Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Encyclopedia
Field Marshal
Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen GCB
, GCMG
, GCVO
(1 September 1845 – 30 October 1932) was a British military commander.
, Wiltshire
, the eldest of three sons of Frederick Henry Paul Methuen, 2nd Baron Methuen and his wife Anna Horatia Caroline Sanford.
, Methuen served two years in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
and then joined the Scots Guards
as an ensign
in 1864.
He was promoted to Captain
in 1867 and was appointed adjutant of the 1st battalion in 1868.
He saw active duty at Amoaful in the Ashanti campaign of 1873 - 1874 on the staff of Sir Garnet Wolseley. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1876 and became regimental major
in 1882.
He became brigade major, Home District from 1871, Assistant Military Secretary in Ireland
from 1877, military attaché
in Berlin
from 1878 and assistant adjutant and quartermaster general at the Home District from 1881. He was the commandant of headquarters in Egypt
for three months in 1882, being present at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir.
He served in the expedition of Sir Charles Warren
to Bechuanaland in 1884 to 1885, where he commanded Methuen's Horse, a corps of mounted rifles. He was deputy adjutant-general, in South Africa
from 1888.
He was promoted to major-general in May 1888 and was Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards
and General Officer Commanding
the Home District from 1892 to 1897. He served in 1897 as press censor
at headquarters on the Tirah
expedition and was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1898. He was then given the command of the 1st Division on the outbreak of the South African War
.
Paul Methuen reached South Africa in 1899 and expelled the Boers from Belmont
and Graspan. He was slightly wounded at the Battle of Modder River
. He suffered both defeats and successes during the war. His greatest defeat was at the Battle of Magersfontein
, for which he was best remembered. He was captured on 7 March 1902 by the Boers at the Tweebosch
, the only British general to be captured during the war. He had been wounded in the battle as well as breaking his leg after his horse fell on him. Boer general Koos de la Rey
released him due to the severity of his injuries, providing his personal cart to take Methuen to hospital in Klerksdorp. The two allegedly became lifelong friends as a result of this action.
Despite these visible setbacks, Methuen continued to be well regarded, and was given more responsibilities. He was appointed colonel
of the Scots Guards
in 1904, then general
, and in June was given the command of the IV Army Corps, which was reconstituted as Eastern Command
in 1905.
In 1908 he was appointed general officer commanding
-in-chief in South Africa
. He was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of Natal in 1910 and was made a field marshal in 1911.
He helped raise the standards of training of the British Expeditionary Force in 1914. In 1915 he was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of Malta until he retired in 1919.
In retirement he was appointed Constable of the Tower
late in 1919. Lord Methuen died at Corsham Court
on 30 October 1932 and was succeeded by his son Paul Ayshford Methuen, 4th Baron Methuen.
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Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen GCB
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...
, GCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(1 September 1845 – 30 October 1932) was a British military commander.
Early life
Paul Sanford Methuen was born at Corsham CourtCorsham Court
Corsham Court is an English country house in a park designed by Capability Brown. It is in the town of Corsham, 3 miles west of Chippenham, Wiltshire and is notable for its fine art collection, based on the nucleus of paintings inherited in 1757 by Paul Methuen from his uncle, Sir Paul...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, the eldest of three sons of Frederick Henry Paul Methuen, 2nd Baron Methuen and his wife Anna Horatia Caroline Sanford.
Rise through military ranks
Educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, Methuen served two years in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the TA was greatly reduced...
and then joined the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
as an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in 1864.
He was promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1867 and was appointed adjutant of the 1st battalion in 1868.
He saw active duty at Amoaful in the Ashanti campaign of 1873 - 1874 on the staff of Sir Garnet Wolseley. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1876 and became regimental major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1882.
He became brigade major, Home District from 1871, Assistant Military Secretary in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from 1877, military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
from 1878 and assistant adjutant and quartermaster general at the Home District from 1881. He was the commandant of headquarters in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
for three months in 1882, being present at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir.
He served in the expedition of Sir Charles Warren
Charles Warren
General Sir Charles Warren, GCMG, KCB, FRS was an officer in the British Royal Engineers. He was one of the earliest European archaeologists of Biblical Holy Land, and particularly of Temple Mount...
to Bechuanaland in 1884 to 1885, where he commanded Methuen's Horse, a corps of mounted rifles. He was deputy adjutant-general, in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
from 1888.
He was promoted to major-general in May 1888 and was Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards
Major-General commanding the Household Division
The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the troops of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is also General Officer Commanding London District.-Recent Commanders:The holders of this office include:...
and General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
the Home District from 1892 to 1897. He served in 1897 as press censor
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
at headquarters on the Tirah
Tirah
Tirah is a region located in Kurram and Khyber agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan . It lies between the Khyber Pass and the Khanki Valley. It is inhabited by the Afridi and Orakzai tribes of Pashtuns...
expedition and was promoted to lieutenant-general in 1898. He was then given the command of the 1st Division on the outbreak of the South African War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
.
Fighting in South Africa
Paul Methuen reached South Africa in 1899 and expelled the Boers from Belmont
Battle of Belmont (1899)
The Battle of Belmont is the name of an engagement of the Second Boer War near the town of Belmont, 23 November 1899, where the British under Lord Methuen assaulted a Boer position on a kopje....
and Graspan. He was slightly wounded at the Battle of Modder River
Battle of Modder River
The Battle of Modder River was an engagement in the Boer War, fought at Modder River, on 28 November 1899...
. He suffered both defeats and successes during the war. His greatest defeat was at the Battle of Magersfontein
Battle of Magersfontein
The Battle of MagersfonteinSpelt incorrectly in various English texts as "Majersfontein", "Maaghersfontein" and "Maagersfontein". was fought on 11 December 1899, at Magersfontein near Kimberley on the borders of the Cape Colony and the independent republic of the Orange Free State...
, for which he was best remembered. He was captured on 7 March 1902 by the Boers at the Tweebosch
Battle of Tweebosch
In the Battle of Tweebosch or De Klipdrift on 7 March 1902, a Boer commando led by Koos de la Rey defeated a British column under the command of Lieutenant General Lord Methuen during the final months of the Second Boer War.-Background:...
, the only British general to be captured during the war. He had been wounded in the battle as well as breaking his leg after his horse fell on him. Boer general Koos de la Rey
Koos de la Rey
General Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey , known as Koos de la Rey, was a Boer general during the Second Boer War and is widely regarded as being one of the strongest military leaders during that conflict....
released him due to the severity of his injuries, providing his personal cart to take Methuen to hospital in Klerksdorp. The two allegedly became lifelong friends as a result of this action.
Despite these visible setbacks, Methuen continued to be well regarded, and was given more responsibilities. He was appointed 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...
of the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
in 1904, then general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
, and in June was given the command of the IV Army Corps, which was reconstituted as Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1905.
In 1908 he was appointed general officer commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
-in-chief in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of Natal in 1910 and was made a field marshal in 1911.
He helped raise the standards of training of the British Expeditionary Force in 1914. In 1915 he was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of Malta until he retired in 1919.
In retirement he was appointed Constable of the Tower
Constable of the Tower
The Constable of the Tower is the most senior appointment at the Tower of London. In the middle ages a constable was the person in charge of a castle when the owner - the king or a nobleman - was not in residence...
late in 1919. Lord Methuen died at Corsham Court
Corsham Court
Corsham Court is an English country house in a park designed by Capability Brown. It is in the town of Corsham, 3 miles west of Chippenham, Wiltshire and is notable for its fine art collection, based on the nucleus of paintings inherited in 1757 by Paul Methuen from his uncle, Sir Paul...
on 30 October 1932 and was succeeded by his son Paul Ayshford Methuen, 4th Baron Methuen.
Family
Lord Methuen was married twice, first to Evelyn, the eldest daughter of Sir Frederick Hutchingson Hervey-Bathurst, third baronet of Clarendon Park, Wiltshire. They were married in 1878 until her death in 1879. He then married in 1884, his cousin Mary Ethel, the second daughter of William Ayshford Sanford, of Nynehead Court. They had three sons and four daughters.External links
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