| Hickman | Thomas Edgecumbe | | Captain | HICKMAN, THOMAS EDGECUMBE, Captain, was born 25 July 1859, son of Sir A Hickman, first Baronet, MP for West Wolverhampton, and Lucy Owen Smith, of Portsea, Hants. He was educated at Cheltenham College, and entered the Army 19 February 1881, serving in the Egyptian Camel Corps in 1884-85, and accompanying the River Column (Medal with two clasps; Bronze Star; Fourth Class Medjidie). He took part in the operations at Suakin in 1887; action of Handoub; operations at Suakin, 1888; action of Gemaizah, as DAAG to General Grenfell (Despatches [London Gazette, 11 January 1889]; Fourth Class Osmanieh; Clasp); operations on the Egyptian Frontier, 1889; as DAAG to Colonel Wodehouse's Column; action at Arguin; action of Toski, as Brigade Major to Colonel Kitchener, Commanding Mounted Troops. For his services in this last-mentioned campaign he was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 6 September 1889]; received a clasp, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 8 November 1889]: "Thomas Edgecumbe Hickman, Captain, The Worcestershire Regiment. In recognition of services during the action at Toski". He became Brevet Major in 1896. He took part in the operations in the Sudan, 1896-99; Dongola Expedition in 1896, as AAG, Infantry Division, to General Hunter, until invalided (Despatches [London Gazette, 3 November 1896]; Medal; Brevet of Major; Clasp); in the operations in the Sudan, 1898; commanded the 10th Battalion Egyptian Infantry; commanded troops at the capture of Shendy and destruction of Mahmud's Depot; Battle of the Atbara (Despatches; Clasp); Battle of Omdurman; Despatches; Clasp; Khartoum Medal; Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel); operations round Gedarif in command of the 12th Sudanese Regiment (Clasp); final operations round Gedid as Chief Staff Officer to General Wingate; defeat and death of the Khalifa (Despatches and Brevet of Colonel, March 1900). In 1899 and 1900 he commanded troops in the Dongola District, and in 1899 was appointed Governor of the Dongola Province. He was on special service in South Africa, 1900-1 (Despatches; created a CB 1900); commanded a column of mounted troops in the Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Cape Colony in 1900; was Inspector-General, Cape Colonial Forces, in 1901; commanded the Western District, Cape Colony, 1902; commanded columns under General French in the Southern District, Cape Colony, 1901-2 (Queen's Medal with three clasps; King's Medal with two clasps); commanded Middelburg District, Cape Colony, as Brigadier General, 1902-8. He became Colonel 19 December 1903, and was on half-pay (late Staff) from 29 February 1908, and on retired pay 4 April 1914. He became Temporary Brigadier General 14 September 1914. Brigadier General Hickman was Unionist MP for Wolverhampton since 1910, and was DL for the county of Staffordshire. He married, in 1908, Elizabeth Maud Mackenzie, daughter of Surgeon General D A Smith, of Kimberley, and they had one son and one daughter. His favourite recreations were hunting, shooting, fishing and stalking.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Worcestershire Regiment |
