Lord William Paulet

Field Marshal Lord William Paulet, GCB (7 July 1804 – 9 May 1893) was a senior British Army officer. During the Crimean War he served as Assistant Adjutant-General of the Cavalry Division, under Lord Lucan, at the Battle of Alma in September 1854, at the Battle of Balaklava in October 1854 and at the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 as well as at the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. He was then given command of the rear area, including the Bosphorus, Gallipoli and the Dardanelles before returning to England. He later became Commander of the 1st Brigade at Aldershot in 1856, General Officer Commanding South-West District in 1860 and finally Adjutant-General to the Forces in 1865.

Lord William Paulet
Lord William Paulet
Born7 July 1804
Andover, Hampshire
Died9 May 1893 (aged 88)
St. James's Square, London
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1821–1870
RankField Marshal
Commands held1st Brigade at Aldershot
South-West District
Battles/warsCrimean War
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Military career

Born the fourth son of Charles Paulet, 13th Marquess of Winchester and Anne Paulet (née Andrews),[1] Paulet was educated at Eton College before being commissioned into the 85th (Duke of York's Own) Light Infantry on 1 February 1821.[2] He became a lieutenant in the 7th Royal Fusiliers on 23 May 1822[3] and was promoted to captain in an unattached company on 25 February 1825.[4]

Paulet transferred back to 85th (Duke of York's Own) Light Infantry on 21 April 1825[5] before briefly serving with the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and then transferring to the 21st Royal North British Fusiliers on 4 December 1828[6] before being promoted to major on 10 September 1830.[7] He transferred to the 68th Light Infantry on 18 January 1833[8] and was appointed commanding officer of that regiment with promotion to lieutenant colonel on 21 April 1843.[9] In February 1851 he became an equerry to the Duke of Cambridge.[10]

During the Crimean War Paulet served as Assistant Adjutant-General of the Cavalry Division, under Lord Lucan, earning promotion to brevet colonel on 20 June 1854.[11] He fought at the Battle of Alma in September 1854, at the Battle of Balaklava (where his hat was shot off) in October 1854 and at the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 as well as at the Siege of Sevastopol which was on-going at that time.[7] He was then given command of the rear area, including the Bosphorus, Gallipoli and the Dardanelles, with promotion to the substantive rank of lieutenant colonel on 28 November 1854 and to the local rank of brigadier-general on 19 January 1855:[12] in this capacity he gave his support to Florence Nightingale in her efforts to modernise medical support in the field.[7] Promoted to the local rank of major-general in Turkey on 9 November 1855,[13] he briefly commanded the Light Division before returning to England.[7]

Paulet became Commander of the 1st Brigade at Aldershot with the local rank of major-general in August 1856[14] (back-dated to 24 July 1856)[15] and then, having been promoted to the substantive rank of major-general on 13 December 1858,[16] he became General Officer Commanding South-West District (which had its headquarters in Portsmouth) in 1860 and Adjutant-General to the Forces in July 1865.[17] In May 1866 he was invited to join a Royal Commission to consider the existing system for recruitment in the British Army which was considered too large at the time.[18] He was promoted to lieutenant general on 8 December 1867[19] and stood down as Adjutant-General in September 1870[20] but still received further promotions to full general on 7 October 1874[21] and to field marshal on 10 July 1886.[22]

Paulet was also colonel of the 87th Regiment of Foot[23] and later of the 68th Light Infantry (1st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry from 1881).[24] He died, unmarried, at his home in St. James's Square in London on 9 May 1893.[1]

The Battle of Balaklava during which Paulet had his hat shot off

Honours

Paulet's honours included:

Family

Paulet never married; he had no children.[1]

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References
  1. "Lord William Paulet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/21624. Retrieved 10 November 2013. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. "No. 17679". The London Gazette. 10 February 1821. p. 367.
  3. "No. 17822". The London Gazette. 1 June 1822. p. 914.
  4. "No. 18107". The London Gazette. 12 February 1825. p. 243.
  5. "No. 18137". The London Gazette. 14 May 1825. p. 835.
  6. "No. 18532". The London Gazette. 16 December 1828. p. 2323.
  7. Heathcote, p. 237
  8. "No. 19014". The London Gazette. 18 January 1833. p. 122.
  9. "No. 20215". The London Gazette. 21 April 1843. p. 1312.
  10. "No. 21185". The London Gazette. 25 February 1851. p. 488.
  11. "No. 21564". The London Gazette. 22 June 1854. p. 1934.
  12. "No. 21652". The London Gazette. 19 January 1855. p. 210.
  13. "No. 21814". The London Gazette. 13 November 1855. p. 4185.
  14. "No. 21911". The London Gazette. 8 August 1856. p. 2747.
  15. "No. 21951". The London Gazette. 19 December 1856. p. 4249.
  16. "No. 22211". The London Gazette. 21 December 1858. p. 5480.
  17. "No. 22982". The London Gazette. 20 June 1865. p. 3093.
  18. "No. 23115". The London Gazette. 11 May 1866. p. 2899.
  19. "No. 23336". The London Gazette. 24 December 1867. p. 7010.
  20. "No. 23658". The London Gazette. 16 September 1870. p. 4175.
  21. "No. 24146". The London Gazette. 30 October 1874. p. 5156.
  22. "No. 25606". The London Gazette. 9 July 1886. p. 3331.
  23. "No. 22760". The London Gazette. 7 August 1863. p. 3946.
  24. "No. 22845". The London Gazette. 19 April 1864. p. 2170.
  25. "No. 23739". The London Gazette. 20 May 1871. p. 2473.
  26. "No. 21743". The London Gazette. 10 July 1855. p. 2654.
  27. "No. 21909". The London Gazette. 4 August 1856. p. 2701.
  28. "No. 22107". The London Gazette. 2 March 1858. p. 1252.
  29. "No. 21912". The London Gazette. 12 August 1856. p. 2781.

Sources
  • Heathcote, Tony (1999). The British Field Marshals 1736–1997. Leo Cooper. ISBN 0-85052-696-5.
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir James Scarlett		 GOC South-West District
1860–1865		 Succeeded by
Sir George Buller
(As GOC Southern District)
Preceded by
Sir James Yorke Scarlett		 Adjutant General
1865–1870		 Succeeded by
Sir Richard Airey
Preceded by
James Simpson		 Colonel of the 87th (Royal Irish
Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot
1863–1864		 Succeeded by
Thomas Johnston
Preceded by
Sir Robert Mansel		 Colonel of the 68th (Durham)
Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
(1st Battalion of the Durham
Light Infantry from 1881)
1864–1893		 Succeeded by
William Fyers
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