Lieutenant-General Sir Francis Booth Norman (25 April 1830 – 25 June 1901) was an English officer of the

Bengal Army The Bengal Army was the army of the Bengal Presidency, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company (EIC) until the Govern ...

, who led Bengal Native Infantry troops during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Second Anglo-Afghan War, and a number of small conflicts on the frontiers of British India.

Career

Francis Norman was the younger brother of Sir

Henry Wylie Norman Field Marshal Sir Henry Wylie Norman, (2 December 1826 – 26 October 1904) was a senior Indian Army officer and colonial administrator. He served in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the campaign against the Kohat Pass Afridis, the suppression of ...

, and was born on 25 April 1830 in London. He entered Addiscombe, and obtained his commission in the Bengal Army on 8 December 1848. After his regiment participated in the Mutiny of 1857, he was attached to the 14th (Ferozepore Sikh) Regiment, and he remained at Ferozepore during subsequent operations. He received the

Indian Mutiny Medal __NOTOC__ The Indian Mutiny Medal was a campaign medal approved in August 1858, for officers and men of British and Indian units who served in operations in suppression of the Indian Mutiny. The medal was initially sanctioned for award to troops ...

for his service during the rebellion. In 1863, Norman took part in the

Ambela Campaign The Ambela campaign (also called Umbeyla; Umbeylah; Ambeyla) in 1863 was one of many expeditions in the border area between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the Punjab Province of British India (this area was formally renamed to North-West Frontie ...

, and was present at the storming of the Conical Hill and at the destruction of Laloo. 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 ...

, and added the India General Service Medal with clasp to the Mutiny Medal. In the three following years he was engaged during the Bhutan Campaign in the capture of Dewangiri and of the stockades in the Gurugaon Pass, serving as assistant quartermaster-general and receiving the "Bhootan" clasp and the

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 ...

rank of

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 ...

. In 1868, he took part in the Hazara Campaign as second-in-command of the 24th (Punjab) Regiment, again receiving the clasp. After an interval of ten years, the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80) brought him fresh opportunities of distinction. He commanded the 24th Regiment in the Bazar Valley and the defence of Jagdallak, marching with General

Roberts Roberts may refer to: People * Roberts (given name), a Latvian masculine given name * Roberts (surname), a popular surname, especially among the Welsh Places * Roberts (crater), a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon ;United Stat ...

's force from Kabul to Kandahar and taking part in the Battle of Kandahar on 1 September 1880. Mentioned in several despatches, he received the Afghanistan Medal with clasp "Kandahar", the bronze star, a Companionship of the Order of the Bath, and brevet colonelcy. During the Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885, he commanded the Bengal Army brigade of the Upper Burma field force, assisting in the occupation of

Mandalay Mandalay ( or ; ) is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. Located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631km (392 miles) (Road Distance) north of Yangon, the city has a population of 1,225,553 (2014 census). Mandalay was fo ...

and Bhamo. He was thanked by the government of British India and promoted to be Knight Commander of the Bath. He attained the rank of major-general on 1 September 1889. He was later promoted on the retired list.

Personal life

Francis Norman left India in 1891. He died on 25 June 1901 at Dulwich, and was buried in West Norwood Cemetery. He was twice married: in 1852 to Eliza Ellen, daughter of lieutenant Nisbett, Bengal Army, who died at Rawal Pindi in 1870; and in March 1892 to Caroline Matilda, daughter of the Rev. W. W. Cazalet and widow of Major E. F. J. Rennick, Bengal Staff Corps, who survived him. He left three sons and three daughters, one of the latter, Edith, being the wife of Sir Louis W. Dane, lieutenant-governor of the Punjab.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Norman, Francis 1830 births 1901 deaths Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath British East India Company Army officers Graduates of Addiscombe Military Seminary British Indian Army generals Military personnel from London Burials at West Norwood Cemetery British military personnel of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 British military personnel of the Bhutan War British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Burmese War