George Willis (British Army officer)

General Sir George Harry Smith Willis GCB (11 November 1823 – 29 November 1900) was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1880s.

Sir George Willis
Sir George Willis
Born11 November 1823
Sopley, Hampshire, England
Died29 November 1900 (1900-11-30) (aged 77)
Bournemouth, Hampshire, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1841–1890
RankGeneral
Commands heldNorthern District
Battles/warsCrimean War
Egyptian Expedition
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

He was born at Sopley Park in Sopley, Hampshire.

Military career

Willis was commissioned into the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment in 1841.[1] He served in the Crimean War and at the Battle of Inkerman he led the charge of a Grenadier company.[1] He returned to England in 1857 to become Commanding Officer of 2nd Bn 6th (Warwickshire) Regiment.[1] He was appointed Assistant Quartermaster-General at the War Office in 1873 and then General Officer Commanding Northern District in April 1878.[1]

In 1882 he was dispatched to Egypt and commanded troops at Al-Magfar and Tell al-Mahuta.[1] He was involved in the capture of Mahsama and the Second battle of Qassassin. [1]

In 1884 he was appointed GOC Southern District, retiring in 1890.[1] Later in that year he was made Colonel of the Devonshire Regiment, but transferred in 1897 as Colonel to The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), a position he held until his death.[2]

He died in Bournemouth in 1900 and is buried at St Michael & All Angels Church in Sopley.[3]

Family

In 1856 he married Eliza Morgan,[1][4] daughter[4] of George Gould Morgan, M.P., of Brickendonbury, Hertfordshire. In 1874 he married Ada Mary Neeld, daughter[4] of Sir John Neeld and together they went on to have four sons.[5]

References

Sources

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Henry de Bathe
GOC Northern District
1878–1881
Succeeded by
William Cameron
Preceded by
Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar
GOC Southern District
18841889
Succeeded by
Sir Leicester Smyth
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