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 ...

Sir William Douglas ( – 25 August 1818) K.C.B., 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 during the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

Biography

He was the son of William Douglas of Brigton (died 1814), and his wife Elizabeth Graham, daughter of Robert Graham, 11th of Fintry. He served at

the Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...

in 1795. He was promoted to major in 74th Foot on 4 December 1796. He joined the 91st Foot in 1798. He was promoted a brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 1 January 1800. He served on the Hanover expedition in 1805 and fought in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

from August 1808 to June 1809. While in theatre he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of 91st Foot on 25 November 1808 and commanded the 1st Battalion from 1808 to 1818. He served in the

Walcheren expedition The Walcheren Campaign ( ) was an unsuccessful British expedition to the Netherlands in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with France during the War of the Fifth Coalition. Sir John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chath ...

of 1809; again in Iberia and then France under Wellington from January 1813 to April 1814. He obtained the rank of brevet Colonel on 4 June 1814. He served in

Waterloo Campaign The Waterloo campaign (15 June – 8 July 1815) was fought between the French Army of the North and two Seventh Coalition armies, an Anglo-allied army and a Prussian army. Initially the French army was commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, but he l ...

of 1815, during which he led one of the columns that stormed Cambray on 24 June 1815. He was awarded the Army Gold Cross (one of only 163 so honoured). He died in August 1818 at

Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a ...

in France.

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* * * * * * — Erected by the Officers, non–coms and privates XCI British Regiment to the memory of Colonel Sir William Douglas K.C.B. Their Commanding Officer as a feeble testimony of regard and their regret for one of the bravest and the best of men Died XXV Aug MDCCCXVIII aged XL.

Biography

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Further reading