railways in 1847[2] and then Secretary of the Railways Commission in 1850.[2] He investigated many railway accidents, perhaps the most famous of which was the Dee bridge disaster in 1847. His report blamed the cast iron girders for the accident, which killed five passengers and crew. The accident was highly significant at the time because it had been designed by Robert Stephenson. Many other bridges built to the same design had to be demolished and replaced. In 1851 he became the first Secretary of the Railway Department under the Board of Trade.
In 1853, whilst on leave from his role with the Board of Trade, he was in Constantinople when Turkey declared war on Russia. The British Ambassador took up Simmons’ offer of his services, requesting that he report on Turkish defences and their ability to resist a Russian advance.[2] Upon expiry of his "leave", he resigned his post with the Board of Trade, enabling him to remain in Turkey.
Serving firstly as British Military Representative to the Omar Pasha,[2] he was later confirmed as British Commissioner with the Turkish Army, in the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel, seeing out the Crimean War (1854–56) in this role.
Serving in the Foreign Office as Consul General in Warsaw,[2] he returned to England at the end of 1860 and re-joined the Royal Engineers firstly as Commanding Royal Engineer at Aldershot[2] and later as Director of the Royal Engineer Establishment in Chatham.[2]
Promoted to Major General in 1868,[2] he became Lieutenant-Governor of the Royal Military Academy in March 1869, soon to be appointed Governor.[2] Created KCB in June 1869,[2] he was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Engineers in 1872.[2]
He held the post of Inspector General of Fortifications from 1875[3] to 1880 and was promoted to General in 1877 and, the next year, he was given the GCB.
As Governor of Malta from 1884[3] to 1888, he oversaw significant constitutional and social changes on the island. Awarded the GCMG in 1887, he left Malta when, at the age of 67, he retired from the army. The Foreign Office continued to utilise his services and in 1889 he went to Rome as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Pope Leo XIII.
In 1890 he received the Grand Cordon of the Order of Medjidieh by the Sultan of Turkey,[4] and was promoted to Field Marshal of the British Army.
He retired to Hawley, near Blackwater,[3] and died on 14 February 1903.[3] He is buried in the Church of St John the Baptist, Churchill[3] near to his house - Over Langford Manor.
He was the maternal grandfather of Rotha Lintorn-Orman, the leader of the British Fascists.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Frederick Chapman |
Inspector-General of Fortifications and Director of Work 1875–1880 |
Succeeded by Thomas Gallwey |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Arthur Borton |
Governor of Malta 1884–1888 |
Succeeded by Sir Henry D'Oyley Torrens |