Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Sir Edward Cecil Bethune, (23 June 1855 – 2 November 1930) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer who raised and led his own regiment, Bethune's Mounted Infantry, in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

and directed the Territorials in the First World War.

Early life

Baptised on 4 August 1855 in the church of the Holy Trinity at

Paddington Paddington is an area within the City of Westminster, in Central London. First a medieval parish then a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Three important landmarks of the district are Paddi ...

, second son of Admiral Charles Ramsay Bethune, 24th of Balfour, and his wife Frances Cecilia Staples, his chosen career was the British Army.

Military career

At age 20 he gained a commission in the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot in September 1875, seeing service in the Second Anglo-Afghan War in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

from 1878 to 1880, where he was present in the operations around Kabul in December 1879. He served with his regiment in the First Boer War in South Africa from 1880 to 1881, and was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on 1 February 1884. In 1886, he transferred to a cavalry regiment, the

6th Dragoon Guards (The Carabiniers) The Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1685 as the Lord Lumley's Regiment of Horse. It was renamed as His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Carabiniers in 1740, the 3rd Regiment of Horse (Carabin ...

. Ten years later he again transferred, when he was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and joined the

16th (The Queen's) Lancers The 16th The Queen's Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated with the 5th Royal Irish Lancers to form the 16th/5th Lancers in 1922. History Early wars ...

on 4 September 1895. He was appointed a staff officer in the

Madras Command Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

assistant adjutant-general An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

on 8 January 1898. Posted again to South Africa in September 1899, on the outbreak of the

, he raised and commanded Bethune's Mounted Infantry, receiving the rank of

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

on 29 September 1900. His unit fought at the battles of Colenso and Spion Kop, and took part in the relief of Ladysmith. In late 1900 he was recalled to the 16th Lancers as a

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

, becoming their commanding officer and heading a cavalry brigade. Then he was moved to staff work, acting as

Assistant Adjutant-General An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

of the Field Force in South Africa. He was

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

three times (including in the final despatch by Lord Kitchener dated 23 June 1902). The war over, he was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in 1905, placed on the General Staff, and appointed in command of the Eastern Sub-District of the Cape Colony. He was appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

(CB) in the

1905 Birthday Honours The 1905 Birthday Honours for the British Empire were announced on 30 June, to celebrate the birthday of Edward VII on 9 November. The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged by honour, w ...

. Raised to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in 1908, he was appointed Colonel of the

4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards The 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685 as the Earl of Arran's Regiment of Cuirassiers. It was renamed as the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards in 17 ...

, an honour he held until 1920, and was appointed a

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Monarchy of Canada, Canadian monarch, Mon ...

(CVO) in 1909. He also became General Officer Commanding West Lancashire Division,

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

, Western Command, in 1909 and then became Director General, Territorial Force in 1912. Promoted to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in 1913, he was created a

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...

in 1915, and served throughout the First World War before retiring in 1920 after 45 years. In his retirement he served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Area of the Royal British Legion. He died at his home at 5 Eldon Road, and his will was proved by his widow on 17 December 1930.

Family

On 25 October 1890 at Ootacamund in India he married Mary Lilian Elliot Lockhart (1870–1948), daughter of Brigadier General William Elliot Lockhart and his wife Fanny Ada Clare Carden. A son Edward died in infancy, and their daughter Mary Cecilia (Molly) Bethune married Dr Gerald Evan Spicer, son of Sir Evan Spicer, paper magnate and Chairman of London County Council.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bethune, Edward Cecil 1855 births 1930 deaths British Army lieutenant generals Military personnel from Kensington Gordon Highlanders officers Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards) officers 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards officers Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War British military personnel of the First Boer War British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Army cavalry generals of World War I Territorial Force officers