Geoffrey Barton
Sir Geoffrey Barton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 February 1844 Stuttgardt, Germany |
| Died | 8 July 1922(aged 78) Dumfries, Scotland |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1862-1904 |
| Rank | Major general |
| Unit | Royal Fusiliers |
| Commands held | 6th (Fusiliers) Brigade |
| Battles/wars | Jirbinbah,Kumasi,Gingindlovu,Kassasin,Tel el-Kebir,Colenso,Vaal Krantz,Tugela Heights |
| Awards | KCVO,CB,CMG,KStJ |
| Other work | Magistrate in Dumfries Red Cross Society Boy Scout Movement |
Major GeneralSir Geoffrey Barton,KCVO,CB,CMG,KStJ(22 February 1844 – 8 July 1922) of the7th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers),served theBritish Armyfrom 1862 until 1904. Although he saw service inIreland,Hong KongandIndia,the majority of his campaigns were on theAfrican continent.During the Second Boer War he was put in command of the6th Brigadeof the South Natal Field Force, taking part in theRelief of Ladysmithand theRelief of Mafeking.When he retired to Scotland he took an interest in local politics, theRed Cross Societyand theBoy Scout Movement.
Early life and family
[edit]Born inStuttgart,Germanyon 22 February 1844[1]to Charles Cutts Barton and Emelia Ann Hastings Barton, he was educated atEton Collegeand he purchased his commission as anensignon 30 October 1862[2]and posted to the 1st Battalion which was at the time stationed inFirozpur,Punjab, India.He was promoted tolieutenantin 1865.
In 1890 he married Beryl Marie Baskerville Mackenzie and they had 3 children; Philip Geoffrey 1891, Charles Henry 1893 & Joanna Katherine 1894.
Military career
[edit]Early years
[edit]Between 1869 and 1873 Barton was anadjutantin the 1st Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, but in January 1874 he was selected for special service with the 2nd Battalion,Royal Welsh FusiliersinWest Africafor theAshanti Expedition[3]underGeneralSir Garnet Wolseley.He was wounded during the campaign and was mentioned in dispatches for his services in the engagements atJarbinbahandKumasi.In November 1874 he was drafted into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers as acaptain;however, within a year he would transfer back to his old regiment.
In October 1874 Captain Barton was appointed asaide-de-camptoMajor GeneralShipley, the commander of abrigadeatAldershot.
Zulu War
[edit]At the outbreak of theZulu Warin 1879 Captain Barton was initially sent over with an appointment on the general staff but later was put in command of the 4th Battalion,Natal Native Contingentwhere was present at theBattle of Gingindlovuand he gained a promotion toBrevet (military)Major.
After the war he returned to England and attendedStaff College,he was promoted to major by his regiment in July 1881 and passed out of the college in December.
Africa and Asia
[edit]In September 1882 British forces commanded byLieutenant GeneralSirGarnet Wolseleylanded in theCanal ZoneofEgyptto help suppress a revolt led byAhmed Orabi.Major Barton was appointed ascommandantof theFoot Policeand was present at the Egyptian attack atKassasinand theBattle of Tel el-Kebirwhere he was promoted to Brevetlieutenant colonel.[4]
From January 1884 to February 1885 Lieutenant Colonel Barton served inHong Kong,Chinaas an assistant military secretary to Major GeneralJohn Sargent,after which he performed a similar duty inSuakin,Sudan,during theNile Expeditionfor Lieutenant General SirGerald Grahamuntil June 1885.
He then spent several years in Britain, being promoted to major general on 27 October 1898.
Second Boer War
[edit]At the outbreak of the Second Boer War, Major General Barton joinedGeneralSir Redvers Buller'sNatal Field Forcein command of the6th (Fusiliers) Brigade(often referred to by SirWinston Churchillas "Barton's Brigade" in his bookFrom London to Ladysmith via Pretoria[5]).
Buller's first objective was theRelief of Ladysmith,to which end he moved his army up fromCape TownviaPietermaritzburgto Frere, just south of theTugela River,the north of which the Boers had placed their defensive line. During the first attempt to cross the Tugela at theBattle of Colenso,Barton's Brigade were in reserve but when the attackers were forced to withdraw, Barton cautiously chose not to send support.
Next, Buller tried to turn the Boers' right flank by sending the bulk of his army to the west and attackingSpion Kopwhilst Barton was left to entrench at Chieveley to protect the head of the communications line. A third attempt to cross the Tugela atVaal Krantzalso failed.
TheBattle of the Tugela Heightswas a series of battles fought initially to the south but then across the north banks of the Tugela river. Once Hussar Hill had been captured byDundonald'sMounted Brigade andLyttelton's4th Infantry Divisionhad taken Cingolo Hill, Barton's brigade moved to capture Green Hill whilstHildyard'sBrigade captured the height of Monte Cristo. On 27 February, Barton's Brigade attacked Pieters Hill behind a creeping artillery barrage and was rapid at first until they moved out of observation range of the field artillery and the Boers having reinforced, the attack stalled. Fortunately for the British, the rest of the general movement was taking its toll on the Boers and they were forced to abandon the heights, clearing the way for the relief of Ladysmith on 1 March. Barton was injured during the action on 27 February.[6]
After Ladysmith and Mafeking had been relieved, Major General Barton was sent to theWeston Transvaal,where he commanded in theKrugersdorpandPretoriadistricts until the end of the war in early June 1902. He leftCape Townon the SSCanadaand returned toSouthamptonin late July 1902.[7]
For his service in the war, he wasmentioned in despatches(including byLord Kitchenerdated 23 June 1902[8]), and appointed a Companion of theOrder of St Michael and St George(CMG).
Later life
[edit]Geoffrey Barton retired from the British Army in August 1904 and settled in Craige,Dumfrieshire,Scotlandwhere he took an interest in local affairs, theRed Cross Societyand theBoy Scout Movement.He died on 8 July 1922 aged 78.
Awards and Medals
[edit]- Knight Commander of theRoyal Victorian Order(KCVO) - 1906
- Companion of theOrder of the Bath(CB) - 1889
- Companion of theOrder of St Michael and St George(CMG) - 1902
- Knight of Grace of theOrder of St John of Jerusalem
References
[edit]- ^Barton Database, Barton Historical Society
- ^"Captain Geoffrey Barton, Soldiers of the Queen".Archived fromthe originalon 5 December 2012.Retrieved3 December2012.
- ^Major-Gen Barton, The Montreal Gazette
- ^"No. 25169".The London Gazette.17 November 1882. p. 5173.
- ^Churchill, W.S.London to Ladysmith via Pretoria,London: Longmans, Green & Co. 1900, p. 208–10
- ^"The War - Casualties".The Times.No. 36080. London. 3 March 1900. p. 9.
- ^"The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home".The Times.No. 36821. London. 16 July 1902. p. 11.
- ^"No. 27459".The London Gazette.29 July 1902. pp. 4835–4837.
External links
[edit]- Soldiers of the QueenArchived5 December 2012 at theWayback Machine
- The Montreal Gazette
- 1844 births
- 1922 deaths
- Military personnel from Stuttgart
- Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
- Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Knights of Grace of the Order of St John
- People educated at Eton College
- British Army major generals
- British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Ashanti War
- British Army personnel of the Anglo-Egyptian War
- British Army personnel of the Second Boer War
- British Army personnel of the Anglo-Zulu War
- British Army personnel of the Mahdist War
- Royal Fusiliers officers
- Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley