Sir Hubert Jervoise Huddleston

[ddycher]

All

This one of my favourite personalities of my study in the Great War.

Took it on myself recently to try to expand to more than a passing level of detail a reasonable biography of Hubert Huddleston. Fascinating study :

Commissioned from the ranks of the Coldstream Guards for valour whilst serving in South Africa he was to spend the better part of his career in Egypt. He went on to be awarded the MC, , be a key figure in the Dafur Campaign of 1916, command an Australian battalion in the Imperial Camel Corps, be awarded the DSO TWICE, command a brigade throughout Allenby's campaign in Palestine, be act'g Sirdar in the Sudan, Colonel of the Dorsetshire Regt, District Commander in India, awarded the KCMG, the GBE and GCMG, was a key figure in the independance of the Sudan but was finally to retire in a mass of "bad politics" in the Clement Atlee years post world war 2.

He was one of the last great imperial proconsuls, described as "an Imperial officer and a heavy giant of a man" charterised by his "straightness and simplicity", "his personal courage", "his modesty and kindness" and reknowned for his sense of humour his life reads like something straight out of a boys own adventure novel.

I would love to do this biography a better service and would appreciate any and all input from fellow members of the forum. I would happily share anything and everything I have with anybody with a like minded interest in him.

Regards

Dave

[Philip Wilson]

Here is his entry in 'Soldiers of the Nile - A Biographical History of British Officers of the Egyptian Army 1882-1925' by Henry Keown Boyd, published in 1996 - a very useful book:

HUDDLESTON, Sir Herbert Jervoise.

b.1880 d. 1950

Decorations: GCMG,GBE,CB,DSO and Bar, MC.

Regiment: Coldstream Guards and Dorsetshire Regt.

Date of Commission: 26.5.1900 from the ranks of the Coldstream Guards.

Final British Rank: Major-General

Dates of Egyptian Army Service: c.1902-25.

Final Egyptian Army Rank: Ferik (Acting Sirdar), Pasha.

Active Service with EA: S.Kordofan 1910, Mandal 1914 (MC), Miri 1915 (in command); Darfur and Fasher 1916 (DSO) as OC Camel Corps.

Other Active Service: Second Boer War (despatches, commissioned; World War One (CMG, DSO).

Remarks: Was acting Sirdar in 1924 after the assassination of Sir Lee Stack and quelled the mutiny at Khartoum in that year having organised the evacuation of Egyptian troops from the Sudan. First Qaid (Commander in Chief) of the Sudan Defence Force (SDF) GOC Sudan 1925-30.

Governor-General of the Sudan 1940-7. In command at the action at Guiba (Darfur) in which the Sultan Ali Dinar was killed.

If you have not seen this book then it contains a number of useful appendices including a brief narrative for each campaign in the Sudan from 1882-1922 including medals and clasps (bars) awarded. Huddleston would have received the Khedives Sudan Medal 1910-22 with clasps S.Kordofan 1910, Mandal, Miri, Darfur 1916 and Fasher.

The Darfur and Fasher campaign 1916 is covered in 'The People of the Book' by Major A.J.Pott.

Observation

Following the Re-Conquest of The Sudan in 1898 the Anglo-Egyptian Condiminium was declared. Darfur in the extreme West remained autonomous under the Sultan Ali Dinar who paid an annual tribute to the Government of Khartoum. Both sides regarded each other with deep suspicion. With the outbreak of the Great War, the British feared Alir Dinar would be lured into the enemy camp by the Turks. In 1915 it was discovered that the Turkish leaders had invited Alir Dinar to join a Holy War. It was therefore decided to annex Darfur and bring it into the Condiminium hence the campaign in Darfur and Fasher in 1916.

I will see what else I have on Huddleston later.

Philip

[ddycher]

Many thanks Philip.

I do not have Boyd's book but will look out for it.

Boyd's dates for his service with the Egyptian Army (ie. c1902-1925) bring up some questions as I currently have him seconded to the Colonial Office / West African Frontier Force and not joining the Egyptian Army until 1909. So I will have to go back and check my data here again.

I am currently working on his time as OC of the Egyptian Army Camel Corps up until his transfer to the Imperial Camel Corps. Your quote from Boyd is only the second ref I have to him commanding this corps and further supports this so thank you.

Regards

Dave

[Philip Wilson]

Many thanks Philip.

I do not have Boyd's book but will look out for it.

Boyd's dates for his service with the Egyptian Army (ie. c1902-1925) bring up some questions as I currently have him seconded to the Colonial Office / West African Frontier Force and not joining the Egyptian Army until 1909. So I will have to go back and check my data here again.

Regards

Dave

Dave the c is of course Circa 1902 -1925 in 'Soldiers of the Nile.'

Looking at my copy of The Official Army List April 1909 - page 1012 - I would agree with you he was employed with Western African Frontier Force from 7th March 1903 to 6 March 1908.

The date of commencement of employment with the Egyptian Army is given as 5 March 1909.

First appointments - 2 years 93 days in the ranks

2nd Lieutenant - Dorset Regiment 26.5.00

Lieutenant - Dorset Regiment 19.11.01.

It always pay to check other sources - have you seen his entry on page 272 of Part 2 of the Distinguished Service Order? There is no photo against his entry - do you want a copy of the DSO entry?

I have a fair amount of material in my own archive on the Sudan covering the Re-Conquest and the Condiminium.

Philip

[ddycher]

Thanks Philip

My interest in the Sudan was sparked by fellow forum member Russell McGuirk. Since stumbling into it initially around the Senussi Campaign I have been amazed how it keeps coming back up in my subsequent research and the threads that have developed Senussi, Darfur, Palastine and back to Sudan.

Ultimately I am determined to piece together Hubert Huddleston's role through out the condominium. My focus right now is from his transfer from the Dorsets into the Egyptian Army, his time in the Egyptian Camel Corps, his brief spell with the Imperial Camel Corps and then the remaining war years with the EEF - hence the posts in the forum. That said I have found myself constantly sidetracked with events in the Sudan in the early 20's, the creation of the SDF etc. which is fascinating and relevent to the bigger task I have set myself so yes pls if you have anything relevent I would love to see it.

The 1902 date was of interest as info on his time in the Northern Nigeria Regt seems weak in all material I have. In fact in most short biographies it is missing completely. I had yet to pin down exactly when he arrived in Africa and when he left back to the Dorsets before moving on the the Egyptian Army. The dates you cite above are helpful as they match his Gazette entries for secondment and being restored to the establishment of the Dorsets.

I think I am comfortable at present with him joining the Egyptian Army in 1909 - I am now working on what unit he initially served with as I dont as yet know if he only served with the Camel Corps or with previous units of the Egyptian Army.

With regards to his DSO citation again yes pls.

As always I appreciate the help.

Regards

Dave

[Terry_Reeves]

From War services of Officers of the Amy 1919:

H J Huddleston brevet Lt Colonel, Dorset Regiment

South African War 1899 -1902. Operations in Orange Free State April-May, 1900. Operations in Transvaal, May-June, 1900, including actions near Johannesburg and Diamond Hill (11th and 12th June).

Operations in Transvaal, 30 Nov 1900 - July 1901m and Sept 1901 - 31 May, 1902. Operations in Orange River Colony Jan-March , 1902. Operations in Cape Colony, Sept , 1901. Despatches London Gazette 25 April 1902. Queen's South Africa medal 4 clasps. King's South Africa Medal, 2 Clasps.

West Africa ( Northern Nigeria) 1906

Sudan 1910. Operations in Southern Kordofan. Sudan medal, 1 clasp

Sudan 1914. Nuba Mountains. Operations at Mandal Sabai. Medkla with Clasp and MC

Sudan 1915. In command. Operations against Jebel Miri, Kadugh District, Nuba Mountain Province.

Darfur Operations 1916. Despatches, London Gazette 25 Oct 1916 and 29 may 1917. DSO

War 1914-1918. Despatches London Gazette 3 March 1917, 6 July 1917, 7 October 1918, 5 June , 1919. Brevet of Lt Colonel , CMG and clasp to DSO.

From Kelly's Handbook 1931:

Colonel H F Huddlestone

Younger son of TJ Huddlestone, Norton, Norfolk. Born 1880, married Constance Eila Moir, only daughter of FHM Corbett.

An AAG 1919-1920

Colonel 1923

Major General (local) and acting Sirdar of the Egyptian Army 1924. GOC in the Sudan 1926-1929.

TR

[Philip Wilson]

His entry on page 590 Army Honours and Awards 1920 - Foreign Orders lists:

Order of Medjidieh, 4th Class

and Order of the Nile 3rd Class Egypt.

The citation for the bar to the DSO on page 34 of Part 2 of the Distinguished Service Order in the

London Gazette 3rd March 1917 reads:

HUDDLESTON, HUBERT JERVOISE, D.S.O., M.C., Major, Dorsetshire Regt; attached Imperial Camel Corps. For conspicuous gallantry and the masterly manner in which he handled the final assault when light was failing, and a decision had become vitally necessary. He directed and led the final assault in the most gallant manner, and was directly responsible for its successful finish.

His entry on page 272 of Part 2 of the Distinguished Service Order reads:

HUDDLESTON, H.J. (D.S.O. L.G.1.1.17);Bar ( L.G.3.3.17);

b.22.1.80., 2nd Lt.Dorset Regt. 26.5.00; Lt. 19.11.01; Capt. 1.4.09; Major 1.9.15; Bt.Lt.-Col. 3.6.17;

served South African War,1899-1902 (Despatches; Queen's Medal 4 clasps; King's Medal, 2 clasps); Sudan, (1910 Medal and clasp);Europ. War 1914-18; Despatches; CMG; 1918, MC.

There is no photograph against his entry.

Philip

[ddycher]

Terry / Philip

Many thanks for this.

Terry - The AAG appointment was cut short when Huddleston was sent to Tehran as a Act'g military attache with Norperforce. The Colonelcy was back dated from a seniority standpoint to whilst he was serving in Iran. This an area of his career I as yet know little about.

Philip - Todate the only photo I have of Herbert Huddleston comes from "The End of Empire in the Middle East" by Glen Balfour-Paul. Still trying to find photo'd from earlier in his career. Pictures do seem few and far between though..

Regards

Dave

[IPT]

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[IPT]

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[ddycher]

IPT

Thats fantastic - where on earth did you find that ?

Regards

Dave

[IPT]

P174 - One page back (Original picture is much better). Oh, and another one on P173.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dRKy2B0...ton&f=false

Quite a lot of info on your man found browsing Google Books...

[Terry_Reeves]

Dave

A fairly lengthy obituary appeared in the Times in 1950. You should be able to access it from your local library.

TR

[IPT]

I've just realised that he married the sister of the Corbet brothers who featured in a recent thread.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...howtopic=145081

This is my favourite;

'Do you know me?'

'Yes, Sirdar, we know you'

'Will you obey my orders?’

After a pause, 'No'.

'Then I must order fire.'

http://joan.delahyde.com/pagesj/History_Hu...ston_Family.pdf

[ddycher]

Thanks Gents.

IPT - found the book on Google Books - interesting thank you.

Terry - cant access Times history from here so this one will have to wait until I get back to the UK in the summer.

Have spent the better part of the day here lost in the Egyptian Camel Corps and his part in the Dickson Military Mission to Tehran after the Anglo-Persian Agreement of 1919. Fascinating stuff.

Pls keep it coming.

Best Regards

Dave