William Fry (British Army officer)
Sir William Fry, KCVO, CB (8 September 1858 – 30 March 1934) was a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First world war, and later became Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.
Sir William Fry KCVO CB | |
|---|---|
| 14th Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man | |
| In office 1919–1925 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Preceded by | Lord Raglan |
| Succeeded by | Sir Claude Hill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Fry 8 September 1858 |
| Died | 30 March 1934 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen Margaret Goldie-Taubman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  |
| Branch/service |  |
| Years of service | 1878–1919 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | Mounted Infantry School Lancashire Regiment District East Lancashire Division 1st London Division 2/1st London Division 30th Division |
| Battles/wars | Second Anglo-Afghan War Second Boer War World War I |
Military career
Fry joined the British Army in May 1878, when he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the West Yorkshire Regiment. He served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878–80, was promoted to lieutenant on 7 January 1880, to captain on 20 January 1886, and to major on 27 July 1898. After the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, he went with the 2nd battalion of his regiment to South Africa. The battalion was attached to the field force ordered to relieve the besieged town of Ladysmith in Natal, and as such he took part in the battles of Colenso (December 1899), Spion Kop (January 1900), Vaal Krantz and the Tugela Heights (February 1900). He assumed command of the battalion with the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel on 23 February 1900, a week before the force relieved Ladysmith on 1 March 1900. The battalion stayed in Natal from March to June 1900, and took part in operations at Laing's Nek, then served in Transvaal from July that year.[1][2] He stayed in South Africa until after the end of the war in June 1902, and left Cape Town on the SS Orient in October that year.[3] For his service in the war he was mentioned in despatches, received the Queen's Medal with five clasps, and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[1]
He was appointed Commandant of the Mounted Infantry School at Bulford in 1905, Brigadier General commanding the Lancashire Regiment District in 1907 and Commander of the East Lancashire Division in 1908.[2] He went on to be Deputy Director General of the Territorial Force in 1910 and Commander of the 1st London Division of the Territorial Force in 1912.[2] He served in World War I as Commander of 30th Division and then as Major-General in Charge of Administration in Ireland until his retirement in 1919.[4] He was also Colonel of the West Yorkshire Regiment.[4]
In retirement he became Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man in 1919.[4] He lived at Winkfield in Berkshire.[4]
Family
In 1886, he married Ellen Margaret Goldie-Taubman.[4]
References
- Hart′s Army list, 1903
- "Sir William Fry". Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times (36905). London. 22 October 1902. p. 9.
- The Peerage.com
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title | GOC East Lancashire Division 1908–1910 |
Succeeded by Cecil Park |
| Preceded by Arthur Henniker-Major |
GOC 1st London Division 1912–1915 |
Succeeded by Charles Hull |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Lord Raglan |
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man 1919–1925 |
Succeeded by Sir Claude Hill |