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 ...

Sir William O'Grady Haly (2 January 1811 – 19 March 1878) 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 was the

Commander of the British Troops in Canada This is a list of officers who commanded the Regular Troops of the British Army in Canada until 1906, when the last British garrison was withdrawn. From 1875 there was a separate commander of the Canadian Militia. This officer was responsible to ...

Early life and family

Haly was one of five surviving children born to Richard Aylmer Haly of

Wadhurst Castle Wadhurst Castle is a 19th-century castellated mansion just to the west of the town of Wadhurst, East Sussex, England, in an elevated position overlooking the countryside to the south. It is a grade II listed building. First built in 1818-20 by ...

, Sussex and his wife, Amelia Banister. The family lived largely on his mother's annual stipend from her father, Richard Banister.

Military career

Louis-william-desanges-private-john-mcdermond-1832-1868-vc-47th-the-lancashire-r

Haly was commissioned as an

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

in the

4th Regiment of Foot Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

on 17 June 1828. In 1831, Haly became a Lieut. in the 47th Regiment and made Captain by 1834. 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 ...

, Haly was wounded in the

Battle of Inkerman The Battle of Inkerman was fought during the Crimean War on 5 November 1854 between the allied armies of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain and Second French Empire, France against the Imperial Russian Empire, Russian Army. Th ...

(1854) and was rescued by Brevet Major

Hugh Rowlands General Sir Hugh Rowlands (6 May 1828 – 1 August 1909) was a Wales, Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross for courageous action that led to the rescue of Colonel William O'Grady Haly during the Crimean War. Early life Hugh Rowlands was bo ...

and

John McDermond John McDermond VC (1832 – 22 July 1868) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Details McDer ...

, both of whom received the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

for their actions. Haly received the

Order of the Medjidie Order of the Medjidie ( ota, نشانِ مجیدی, August 29, 1852 – 1922) is a military and civilian order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdulmejid I. History Instituted in 1851, the Order was awarded in fi ...

. After fighting in the

, he became

in 1873. He was given the colonelcy of the

47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot The 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in Scotland in 1741. It served in North America during the Seven Years' War and American Revolutionary War and also fought during the Napoleonic Wars and ...

from 1875 to his death. and promoted General on 1 October 1877. He died in office from

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intensit ...

on 19 March 1878. He is buried in the

Fort Massey Cemetery Fort Massey Cemetery is a military cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia dating back to the 1750s, and is the resting place for British and Canadian soldiers, veterans and spouses. The cemetery is named after Major General Eyre Massey. The cemetery is ...

Family

In November 1839 Haly married Harriett Hebden: their eldest son was Major General

Richard Hebden O'Grady Haly Major General Richard Hebden O'Grady-Haly, (22 February 1841 – 8 July 1911) was a British Army officer who served as General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada from 1900 to 1902. Military career Born the son of General Sir William O'G ...

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Haly, William Ogrady 1811 births 1878 deaths British Army generals King's Own Royal Regiment officers British Army personnel of the Crimean War Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Recipients of the Order of the Medjidie