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 ...

Sir Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor, (21 June 1868 – 15 June 1939) was a farmer, and a military commander of New Zealand troops in the

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 Sou ...

and the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life

Born in

Motueka Motueka is a town in the South Island of New Zealand, close to the mouth of the Motueka River on the western shore of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere. It is the second largest in the Tasman Region, with a population of as of The surrounding dis ...

, New Zealand, Chaytor was the son of

John Clervaux Chaytor John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

and his wife Emma, daughter of Edward Fearon. His paternal great-grandfather was the industrialist and politician

Sir William Chaytor, 1st Baronet Sir William Chaytor, 1st Baronet (29 April 1771 – 28 January 1847) was a British politician and businessman. Chaytor was the illegitimate son of William Chaytor, by Jane Lee (they were later married). He had banking interests and was a major ...

. He was educated at

Nelson College Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school in New Zealand. It is an all-boys school in the City of Nelson that teaches from years 9 to 13. In addition, it runs a private preparatory school for year 7 and 8 boys. The school also has ...

from 1880 to 1884,''Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006'', 6th edition and was then a sheep farmer at

Spring Creek A spring creek is a type of free flowing river whose name derives from its origin: an underground spring or set of springs which produces sufficient water to consistently feed a unique river. The water flowing in a spring creek may additionally be ...

near Blenheim.

Military career

In the Boer War Chaytor was a captain in the Third New Zealand Contingent and a lieutenant colonel in the Eighth New Zealand Contingent. After the Boer War Chaytor became a professional officer in the New Zealand Army. In the First World War he was in the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

in Egypt and Gallipoli. At the end of 1915 he was given command of the

New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was a brigade of the New Zealand Army during the First World War. Raised in 1914 as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, it was one of the first New Zealand units to sail for service overseas. The ...

, which was part of the

Egyptian Expeditionary Force The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) was a British Empire military formation, formed on 10 March 1916 under the command of General Archibald Murray from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and the Force in Egypt (1914–15), at the beginning of ...

in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and soon after was promoted to brigadier. In 1916 prior to the

Battle of Romani The Battle of Romani was the last ground attack of the Central Powers on the Suez Canal at the beginning of the Sinai and Palestine campaign during the First World War. The battle was fought between 3 and 5 August 1916 near the Egyptian town o ...

he personally reconnoitred the Turkish position from an aircraft. He was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

(CMG) in the

1917 New Year Honours The 1917 New Year Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were published in several editions of ''The London Gazette'' in Ja ...

. In 1917, Chaytor took over the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division, and was promoted to major general. When taking part in the assault on Rafa he ignored Chetwode's order to withdraw from the attack and took the town's main defensive position. In 1918

Chaytor's Force Chaytor's Force (13 August – 31 October 1918) named after its commander, Major General Edward Chaytor, was a composite division-sized force which served in the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of t ...

captured Amman in Jordan and thousands of prisoners.

Later life

Chaytor was appointed Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces in 1919 and in this role oversaw a major reorganisation of the Territorial Force. On the occasion of the royal visit by Edward, Prince of Wales to Australia and New Zealand, he was appointed a

Knight 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, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

in 1920. He was appointed honoary colonel of the 1st (Canterbury) and 12th (Nelson and Marlborough) Regiments in 1920. He retired from the military in 1924, being replaced as commandant by Major General

Charles Melvill Major General Charles William Melvill, (9 September 1878 – 15 September 1925) was a soldier who served with the British Army for several years before joining the New Zealand Military Forces. He participated in the First World War with the New ...

. He lived in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

until his death on 15 June 1939. He married Louisa Jane Collins, daughter of Charles Sweeney Collins, on 17 October 1898. Together they had three children. Son Edward John Clervaux Chaytor (1903–1976) was a

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

in the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

; daughter Katherine, married

Sir Robert Gooch, 11th Baronet Colonel Sir Robert Eric Sherlock Gooch, 11th Baronet (6 May 1903 – 13 November 1978) was a British Army officer and local politician. Gooch was the son of Sir Thomas Vere Sherlock Gooch, 10th Baronet and Florence Meta Draper. He was educated ...

References

*''Fiery Ted: Anzac Commander'' by Michael Smith (2008, Christchurch NZ)

External links

1914 photograph of Staff and senior officers of New Zealand and Australian Division in Egypt
* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Chaytor, Edward 1868 births 1939 deaths New Zealand farmers New Zealand military personnel of the Second Boer War New Zealand military personnel of World War I New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George New Zealand Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order New Zealand Companions of the Order of the Bath New Zealand generals People educated at Nelson College People from Motueka

Early life

Military career

Later life

See also

References

External links