General Sir Frederick William Edward Forestier-Walker, GCMG, KCB, KStJ (17 April 1844 – 30 August 1910) was a British senior military officer and Governor of Gibraltar.
General Sir Frederick Forestier-Walker | |
|---|---|
.png) In The Sketch, 23 August 1899 | |
| Governor of Gibraltar | |
| In office 1905–1910 | |
| Preceded by | Sir George White |
| Succeeded by | Sir Archibald Hunter |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 April 1844 Bushey, Hertfordshire |
| Died | 30 August 1910 (aged 66) Tenby, Pembrokeshire |
| Spouse |
Mabel Louisa Ross
(after 1887) |
| Relations | Francis Ogilvy-Grant, 6th Earl of Seafield (grandfather) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Sir Edward Forestier-Walker Lady Jane Ogilvy-Grant |
| Alma mater | Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1910 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Cape Colony Western District British Troops in Egypt |
| Battles/wars | Cape Frontier Wars Anglo-Zulu War Second Boer War |
| Awards | Mentioned in Despatches |
Early life edit
Forestier-Walker was born on 17 April 1844 in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He was the eldest son of General Sir Edward Forestier-Walker (previously Walker), by his first wife, Lady Jane Ogilvy-Grant, daughter of the 6th Earl of Seafield. He was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[1]
Career edit
Forestier-Walker was commissioned into the Scots Guards as ensign and lieutenant, by purchase, on 5 September 1862,[2][1] and was appointed a lieutenant and captain, by purchase, on 11 July 1865.[3]
In 1873 he was appointed Military Secretary to the General Officer Commanding Cape Colony and 15 October 1878 was promoted colonel.[4] Forestier-Walker saw action in the Cape Frontier Wars, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in November 1878,[5] and in the Anglo-Zulu War.[1] He was promoted to captain and lieutenant colonel of the Scots Guards 20 March 1880.[6] In 1882 he was appointed Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General[7] for the Home District but shortly after returned to South Africa.[1] From 1884 he served in Bechuanaland, and in January 1886, for services in that protectorate, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.[8]
He was appointed a brigadier at Aldershot in 1889 and Commander of British Troops in Egypt in 1890, during which he was knighted and promoted to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.[9] Upon returning from Egypt in 1895, he was appointed General Officer Commanding Western District, serving until 1890.[1]
In 1899, he again returned to Africa, becoming GOC Cape Colony and acting as lieutenant general in command of Lines of Communication, South Africa Field Force, 1899–1901.[10] He was thus responsible for disembarkation of troops and military stores and sending them to the front. In a despatch dated 31 March 1900, the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, Lord Roberts, wrote how Forestier-Walker carried out his duties "with credit to himself and with advantage to the public service".[11] He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in November 1900 for his services in South Africa,[12] and was a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John from 1901.[13] Following the end of the war, Forestier-Walker was promoted to the rank of general on 6 July 1902.[14]
Later life edit
He was Governor of Gibraltar from 1905 until shortly before his death in 1910, and also acted as General Officer Commanding Mediterranean in 1909.[15]
In retirement, he became a Director of the Cold Storage Company.[16]
Personal life edit
In 1887 he married Mabel Louisa Ross, a daughter of Lt. Col. A. Ernest Ross.[1] Together, they had one son:[17][18]
- Ian Frederick Walter Forestier-Walker (b. 1888), a Lieutenant in the Scots Guards.[19]
Sir Frederick died on 30 August 1910 at Tenby, Pembrokeshire.[20]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Frederick Forestier-Walker." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]
- ^ "No. 27659". The London Gazette. 5 September 1862. p. 4372.
- ^ "No. 22990". The London Gazette. 11 July 1865. p. 3486.
- ^ "No. 24668". The London Gazette. 14 January 1879. p. 172.
- ^ "No. 27650". The London Gazette. 28 November 1878. p. 66838.
- ^ "No. 24832". The London Gazette. 9 April 1880. p. 2439.
- ^ "No. 25140". The London Gazette. 22 August 1882. p. 3919.
- ^ "No. 25554". The London Gazette. 29 January 1886. p. 440.
- ^ "No. 26516". The London Gazette. 26 May 1894. p. 3116.
- ^ "A NEW BRITISH COMMANDER.; Grave Situation Indicated by the Sending of Lieut. Gen. Walker to South Africa". The New York Times. 16 August 1899. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "No. 27282". The London Gazette. 8 February 1901. p. 845.
- ^ "No. 27306". The London Gazette. 19 April 1901. p. 2698.
- ^ "No. 27293". The London Gazette. 12 March 1901. p. 1763.
- ^ "No. 27460". The London Gazette. 1 August 1902. p. 4970.
- ^ Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008
- ^ Army Estimates Hansard, 4 August 1902
- ^ Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 1, page 1466.
- ^ Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1910). Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-armour. T.C. & E.C. Jack. p. 1666. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Army, Great Britain (1908). The Monthly Army List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 78. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "DEATH OF SIR F. FORESTIER-WALKER DISTINGUISHED GENERAL". The Daily Telegraph. 1 September 1910. p. 11. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
Sources edit
- Vibart, Henry Meredith (1912). . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 40–41.