Sir Eric de Burgh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 May 1881[1] Naas, County Kildare, Ireland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| Died | 6 February 1973 (aged 91)[2] Wexford, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  British Army Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1901–1941 |
| Rank | General |
| Service number | 3737 |
| Commands held | 1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade Lahore District Rawalpindi District 1st Indian Division |
| Battles/wars | Second Boer War World War I Third Anglo-Afghan War World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Fanshawe
( m. 1923; died 1934) |
General Sir Eric de Burgh KCB DSO OBE (English: /d ˈbɜːr/; d’-BER; 10 May 1881 – 6 February 1973) was a British Indian Army officer who became Chief of the General Staff in India.
Military career
Educated at Marlborough College and the Colonial College, Hollesley Bay, De Burgh was commissioned into the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, as a Second Lieutenant in October 1901. In February 1902 he was seconded for service with Mounted infantry during the Second Boer War,[3][4] with the local rank of Lieutenant in the Army whilst serving in South Africa.[5] He later joined the Indian Army, and served in the 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse). He attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1913 to 1914.[6]
He served in World War I and saw action at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915 and the Battle of Loos in September 1915.[4] He later saw action at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Battle of Arras in April 1917 and the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917.[4]
He also fought in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919.[4] He was appointed an instructor at Staff College, Quetta in 1928.[7] He went on to be a Brigadier on the General Staff at Eastern Command in India in 1930, Commanding Officer of the 1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade in 1931 and District Officer Commanding Lahore District in 1934.[7] After that he attended the Imperial Defence College.[6] He then became Deputy Chief General Staff at Army Headquarters India in 1935, District Officer Commanding Rawalpindi District in 1936 and General Officer Commanding 1st Indian Division in 1937.[7] His last appointment was as Chief of the General Staff in India in 1939 at the start of World War II before retiring in 1941.[7]
In retirement, he lived at Ard Cairn outside Naas, and in 1960, he acquired Bargy Castle in County Wexford.[8]
Family
In 1923, he married Mary Fanshawe, daughter of General Sir Edward Fanshawe; they had two daughters.[8] He was the maternal grandfather of singer Chris de Burgh.[8]
References
- ↑ UK, British Army Lists, 1882–1962
- ↑ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1995
- ↑ "No. 27417". The London Gazette. 18 March 1902. p. 1887.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Private Papers of General Sir Eric de Burgh, Imperial War Museum, London, UK.
- ↑ "No. 27425". The London Gazette. 15 April 1902. p. 2507.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Smart 2005, p. 79.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 de Burgh, Sir Eric, General (1881–1973) (Indian Army), Generals.dk.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 General Sir Eric de Burgh — Old Friend, Turtle Bunbury.
Bibliography
- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Ivo Vesey |
Chief of the General Staff (India) 1939–1941 |
Succeeded by Sir Thomas Hutton |
- Pages using the JsonConfig extension
- 1881 births
- 1973 deaths
- Academics of the Staff College, Quetta
- Military personnel from County Kildare
- Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley
- Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies
- British Indian Army generals
- People educated at Marlborough College
- British Army personnel of the Second Boer War
- Indian Army personnel of World War I
- British military personnel of the Third Anglo-Afghan War
- Indian Army generals of World War II
- Irish expatriates in India
- Irish knights
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- People from County Kildare
- Royal Dublin Fusiliers officers
- Royal Irish Fusiliers officers
- Manchester Regiment officers