| Surtees | Herbert Conyers | | Lieutenant Colonel | SURTEES, HERBERT CONYERS, Lieutenant Colonel, was born 13 January 1858, only son of Colonel C F Surtees, DL, JP, late 10th Hussars, of Nainsforth Hall, Ferryhill, and MP for South Durham, 1865-68, and of Bertha, daughter of N S Chauncy, of Green End, Hertfordshire. He was educated at Sandhurst; entered the 49th Foot 11 September 1876; became Second Lieutenant, Coldstream Guards, 31 October 1877; Lieutenant, Army, 11 September 1876; Coldstream Guards, 31 October 1877; Instructor of Musketry, Coldstream Guards, 1 February 1882 to 31 March 1883. He was employed with the Egyptian Army 23 February 1884 to 12 June 1887, and served in the Nile Expedition, 1884-85, in command of the Turkish Mounted Infantry of the Egyptian Army, and afterwards of a boat convoy, receiving the Medal with clasp, the Bronze Star, and the 4th Class Medjidie. In 1885-86 he again saw active service in the Sudan with the Frontier Field Force, taking part in the action of Giniss, in command of the 3rd Camel Corps, Egyptian Army. He was promoted to Captain 7 May 1887; to Major 5 February 1895. He passed the Staff College. Major Surtees was DAAG, Southern District, 1 July 1897 to 30 January 1899. He served in the South African War, 1899-1900, in command of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards (23 March to 14 December 1900), taking part in the advance on Kimberley, including actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein; operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, including actions at Driefontein, Vet River (5 and 6 May) and Zand River. Operations in the Transvaal in May and June 1900, including actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (11 and 12 June); operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29 November 1900, including actions at Belfast (26 and 27 August). He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 10 September 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with six clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Herbert Conyers Surtees, Lieutenant Colonel, Coldstream Guards. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented to him by the King 29 October 1901. He became Lieutenant Colonel 3 October 1900; was given the Brevet of Colonel 10 February 1904; was Military Attache, Constantinople and Athens, 15 August 1905 to 1909 (Cross of the Grand Commander of St Saviour of Greece); was created a CB in 1906 and a MVO in the same year, and retired 14 August 1912. During the European War General Surtees commanded the 52nd Infantry Brigade in France and Belgium (1915-16), and was an Inspector of Infantry in 1916; was twice mentioned in Despatches; given the honorary rank of Brigadier General 12 April 1917, and created a CMG in 1919. He was an FSA and an FHGS, and was Lord of the Manor of Mainsforth; was County Commissioner for Boy Scouts, County Durham, Deputy Lieutenant and a Justice of the Peace. General Surtees was been MP for Gateshead from 1918. He married, in 1887, Madeline Augusta (Mrs Surtees has the Turkish Order of the Chefaket), daughter of Edward Crabbe, and they had two daughters.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Coldstream Guards |
