William Elles Explained

Honorific Prefix:Sir
William Elles
Birth Date:5 May 1837
Birth Place:Bournemouth, Hampshire
Death Place:Nainital, India
Serviceyears:1854–1896
Rank:Lieutenant-General
Commands:Bengal Command
Battles:Crimean War
Indian Mutiny
Third Anglo-Burmese War
Awards:Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Lieutenant-General Sir William Kidston Elles (5 May 1837 – 5 August 1896) was a British Army officer.

Early life and education

William Kidston Elles was the son of Malcolm J. Elles. He was educated at Sandhurst.[1]

Military career

Elles was commissioned as an ensign in the 38th Regiment of Foot in June 1854.[2] He served with the Regiment at the siege of Sebastopol in 1855 during the Crimean War and then during the Indian Mutiny in 1857.[2] He also served in the Hazara campaign of 1868 and then became Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General with the Intelligence Branch in 1877, Assistant Adjutant General at Horse Guards in 1881 and a brigade commander with the Madras Army in 1885.[2] After taking part in the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885, he became Adjutant-General, India in 1889 and then commanded the Hazara Expedition in 1891.[2] He also served as A.D.C. to Queen Victoria from 1881-90.[1] He went on to be Commander-in-Chief Bengal Command in April 1895 before dying in office from cholera in August 1896.[2]

There is a memorial to him at Christ Church in Shimla.[3]

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dictionary of Indian Biography. 1971. Ardent Media. 7 July 2013.
  2. Web site: Spink biography . 7 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151123235824/https://www.spink.com/lot-description.aspx?id=9033231 . 23 November 2015 . dead .
  3. Web site: Officers died . 7 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121230161916/http://glosters.tripod.com/offzdiede.htm . 30 December 2012 . live .