Francis Ward (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Major General
Francis William Ward CB
(1840–1919) was Master Gunner, St James's Park, the most senior Ceremonial Post in the Royal Artillery
after the Sovereign
.
before entering the Bengal Artillery in 1857. He then served during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. He was appointed a Lieutenant
in the Royal Bengal Artillery in 1862.
He served on the North West Frontier
from 1863 to 1864 and took part in the Second Anglo-Afghan War
from 1879 to 1880. He later became a Colonel
on the Staff Commanding the Royal Artillery in the Punjab
. He rose through the officer ranks and became a Major-General in 1895.
He was made Colonel Commandant
of the Royal Artillery
in 1902 and then held the position of Master Gunner, St James's Park immediately after World War I
.
He died in 1919 in London, England.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Francis William Ward CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1840–1919) was Master Gunner, St James's Park, the most senior Ceremonial Post in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
after the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
.
Military career
Ward was born in 1840, the son of John Ward. He was educated at the military college at AddiscombeAddiscombe
Addiscombe is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south of Charing Cross.It is situated just to the northeast of central Croydon, and is home to a high proportion of people who commute to Central London, owing to its proximity to the busy...
before entering the Bengal Artillery in 1857. He then served during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. He was appointed a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Royal Bengal Artillery in 1862.
He served on the North West Frontier
North-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
from 1863 to 1864 and took part in the Second Anglo-Afghan War
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the nation was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai dynasty, the son of former Emir Dost Mohammad Khan. This was the second time British India invaded Afghanistan. The war ended in a manner...
from 1879 to 1880. He later became a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
on the Staff Commanding the Royal Artillery in the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. He rose through the officer ranks and became a Major-General in 1895.
He was made Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1902 and then held the position of Master Gunner, St James's Park immediately after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
He died in 1919 in London, England.