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Edward Selby Smyth

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Sir Edward Selby Smyth
Born(1819-03-31)31 March 1819
Belfast, Ireland
Died22 September 1896(1896-09-22) (aged 77)
England
AllegianceCanada
Service/branchCanadian Militia
RankGeneral
CommandsGeneral Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada
Battles/warsFenian Rising
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

General Sir Edward Selby Smyth, KCMG (31 March 1819 – 22 September 1896) was a British General. He served as the first General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada from 1874 to 1880.

Military career

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Educated at Putney College in Surrey, Smyth was commissioned in to the 2nd Queen's Royal Regiment in 1841.[1] He went straight to India only returning with his Regiment to England as Adjutant of his Battalion in 1846.[1] He went to South Africa in 1851 to protect the administration of the Orange River Sovereignty from attack by the Basotho and Khoikhoi people.[1]

In 1853 he was made Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of the 2nd Division in South Africa and then Adjutant and Quartermaster-General at British Army Headquarters in South Africa.[1]

In 1861 he was appointed Inspector-General of the Militia in Ireland and was involved in suppressing the early stages of the Fenian Rising.[1] He was appointed General Officer Commanding British Troops in Mauritius in 1870.[1]

He was made General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada in 1874: he carried out the role successfully and was thanked by the Governor-General of Canada for protecting Montreal from rioting.[1]

Family

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In 1848 he married Lucy Sophia Julia Campbell, daughter of Major-General Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet and Pamela FitzGerald.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h The Canadian Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made Men. Vol. Ontario Volume. American Biographical Publishing Company. 1880. Archived from the original on 27 November 2005.
Military offices
Preceded by General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada
1874–1880
Succeeded by
Preceded by Colonel of The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
1893–1896
Succeeded by
Preceded by
New Regiment
Colonel of the 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
1881–1893
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Charles Gascoyne
Colonel of the 72nd Regiment, Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders
1881
Succeeded by
Amalgamated into Seaforth Highlanders