| Colvile | H E | | Major General | Entered 1870; Major General, 1898. Staff service: ADC to GOC Cape of Good Hope, 1880-83; DAA and QMG, Nile Expedition, 1884-85; AA and QMG, Egypt, 1885-98; employed, Uganda Protectorate, 1893-95; Major General Infantry Brigade, Gibraltar, 1899; Major General Infantry Brigade, South Africa; Lieutenant General Infantry Brigade, South Africa, 1899-1900; Major General, Gibraltar. War Service: Egyptian Expedition, 1884 (Despatches, March and May 1884; medal with clasp; bronze star); Sudan Expedition,1884-85,(Despatches; clasp; CB); Sudan, 1885-86 (Despatches; promoted Colonel); Unyora Expedition, 1894 (medal; CMG); South African War, 1899-1900; Kimberley Relief Force (Despatches, January and March 1900). General Colvile, like many keen soldiers and honourable men before him, has discovered that South Africa is “the grave of reputations”. Nevertheless, it must not be forgotten, that even in the present war his services during the long and trying time prior to the relief of Kimberley, and the capture of Cronje, were notable, though perhaps his most distinguished service was rendered in the Sudan in 1885 with the Frontier Field Force. Sir H Colvile was born in 1852, and is the son of Colonel C B Colvile of Lullington and the daughter of the 23rd Baroness de Clifford of Kirkby Hall. He married, firstly, the daughter of the Honourable R Daly, and after her death was united in 1886 to the daughter of M de Preville, Chateau des Mondraus, Basses Pyrenees. Second biography. He was son of Colonel Chas. R Colvile, JP, DL, and MP for S Derbyshire, and Katherine, daughter of 23rd Baroness de Clifford and Captain Jn. Russell, RN, was born at Kirkley Hall, Hinckley, Leicestershire, July 10, 1852. He was educated at Eton and privately in Switzerland and France, meanwhile travelling about considerably with his father on yachting cruises. Sir Henry entered the Grenadier Guards in 1870. In 1878 he undertook a journey to Morocco, explored the Riff country, and was the first European to cross from Fez to Algeria, his account of which, A Ride in Petticoats and Slippers, was published in 1879. In 1880 he was appointed ADC to General the Hon Sir Leicester Smythe, who then commanded the British forces at the Cape. He resigned this on attaining his Captaincy, and shortly after took part in an expedition to survey and report upon the country between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Akabah. This accomplished, he was appointed to Sir F Stevenson's Intelligence Department at Cairo, joined the Suakim Expedition in 1884, and was present at El Teb and Tamai, receiving medal and clasp, the Khedivial Star, and being twice mentioned in despatches. After returning to England, he was selected for a special mission to survey the Arbain Road and report on the possibility of the Mahdi invading Egypt by this route. Having reported in the negative, he was detailed for further important work in the Sudan before and during Lord Wolseley's expedition, meanwhile being promoted Lieutenant Colonel For these services he was mentioned in despatches (clasp and CB). He was next Chief of the Intelligence Department of the Frontier Field Force, was present at the action at Ginnis (despatches), and attained Colonel's rank. Sir Henry returned home in 1866, was appointed to the Intelligence Department of the War Office, and wrote the official history of the Sudan Campaign. During a term of sick leave he made the tour of South Africa accompanied by Lady Colvile, who subsequently published her book, Round the Black Alan's Garden. Sir Henry also crossed Madagascar from Antananarivo to Majunga. Early in 1893 he went to India, and subsequently as Intelligence Officer to a British column in Burma. Thence he was placed in charge at Uganda, and established a post on the Albert Nyanza. All this hard work caused a breakdown in Colonel Colvile's health, and he returned home, was decorated with the KCMG, Central African medal, and the Star of Zanzibar. He resumed regimental duty, and in 1898 was gazetted Major General In 1899 he was appointed to command the Infantry Brigade in Gibraltar, thence being appointed (March 1900) to command the 9th Division in SA (medal and 5 clasps). He was mentioned in despatches four times by Lord Methuen and twice by the CIC in SA for services at Paardeberg and Poplar Grove, but it is regretted that his military reputation was not enhanced by the incidents of Sanna's Post and Lindley. He was soon reappointed to Gibraltar by Lord Lansdowne, but in February, 1901, was recalled and placed on retired pay by Mr Brodrick. Sir Henry has also written a description of his Akabah exploration, entitled The Accursed Land, The History of the Sudan Campaign, The Land of the Nile Springs, describing his Unyoro Expedition, The Work of the Ninth Division, and occasional contributions to the Press. Sir Henry married, first, in 1878, Alice Rosa, daughter of the Hon Robert Daly, who died in 1882; and second, in 1886, Zelie Isabellc, daughter of M Pierre Richard de Preville, of Basses Pyrenees, France. | Staff |
