Memorial to Robert George Kekewich in Exeter Cathedral

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 ...

Robert George Kekewich, CB (17 June 1854 – 5 November 1914) was a

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

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.

Early life

Kekewich was the second son of Trehawke Kekewich, of Peamore House, near Exeter,

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

, and the grandson of Samuel Trehawke Kekewich. He was also the brother of Sir Trehawke Herbert Kekewich, 1st Baronet and the nephew of the judge Sir

Arthur Kekewich Sir Arthur Kekewich (26 July 1832 – 22 November 1907) was an English High Court judge. Early life and career Kekewich was born at Peamore, near Exeter, to an old Devonshire family. He was the second son of Samuel Trehawke Kekewich of ...

. He was educated at Marlborough and King Edward's School, Birmingham.

Initial military career

Entering the British Army through the militia, Kekewich joined the Buffs on 2 December 1874. He fought in the Perak War of 1875–6, and in the Sudan, 1884–5, where he gained a brevet majority. He was employed as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General in the Sudan campaign of 1888, and afterwards as military secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, Madras, and was engaged in the

Third Anglo-Burmese War The Third Anglo-Burmese War ( my, တတိယ အင်္ဂလိပ် – မြန်မာစစ်, Tatiya Anggalip–Mran cac), also known as the Third Burma War, took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance conti ...

Boer War

Kekewich was promoted into the

Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire R ...

and commanded the 1st Battalion of that regiment in the

Second 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 South ...

. He commanded the garrison in Kimberley during the

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...

and successful defence of the town, during which time he came into conflict with Cecil Rhodes who was also present. Following the relief of the town on 15 February 1900, Rhodes persuaded John French, commanding the relief force, to replace Kekewich with another officer as commander of the garrison. Kekewich received a brevet promotion to

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 o ...

for his services a week later, on 21 February 1900. In late September 1901 he was wounded in an attack by General de la Rey near Moedwil, but soon recuperated. In April 1902 he was in charge during the British victory at the

Battle of Rooiwal The Battle of Rooiwal was an engagement of the Second Boer War. It took place on 11 April 1902 and resulted in a victory by a British force commanded by Colonel Robert Kekewich over a Boer commando led by Generals Ferdinandus Jacobus Potgieter ...

, the last major battle during the war. He stayed in South Africa until peace had been signed in June 1902, when he returned to England on the ''SS Carisbrook Castle'', landing at

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

in early August. In a despatch dated 23 June 1902, Lord Kitchener, Commander in Chief in South Africa during the latter part of the war, wrote how Kekewich had "maintained his high reputation as a fine soldier of character, loyalty and discretion" throughout the war, and concluded that he was "well qualified to hold high command." For his services Kekewich was appointed a Companion of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...

(CB) in the April 1901 South Africa Honours list (the award was dated to 29 November 1900; he only received the actual decoration from King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

at Buckingham Palace on 24 October 1902), and on 22 August 1902 he was promoted

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 ...

for distinguished service in the Field. In early October 1902 he was placed on

half-pay Half-pay (h.p.) was a term used in the British Army and Royal Navy of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries to refer to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service. Past usage United Kingdom In the En ...

Later service and retirement

Kekewich retired from the army in 1904 but was appointed to the honorary position of Colonel of the Buffs on 5 October 1909.

Character

The historian Thomas Pakenham describes Kekewich as "a pleasant ... unassuming man" but also a serious, painstaking soldier with strong nerves and diplomatic skills. These traits were needed during the siege of Kimberley when Cecil Rhodes behaved in an emotional and irresponsible manner, undermining Kekewich's leadership and standing with his military superiors, and at one stage threatening to surrender the town.

Death

On the outbreak of

World War I 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 ...

in 1914 General Kekewich was appointed to the

13th (Western) Division The 13th (Western) Division was one of the Kitchener's Army divisions in the First World War, raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener. It fought at Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia (including the capture of Baghdad) and Persia. War service 1914� ...

, which he commanded until shortly before his death by suicide at the age of 60 on 5 November 1914. In poor health and suffering from depression, Kekewich had been invalided from his command and hospitalized before returning to his home near Exeter.The 'Times' of 7 November 1914 He was buried in St Martin's Churchyard,

Exminster Exminster is a village situated on the southern edge of the City of Exeter on the western side of the Exeter ship canal and River Exe in the county of Devon, England. It is around south of the centre of Exeter, and has a population of 3,084 (c ...

, Devon.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kekewich, Robert George 1854 births 1914 suicides British Army generals of World War I British Army personnel of the Mahdist War British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British military personnel of the Perak War British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Burmese War British military personnel who committed suicide Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) officers Companions of the Order of the Bath Kimberley, Northern Cape Loyal Regiment officers People educated at Marlborough College Burials in Devon British Army major generals Suicides by firearm in the United Kingdom British military personnel killed in World War I