Lieutenant-General William Keppel (5 November 1727 – March 1782) was a British Army officer and Member of Parliament.

Life

He was born the third son of

Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle Lieutenant-General Willem (or William) Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (5 June 1702 – 22 December 1754) was a British soldier, diplomat and courtier. He held various roles in the household of George II (1683-1760), who was a personal fr ...

, and educated at

Westminster school (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

. He joined the British Army as an Ensign in the

2nd Foot Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

in 1744, and was promoted to the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in 1745. He transferred as captain-lieutenant to the 1st Foot Guards in 1751, and was promoted captain and lieutenant-colonel in 1752 and a colonel of the Army in 1760. On 17 December 1761 he was appointed colonel of the 56th Regiment of Foot, which he commanded until 1765. He was made major-general in 1762. In 1762, he took part (with his brothers the

Earl of Albemarle Earl of Albemarle is a title created several times from Norman times onwards. The word ''Albemarle'' is derived from the Latinised form of the French county of ''Aumale'' in Normandy (Latin: ''Alba Marla'' meaning "White Marl", marl being a typ ...

and Hon. Augustus Keppel) in the

British expedition against Cuba The siege of Havana was a successful British siege against Spanish-ruled Havana that lasted from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. After Spain abandoned its former policy of neutrality by signing the family compact with F ...

, and directed the storming of Morro Castle.The Capture of Havana, 1762: The Morro Castle and the Boom Defence Before the Attack
National Maritime Museum In 1763, he succeeded Albemarle as British Governor of Cuba. The island was returned to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

in July 1763.

Richard Cannon Richard Cannon (1779–1865) was a compiler of regimental records for the British Army. Career On 1 January 1802 Cannon was appointed to a clerkship at the Horse Guards, and attained the grade of first-clerk in 1803. Under a Horse Guards order ...

, Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, or the West Essex Regiment of Foot On 31 May 1765, he was appointed colonel of the

14th Regiment of Foot 14 (fourteen) is a natural number following 13 and preceding 15. In relation to the word "four" ( 4), 14 is spelled "fourteen". In mathematics * 14 is a composite number. * 14 is a square pyramidal number. * 14 is a stella octangula number. ...

, which he commanded until 1775, during which time he was elevated to lieutenant-general (1772). From 1767 until his death, he was a Member of Parliament for

Chichester Chichester () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publi ...

. He was

Commander-in-Chief, Ireland Commander-in-Chief, Ireland, was title of the commander of the British forces in Ireland before 1922. Until the Act of Union in 1800, the position involved command of the distinct Irish Army of the Kingdom of Ireland. History Marshal of Ireland ...

in 1773. On 18 October 1775 he was appointed colonel of the

12th Royal Lancers The 12th (Prince of Wales's) Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army first formed in 1715. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War and the Second World War. The regiment survived the immediate post-war ...

, which he commanded until his death. He was

Gentleman of the Horse Gentleman of the Horse was a position in the stables department of the British Royal Court, subordinate only to the Master of the Horse. It existed from 1693 until abolished in 1782, and carried a salary of £256. The post was revived in 1828, wi ...

to King

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

of Great Britain and died unmarried in 1782.thePeerage.com
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keppel, William 1727 births 1782 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London Willem Keppel (British Army officer) British Army lieutenant generals Colonial heads of Cuba Commanders-in-Chief, Ireland Pages of Honour Younger sons of earls 56th Regiment of Foot officers 12th Royal Lancers officers British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1761–1768 British MPs 1768–1774 British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 Coldstream Guards officers Grenadier Guards officers