Francis Ward (British Army officer)

Major-General Francis William Ward CB (1840–1919) was Master Gunner, St James's Park, the most senior ceremonial position in the Royal Artillery after the Sovereign.

Francis William Ward
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
RankMajor general
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath

Military career

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Ward was born in 1840, the son of John Ward.[1] He was educated at the East India Company's Military College at Addiscombe in 1856–7, before entering the Bengal Artillery.[1] He then served during the Indian Mutiny of 1857.[1] He was appointed a Lieutenant in the Royal Bengal Artillery in 1862.[2]

He served on the North West Frontier from 1863 to 1864 and took part in the Second Anglo-Afghan War from 1879 to 1880.[1] He later became a Colonel on the Staff Commanding the Royal Artillery in the Punjab.[1] He rose through the officer ranks and became a major general in 1895.[3]

He was made Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery on 1 May 1902[4] and then held the position of Master Gunner, St James's Park immediately after World War I.[5]

He died in 1919 in London, England.[6]

Family

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He married Alice MacMullen, daughter of General S. F. MacMullen of the Bengal Cavalry in 1862.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Rao, C. Hayavadana, ed. (1915). "Ward, Major-General Francis William" . The Indian Biographical Dictionary . Vol. 24.1. Madras: Pillar & Co. p. 458.
  2. ^ "No. 22621". The London Gazette. 29 April 1862. p. 2232.
  3. ^ "No. 26632". The London Gazette. 7 June 1895. p. 3255.
  4. ^ "No. 27439". The London Gazette. 3 June 1902. p. 3607.
  5. ^ "Royal Artillery at Regiments.org". Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
Honorary titles
Preceded by Master Gunner, St James's Park
1918–1919
Succeeded by