William Havelock
Encyclopedia
William Havelock was a cavalry officer in the British Army
, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
, and brother of Sir Henry Havelock and of Colonel Charles Havelock of the 16th Lancers. He was born on 23 January 1793, was educated at Charterhouse School
and under a private tutor, and on 12 July 1810 was appointed ensign 43rd Light Infantry, in which he became lieutenant in 1812.
He carried one of the colours of the 43rd at the passage of the Coa River
in 1810, and was present in all the subsequent actions in which the Peninsula light division was engaged to the end of the Peninsular War
, spending time as aide-de-camp to Major-general Charles, Baron Alten, commanding the division. At the combat of Vera
in October 1813 a Spanish force was held in check by an abattis defended by two French regiments. Havelock, who had been sent to ascertain their progress, called on the Spanish to follow him, and went headlong among the enemy. The Spanish broke through the French, as their centre was under the fire of James Kempt
's skirmishers.
Havelock was Alten's aide-de-camp at the battle of Waterloo
and at the occupation of Paris. In 1818 he obtained a company in the 32nd Foot, and served with the corps in Corfu
. Later he exchanged to the 4th Light Dragoons, with which he went to India. He was some time aide-de-camp to Sir Charles Colville when commander-in-chief at Bombay, and was military secretary to John Elphinstone, 13th Lord Elphinstone
while Governor of Madras.
He became major 4th Light Dragoons in 1830, and exchanging into the 14th light dragoons, became lieutenant-colonel of that regiment in 1841. He commanded it in the field under Sir Charles Napier, and with the Bombay troops sent to reinforce Lord Gough's army during the Second Anglo-Sikh War
. He fell mortally wounded at the head of his regiment in a charge on the Sikhs at the battle of Ramnagar
, on the banks of the River Chenab, on 22 November 1848. Heavily wounded, after eleven of his troopers had been killed beside him, he was left for dead on the field.
Havelock married in 1824 Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of Acton Chaplin of Aylesbury
, by whom he left a family.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Life
He was the eldest son of William Havelock of Ingress Park, KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and brother of Sir Henry Havelock and of Colonel Charles Havelock of the 16th Lancers. He was born on 23 January 1793, was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and under a private tutor, and on 12 July 1810 was appointed ensign 43rd Light Infantry, in which he became lieutenant in 1812.
He carried one of the colours of the 43rd at the passage of the Coa River
Coa River
The Côa River is a tributary of the Douro River, in central and northeastern Portugal. It is one of the few Portuguese rivers that flows south to north...
in 1810, and was present in all the subsequent actions in which the Peninsula light division was engaged to the end of the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, spending time as aide-de-camp to Major-general Charles, Baron Alten, commanding the division. At the combat of Vera
Second Battle of Vera
The second battle around Vera of 1813 came just over a month after the Duke of Wellington defeated a French couterattack at the Battle of Sorauren....
in October 1813 a Spanish force was held in check by an abattis defended by two French regiments. Havelock, who had been sent to ascertain their progress, called on the Spanish to follow him, and went headlong among the enemy. The Spanish broke through the French, as their centre was under the fire of James Kempt
James Kempt
General Sir James Kempt, GCB was a British Army officer, who served in Holland, Egypt, Italy, the Peninsula, and British North America during the Napoleonic Wars...
's skirmishers.
Havelock was Alten's aide-de-camp at the battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and at the occupation of Paris. In 1818 he obtained a company in the 32nd Foot, and served with the corps in Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. Later he exchanged to the 4th Light Dragoons, with which he went to India. He was some time aide-de-camp to Sir Charles Colville when commander-in-chief at Bombay, and was military secretary to John Elphinstone, 13th Lord Elphinstone
John Elphinstone, 13th Lord Elphinstone
John Elphinstone, 13th Lord Elphinstone and 1st Baron Elphinstone GCB GCH PC was a Scottish soldier, politician and colonial administrator. He was twice elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom as a Scottish Representative peer, serving once from 14 January 1833 to 29 December 1834 and then...
while Governor of Madras.
He became major 4th Light Dragoons in 1830, and exchanging into the 14th light dragoons, became lieutenant-colonel of that regiment in 1841. He commanded it in the field under Sir Charles Napier, and with the Bombay troops sent to reinforce Lord Gough's army during the Second Anglo-Sikh War
Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
. He fell mortally wounded at the head of his regiment in a charge on the Sikhs at the battle of Ramnagar
Battle of Ramnagar
The Battle of Ramnagar was fought on 22 November 1848 between British and Sikh forces during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The British were led by Sir Hugh Gough, while the Sikhs were led by Sher Singh Attariwalla.-Background:...
, on the banks of the River Chenab, on 22 November 1848. Heavily wounded, after eleven of his troopers had been killed beside him, he was left for dead on the field.
Havelock married in 1824 Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of Acton Chaplin of Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
, by whom he left a family.