MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT

Subject: MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:39 am

"MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT
Retires from the Army.

DISTINGUISHED ULSTER OFFICER.

The army has lost a distinguished officer in the person of Major-General Sir Hugh M'Calmont, K.C.B., C.V.O., who has been placed on retired pay. He was M.P. for North Antrim, from 1893 till 1899, and formerly resided at Abbeylands, Whiteabbey, where on two occasions he had the honour of entertaining H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught when he was Commander-in-Chief in Ireland. His career in the army dated from 1865, when he joined the 9th Lancers, in which he received his captaincy in 1869; next year he was transferred to the 7th Hussars, and in 1886 he was specially promoted to command the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards. In 1892 he went on half-pay, and in 1896 he was made a Major-General, and two years later he was given command of the 8th Division with headquarters in Cork. During his military career he saw much fighting. He was aide-de-camp to Lord Wolselsey in the Ashanti Expedition, 1873 (medal), and prior to that was with the Red River Expedition under the same chief; was attache to the Turkish Army in Armenia during the campaign of 1877-78, including the siege of Kars (Turkish medal, brevet majority); served on the staff as aide-de-camp to Lord Wolseley in the Kaffir war of 1879, and took part in the operations against Sekukuni (mentioned in despatches, medal with clasp, brevet lieutenant-colonelcy); saw service in the Afgan war, 1879-80 mentioned in despatches); was brigade-major of the 1st Cavalry Brigade in the Egyptian was 1882, participated in the capture of Mahsameth, both actions of Kassassin, the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, and the pursuit to Cairo (mentioned twice in despatches, medal with clasp, Khedive star, third class Mejidie); and in the Soudan campaign, 1884-85, he commanded the Light Camel Corps with marked ability up the Nile (mentioned twice in despatches, C.B., promoted colonel).

He was created a K.C.B. in 1900.

Dealing with Major-General M'Calmont's retirement, a London correspondent says that two years ago when he was senior major-general he was superseded for promotion by several men much younger in the service, and so were half a dozen officers of similar rank, including General Wynne and Sir Reginald Pole-Carew. There was no justification for this supersession in the merits of those who benefited by it. After serving his country with recognised credit in seven campaigns, Sir Hugh not unnaturally felt that he had been slighted, and it is stated he dared to appeal to the Duke of Connaught, who is Inspector-General of the army, in favour of some reconsideration of his case. Apparently this has proved an unpardonable offence to the little tin gods in Pall Mall, and so an excellent officer, who has still many years' good work in him, is thrust into private life."

Subject: Re: MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:17 pm

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Hugh McCalmont, 1881.
John Young Collection

Subject: Re: MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:35 pm

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Subject: Re: MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:05 pm

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Subject: Re: MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:08 pm

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Major-General Sir Hugh McCalmont KCB CVO (1845 – 2 May 1924

"McCalmont was commissioned into the 6th Dragoon Guards in 1865. He saw service in the Red River Rebellion in 1870, the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in 1873 and the Russo-Turkish War in 1877.McCalmont also took part in the South African War in 1879, the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879 and the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882 as well as the Nile Expedition in 1884.
In 1884 he became aide-de-camp to General Wolseley. He was elected as an Ulster Unionist Member of Parliament for North Antrim in 1895 but resigned in 1899 by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead. He became General Officer Commanding 8th Division in Ireland in 1902.
He lived at Abbeylands sited within the townland of White Abbey, which the village of Whiteabbey takes its name, near Belfast, County Antrim until it was burnt down in 1914 in a firebomb attack by Suffragette radicals."

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issueMonday 30 March 1914

Subject: Re: MAJOR-GENERAL M'CALMONT Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:22 pm

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"Hugh McCalmont lived at Abbeylands in County Antrim. He served in the Red River expedition in Canada, attached to the 60th Rifles, He was also involved in the 3rd Ashanti War, and the Russo-Turkish War where he was military attache at the Turkish HQ in Armenia, being present at the siege of Kars. During 6 months leave he went to Afghanistan for the war of 1879. He was brigade major in the famous Moonlight charge at Kassassin in 1882 and was present at Tel-el-Kebir. In the Nile Expedition of 1884 he commanded the composite Light Camel Regiment.
When he joined the 4th Dragoon Guards in 1886 as second-in-command he attended a review order parade in place of the commanding officer who was on leave. McCalmont had no plume in his helmet so the adjutant rode up to him and politely pointed out that his plume was missing. McCalmont replied, "You may be right sir, but I cannot possibly be wrong. The regiment will dismount and remove plumes." He was a prankster with no respect for social rank. When the future Duke of Connaught joined the 7th Hussars in 1874 McCalmont detonated a pyrotechnic device under the Duke's whist table, shattering windows and filling the room with smoke. The Duke retaliated by raiding Hugh's quarters and scattering his clothes in the trees of the mess lawn. McCalmont commanded the 4th Dragoon Guards from 1888 until 1892, and was Colonel of the 7th Hussars from 1907 until his death in 1924.

1845 Born in Northern Ireland
1865 Cornet in 9th Lancers, 23rd June
1866 Lieutenant, 9th Lancers, 27th July
1869 Captain, 9th Lancers, 29th May
1870 Captain, 7th Hussars, 20th July
1870 Red River Expedition
1873 3rd Ashanti War
1877 Russo-Turkish War
1878 Brevet Major, 30th Nov
1879 ADC to Sir Garnet Wolseley in Zululand
1879 2nd Afghan War
1880 Brevet Lieut-Colonel, 24th July
1882 Egyptian Expedition
1884 Commanded Light Camel Regiment
1885 Colonel, 15th June
1885 Married Rose Elizabeth Bingham
1886 Transferred to 4th Dragoon Guards
1888 In command of 4th Dragoon Guards, 7th Mar (until 1892)
1895 Ulster Unionist MP for North Antrim
1896 Major-General, 24th June
1898 Commanded Cork District (until 1903)
1900 KCB
1902 GOC 8th Division in Ireland
1906 Retired, 1st Oct
1907 Colonel of 7th Hussars, 13th May
1924 Died on 2nd May."

Source: British Empire.

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