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 ...

Edward Westby Donovan KLH (6 September 1821 – 1897) was Commander of British Troops in China, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements.

Military career

Donovan was commissioned into the

33rd Regiment of Foot The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division. In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he di ...

in 1840. He fought in the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

and was severely wounded at the Siege of Sevastopol in 1855. For this he was made a Chevalier (Knight) of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. In 1878 he was appointed Commander of British Troops in China, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements, a post he held until 1882. He retired in 1887 with the honorary rank of full

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

. Following, he was made

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 ...

of the

East Yorkshire Regiment The East Yorkshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1685 as Sir William Clifton's Regiment of Foot and later renamed the 15th Regiment of Foot. It saw service for three centuries, before eventually being ...

(1891—1897).

Family

Edward Westby Donovan belonged to the distinguished Ballymore sept of the

O'Donovan The O'Donovans are an Irish family. Their patronymic surname derives from Irish ''Ó Donnabháin'', meaning the grandsons or descendants of Donnubán, referring to the 10th century ruler of the Uí Fidgenti, Donnubán mac Cathail. During the ...

s of Clanloughlin.Burke, Bernard and Ashworth Peter Burke,
A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland
'. London: Harrison & Sons. 9th edition, 1899. p. 119–20

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Donovan, Edward Westby 1821 births 1897 deaths Duke of Wellington's Regiment officers British Army lieutenant generals East Yorkshire Regiment officers

Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie British Army personnel of the Crimean War 33rd Regiment of Foot officers Irish officers in the British Army