Guest Adrian44 Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 I would like to ask if someone could help with any available information/details, of Bridadier General the Right Honourable J E B Seely. I believe he commanded the Canadian Cavalry in March 1918, I would like to find out if he was one of the Officers involved in the incident at the Curragh, Dublin 1914. As always, in advance my thank's, adrian44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 Well, yes he was, but perhaps not in the way you were thinking. He was actually Secretary of State for War at the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adrian44 Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 You are quite correct Chris, that was not the answer I expected, but it fits in exactly with the information I require, just need some general information on him. Many thanks adrian44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 10 November , 2003 Share Posted 10 November , 2003 John EB Seely inherited the title Lord Mottistone, and lived at Brooke House on the Isle of Wight. His son, 2Lt Frank Reginald Seely was KIA, with the Hampshires. Previously, Frank had been his Father's adjutant but wanted to see action and was with the 1 Hants when he was killed on the 13th April 1917. JEB Seely followed in the family tradition, by becoming a Member of Parliament. Col Frank Seely was also a MP, as was Lt Col Charles Seely. The Seely family owned large swathes of land on the Isle of Wight and also in Nottinghamshire (where they also owned coal collieries). When Charles Seely's son, Captain Charles Grant Seely, was killed with the 8th Hants (IoW rifles) at Gaza 6 days after his cousin Frank, closely followed by the death of his father Sir Charles, then JEB's family inherited the Lord Mottistone title. There are still living relatives on the Isle of Wight, today. But the current Lord Mottistone is either a relation from JEB's second marriage, or that of Frank Seely, I believe. Colonel Frank Seely had a school named after him, in the county of Notts, which is still in existence (and has a photo of him on their website). JEB's other son, John, was an architect - best known for his work in the art deco period; Eltham Palace is the best original example of his work. JEB was also the author of a few books, relating his wartime experiences - and appears to have been popular with the Canadian troops who served under him. I hope all this makes sense, and I haven't confused you too much.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adrian44 Posted 10 November , 2003 Share Posted 10 November , 2003 Racing Teapots; I am not in the least confused, thank you for your help, it is just what I required. adrian44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Grundy Posted 10 November , 2003 Share Posted 10 November , 2003 I think this Seely is the subject of a newish biography, "Galloper Jack", by Brough Scott. It's available on Amazon. Cheers, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 10 November , 2003 Share Posted 10 November , 2003 Jim Quite correct. Brough Scott is actually Seely's grandson and he tells of Seely's charger during WW1, which was called Warrior and survived the war to win a point-to-point race on the isle of Wight. According to Scott, Seely recommended Warrior for a VC on the grounds that he had been everywhere his master had been. I heard this on a Radio 4 programme just recently, but suspect that it might be folklore used to make the point that Seely was always exceedingly pleased with himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 12 November , 2003 Share Posted 12 November , 2003 The picture below is from Len Sellers' magazine "RND" [issue 20. March 2002] and was first published in December 1914 in "Great Deeds of the War." It's original caption was 'Colonel Seely and Mr Churchill driving through the streets of besieged Antwerp' to which Len has added the further information that Seely was a former Liberal Secretary of State for War and "appears to have played a somewhat controversial role, while on the Royal Naval Division's Staff at Antwerp." On 6th October 1914 while in Antwerp, Churchill placed Major-General Paris RM. in command of the whole of the RND. At that time Paris only had a staff of three and so Churchill added Col. Seely to the RND staff. By the evening of the 8th it was becoming clear that Belgian resistance was crumbling and that as further support was not forthcoming it was decided to withdraw. Paris held a conference of his small staff and the order to retire was given to Ollivant to carry to the Marine Brigade, to Sketchley for the 2nd Naval Brigade and to Seely to carry to the 1st Naval Brigade. The controversy arises because the 1st Naval Brigade seem to have received their message either late, or incomplete, or both. Most of the RND managed to make it safely back to England, however nearly all of the 1st Naval Brigade were either interned [c.1500] in neutral Holland or made prisoners of war [c.950] Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adrian44 Posted 15 November , 2003 Share Posted 15 November , 2003 Very Many Thanks Michael, the photographic image was most thoughtful. to you all who have helped, my gratitude, adrian44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnsonm Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 There is a book written by J.E.B entitiled 'Adventure ' published in 1930 by William Heinemann covering his early life through to his being gassed in 1918 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnsonm Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 There i a book written by J E B Seely entitled 'Adventure ' published in 1930 by William Heinemann Ltd London which cover his early life up to his being gassed in 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnsonm Posted 17 November , 2003 Share Posted 17 November , 2003 Adrian , Forgive double posting . You can see why I am still a Corporal and lucky to be that even Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adrian44 Posted 18 November , 2003 Share Posted 18 November , 2003 Johnsonm; thank you, as for being lucky to be a Corporal, I too share that amazement, Chris and all the team have nothing to fear from me. But I must add what a wonderful website this is , to those who had the vision, we are forever in your debt. adrian44. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 18 November , 2003 Share Posted 18 November , 2003 Two other books by Seely "fear and be Slain" and "My Horse Warrior" - a biography of his charger! Both "Adventure" and "Fear" are easily available second hand, both are considerably better than Scott's biography which is a journalistic take on his relative and very disapointing in style and content. Seely was bold, extremely brave and immodest - Churchill (I think) told the tale of Seely recommending his sertant for the VC at Antwerp for "following me everywhere". John Colville observed that Seely's memoirs " had been delayed because the printer ran out of capital 'I's'". He was however well thought of by Churchill and many others, although disparaged later for his views on appeasing Hitler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 1 December , 2003 Share Posted 1 December , 2003 One quote from Seely that does not appear in any books I have seen on the man was this: "We do not consider that aeroplanes will be of any possible use for war purposes." Seely wrote the above in a letter to the war minister, Lord Haldane. Seely wrote this two weeks after Bleriot flew across the English Channel...... In 1913, when the Royal Navy asked for a larger budget for their airship project, Seely wrote: "The money could be better spent on horses. One horse is worth more than two airships....." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 1 December , 2003 Share Posted 1 December , 2003 "The money could be better spent on horses. One horse is worth more than two airships....." I wonder if the general would have felt at home with the Goons? "Wings over Dagenham" broadcast January 1957 [bBC steam-type radio, folks] Neddie accidentally invents the hairyplane while building a mangle. The Air Ministry try it and it tastes fine. Whereupon Moriarty announces "this could be the end of the horse-drawn Zeppelin!" Sorry for the interruption Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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