William Peyton

Infobox Person
name = General Sir William Peyton

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image_size = 150px
caption = William Peyton as Delhi Herald Extraordinary in 1911
birth_name = William Eliot Peyton
birth_date = 7 May 1866
birth_place =
death_date = 14 November 1931
death_place = Army and Navy Club, London
death_cause =
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residence =
nationality = English
other_names =
known_for =
education =
employer = British Army
occupation = Soldier
title = General
salary =
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height = 6 feet, 6 inches
weight =
term =
predecessor =
successor =
party =
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religion =
spouse = (1) Mabel Maria Gage, daughter of late Lt-General the Hon. E. T. Gage CB
(2) Gertrude, daughter of Major-General A. R. Lempriere
partner =
children = daughter, Ela Violet Ethel Peyton
parents = Colonel John Peyton, CO the 7th Dragoon Guards
relatives =


website =
footnotes =

General Sir William Eliot Peyton KCB KCVO DSO (7 May 1866 - 14 November 1931) was a British soldier, a general of the First World War who fought in several other wars.

He was Delhi Herald of Arms Extraordinary at the time of the Delhi Durbar of 1911.

Early life

The third son of Colonel John Peyton, commanding officer of the 7th Dragoon Guards, Peyton was educated at Brighton College."PEYTON, General Sir William Eliot", in "Who Was Who 1929–1940" (London, A. & C. Black, 1967 reprint: ISBN 0-7136-0171-X)] [http://www.firstworldwar.bham.ac.uk/donkey/peyton.htm William Eliot Peyton] at the web site of the CENTRE FOR FIRST WORLD WAR STUDIES online at bham.ac.uk (accessed 19 January 2008)]

Career

In 1885, Peyton enlisted in the ranks in the 7th Dragoon Guards, a regiment which his father had commanded between 1871 and 1876. The explanation of this was his failure to pass the entrance examination of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Having risen to sergeant, Peyton was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 7th Dragoon Guards on 18 June 1887, [LondonGazette|issue=25710|startpage=3285|date=17 June 1887|accessdate=2008-01-21] and promoted lieutenant in 1890. [LondonGazette|issue=26060|startpage=3242|date=10 June 1890|accessdate=2008-01-21] He was appointed regimental adjutant in 1892. [LondonGazette|issue=26299|startpage=3590|date=21 June 1892|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=26730|startpage=2253|date=14 April 1896|accessdate=2008-01-21] In 1896 he transferred to the 15th Hussars and was promoted captain. [LondonGazette|issue=26728|startpage=2162|date=7 April 1896|accessdate=2008-01-21]

He was seconded to the Egyptian Army and saw service with the Dongola Expeditionary Force in 1896, [LondonGazette|issue=26732|startpage=2388|date=21 April 1896|accessdate=2008-01-21] and was Mentioned in Despatches,LondonGazette|issue=26791|startpage=6005|date=3 November 1896|accessdate=2008-01-21] then in the Sudan in 1897 and 1898, where he was dangerously wounded and his horse killed under him by a spear. In the Sudan he was again Mentioned in Despatches,LondonGazette|issue=27009|startpage=5728|endpage=5729|date=30 September 1898|accessdate=2008-01-21] and received the Distinguished Service Order.LondonGazette|issue=27023|startpage=6689|date=15 November 1898|accessdate=2008-01-21] He was also awarded the Order of the Medjidieh, Fourth Class.LondonGazette|issue=27069|startpage=2272|date=7 April 1899|accessdate=2008-01-21]

He fought next in South Africa, 1899-1900, where he served with Alexander Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, was promoted major and brevet lieutenant-colonel, [LondonGazette|issue=27306|startpage=2704|endpage=2705|date=19 April 1901|accessdate=2008-01-21] again Mentioned in Despatches,LondonGazette|issue=27282|startpage=966|date=8 February 1901|accessdate=2008-01-21] and received the Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps, but his service was cut short by illness and he was invalided back to England. He passed the Army's Staff College in December, 1901.

From 1903 until 1907 Peyton commanded the 15th Hussars, [LondonGazette|issue=27607|startpage=6370|date=20 October 1903|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=28068|startpage=6814|date=11 October 1907|accessdate=2008-01-21] being granted the brevet rank of colonel in 1905. [LondonGazette|issue=27790|startpage=3249|date=5 May 1905|accessdate=2008-01-21] In 1907 he went to India to become Assistant Quartermaster-General, India, [LondonGazette|issue=28108|startpage=971|date=11 February 1908|accessdate=2008-01-21] and, as a temporary brigadier-general, to command the Meerut Cavalry Brigade from 1908 to 1912. [LondonGazette|issue=28174|startpage=6450|date=4 September 1908|accessdate=2008-01-21] In India, he served as Delhi Herald of Arms Extraordinary at the Coronation Durbar held on 12 December 1911,Cox, Noel, "A New Zealand Heraldic Authority?" in John Campbell-Kease (ed), "Tribute to an Armorist: Essays for John Brooke-Little to mark the Golden Jubilee of The Coat of Arms", London, The Heraldry Society, 2000, p. 93 & p. 101: "Two heralds, with ceremonial rather than heraldic responsibilities, were appointed for the Delhi Durbar in 1911... Delhi Herald (Brigadier-General William Eliot Peyton) and Assistant Delhi Herald (Captain the Honourable Malik Mohammed Umar Haiyat Khan)."] and was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO),LondonGazette|issue=28559|startpage=9363|endpage=9364|date=8 December 1911|accessdate=2008-01-21] and from July 1912 was Military Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, India. [LondonGazette|issue=28638|startpage=6285|date=23 August 1912|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=28821|startpage=3169|date=14 April 1914|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=28841|startpage=4801|date=19 June 1914|accessdate=2008-01-21]

He returned to England in 1914 on the outbreak of the First World War and took up a new post as chief of staff of the 1st Mounted Division Territorial Force. [LondonGazette|issue=28879|startpage=6686|date=25 August 1914|accessdate=2008-01-21] Promoted to major-general in 1914 (first as temporary promotion, from October as substantive rank), [LondonGazette|issue=28899|startpage=7220|date=11 September 1914|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=28961|startpage=8884|date=3 November 1914|accessdate=2008-01-21] he commanded the 2nd Mounted Division TF on the Gallipoli Peninsula, seeing action on 21 August 1915 and taking part in the final evacuation of 19 December 1915. The division suffered severe casualties at Suvla. Peyton then commanded the Western Frontier Force in Egypt in 1916, leading an expedition against the Senussi and re-occupying Barani and Sollum, again being Mentioned in Despatches. [LondonGazette|issue=29578|startpage=4701|date=12 May 1916|accessdate=2008-01-21] LondonGazette|issue=29632|supp=yes|startpage=6185|endpage=6190|date=20 June 1916|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=32155|supp=yes|startpage=12118|date=7 December 1920|accessdate=2008-01-21] For rescuing the shipwrecked British prisoners of HMS Tara from Bir Hakkim (by a force of armoured cars led by Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster) he received the special thanks of the Admiralty and was again Mentioned in Despatches.LondonGazette|issue=29455|supp=yes|startpage=1195|date=28 January 1916|accessdate=2008-01-21]

In May 1916, after success as a combat commander, Peyton was transferred to become Sir Douglas Haig’s Military Secretary [LondonGazette|issue=29594|supp=yes|startpage=5165|date=23 May 1916|accessdate=2008-01-21] in Flanders, remaining with Haig until March 1918. [LondonGazette|issue=30676|supp=yes|startpage=5562|date=7 May 1918|accessdate=2008-01-21] The post was at the heart of the operation of the management of appointments, promotions, removals, honours and awards of the British Expeditionary Force. He was knighted in 1917, being made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) when King George V visited the troops in the field.LondonGazette|issue=30216|startpage=7912|date=3 August 1917|accessdate=2008-01-21]

In April and May 1918, Peyton nominally commanded the Fifth Army, but it had been defeated on The Somme in March 1918 and renamed the Fourth Army, so there was no Fifth Army, and the command was a reserve HQ at Cécy-en-Ponthieu. On 23 May, the Fifth Army was reconstituted and given to Sir William Birdwood, and for six weeks (as a temporary lieutenant-general [LondonGazette|issue=30676|supp=yes|startpage=5565|date=7 May 1918|accessdate=2008-01-21] ) Peyton took command of X Corps, but his Corps was held back from the fighting. However, from 3 July 1918 until March 1919 he returned to active service as commander of the British Army's 40th Infantry Division during operations in France and Flanders, leading it through the Hundred Days advance through Flanders. [LondonGazette|issue=31431|supp=yes|startpage=8371|date=1 July 1919|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=32147|supp=yes|startpage=11904|date=30 November 1920|accessdate=2008-01-21]

Peyton's feelings about his postings between May 1916 and July 1918 were expressed silently by his omitting any mention of them from his entry in "Who's Who".

Peyton next returned to India, to command the United Province district and the 3rd Indian Division at Meerut between 1920 and 1922. [LondonGazette|issue=31614|supp=yes|startpage=12983|date=21 October 1919|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=32254|startpage=2000|date=11 March 1921|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=32631|startpage=1954|date=7 March 1922|accessdate=2008-01-21] He was promoted substantive lieutenant-general in 1921. [LondonGazette|issue=32439|supp=yes|startpage=6830|date=29 August 1921|accessdate=2008-01-21]

He was next posted as Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War, from 1922 to 1926, and as Commander-in-Chief of the Scottish Command, 1926 to 1930. [LondonGazette|issue=33135|startpage=1339|date=23 February 1926|accessdate=2008-01-21] [LondonGazette|issue=33580|startpage=1051|date=18 February 1930|accessdate=2008-01-21] This was his last post before retirement in 1930, [LondonGazette|issue=33614|startpage=3670|date=10 June 1930|accessdate=2008-01-21] and in 1927 he was promoted general. [LondonGazette|issue=33286|startpage=3977|date=21 June 1927|accessdate=2008-01-21]

A member of the Army and Navy Club, he died there suddenly on 14 November 1931. He is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.

He was unusually tall, with a height of six feet, six inches.

Family

On 27 April 1889, Peyton married Mabel Maria, daughter of late Lt-General the Hon. E. T. Gage CB, third son of Henry Gage, 4th Viscount Gage, and of Ella Henrietta Maxse, a granddaughter of the 5th Earl of Berkeley. [ [http://www.thepeerage.com/p8317.htm#i83163 General Sir William Eliot Peyton] at thepeerage.com (accessed 19 January 2008)] [Melville Henry de Massue, Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval, "The Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal: The Anne of Exeter Volume", London, T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1907, p. 269] With Mabel, he had one daughter, Ela Violet Ethel. [http://www.william1.co.uk/wa1.htm Conqueror A1] at william1.co.uk (accessed 19 January 2008)] After his wife's death in 1901, Peyton married again, in 1903, Gertrude, the daughter of Major-General A. R. Lempriere and the widow of the late Captain Stuart Robertson of the 14th Hussars. They had one son, and his second wife died in 1916.

In 1921, Peyton's daughter Ela married Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edward Daymonde Stevenson KCVO (1895–1958) and she died in 1976, leaving one son. Peyton's son-in-law was Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod, 1953–1958, and Purse Bearer to the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1930-1958. ["STEVENSON, Lieut-Col Sir Edward Daymonde" in "Who's Who 1958" (London, A. & C. Black, 1958)]

Honours

*Mentioned in Despatches, 1896, 1898, 1900, 1915, 1916
*Khedive's Medal with two clasps, 1896
*Distinguished Service Order, 1898
*Order of the Medjidieh, Fourth Class, conferred by the Khedive of Egypt with the authority of the Sultan of Turkey, 1899
*Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps
*Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 1911
*Commander of the Legion d'Honneur
*Companion of the Order of the Bath, 1913
*Order of the Nile, 2nd Class, 1916 [LondonGazette|issue=29977|supp=yes|startpage=2449|date=9 March 1917|accessdate=2008-01-21]
*Commandeur de l'Ordre de Leopold, 1916 [LondonGazette|issue=29943|supp=yes|startpage=1592|date=13 February 1917|accessdate=2008-01-21]
*Colonel of the 15th The King's Hussars, 10 December 1916 [LondonGazette|issue=29875|startpage=1248|date=22 December 1916|accessdate=2008-01-21] [ [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D15h.htm 15th The King's Hussars] at regiments.org (accessed 19 January 2008)]
*Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, 1917
*Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 1917
*Croix de guerre (Belgium), 1918 [LondonGazette|issue=30568|supp=yes|startpage=3093|endpage=3097|date=8 March 1918|accessdate=2008-01-21]
*Colonel of the 15th/19th The King's Hussars, 1922 [LondonGazette|issue=33798|startpage=953|date=12 February 1932|accessdate=2008-01-21] [ [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D15-19h.htm 15th/19th The King's Hussars] at regiments.org (accessed 19 January 2008)]
*Honorary Colonel of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, 17 February 1926 [LondonGazette|issue=33133|startpage=1162|date=16 February 1926|accessdate=2008-01-21] [ [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vcav/warwick.htm Warwickshire Yeomanry] at regiments.org (accessed 19 January 2008)]

References

External links

* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp62239 Portraits of General Sir William Eliot Peyton] at npg.org.uk