Thank you to Janus Gregorash
who supplied this photo.
Thank you to Janus Gregorash
who supplied this photo.
Obituary Daily Telegraph 1918:
One of the few remaining links which bind the army of today with the soldiers of pre-Mutiny days has been broken by the death of General Sir Peter Stark Lumsden GCB, CSI, who passed away at Buchromb, Dufftown, on Saturday, his 89th birthday. The fourth son of the late Colonel Thomas Lumsden of Belhelvie Lodge, Aberdeenshire, and younger brother of the gallant "Lumsden of the Guides" he entered the Indian Army from Addiscombe in 1847 as an ensign in the 60th native Bengal Infantry.
Between 1852 and 1857 he served on the North-Western Frontier in five expeditions against native tribes- the Mohmunds, the Ootman, Khel, the Bori Afrisis, and the Miranzais- being mentioned in despatches five times and awarded the special thanks of the local and supreme governments. In 1857 he accompanied a special military mission to Afghanistan, received the thanks of the government for his work, but returned to India to take part in the supression of the Mutiny. He joined the Gwalior Central India Field Forces, and, as Assistant Quartermaster-General, shared in the pursuit and capture of Tantia Topi under Sir Hugh Ross, being again mentioned in despatches.
His next spell of active service was in connection with the expedition to China in 1860, when, as DAA and QMG on the staff of Sir Robert Napier, he took part in all the operations of the Anglo-French forces, including the action of Sinho, the capture of Tang-ku and the capture of the Taku Forts which led up to the advance on and occupation of Peking. He was once more mentioned in despatches, and promoted brevet-major and brevet-lieutenant-colonel.
Practically his last active service was in the Bhutan Expedition of 1865, his later employment being staff and political posts. He was Deputy Quartermaster-General of the Army in India from the latter date till 1873. Sir Peter who had been ADC to Queen Victoria for eleven years, had received the KCB for his services as Chief of the Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Sir F.P.Haines, during the last Afghan War, returned to the frontier in 1884, when he was selected as British representative on the Anglo-Russian Commission for the demarcation of the north-west boundary of Afghanistan. The collision between the Russians and the Afghans near Penjeh led to a situation of critical tension between Great Britain and Russia, and Sir Peter, whose views were not in complete accord with those of the Home Government, retuned to England.
He was created GCB and appointed a seat on the Council of India, which he occupied from 1883 to 1893. He was placed on the Unemployed Supernumerary List three years later, and settled down at Buchromb, the estate in Aberdeenshire which he had purchased, identifying himself with local affairs, and acting as magistrate and deputy-lieutenant for the counties of Banff and Aberdeen. Sir Peter married in 1863, Mary, daughter of Mr John Marriott.
The Myers Family History -Peter Stark Lumsden
Cathy Clarke, Wellington, New Zealand
email: catherine.clarke@clear.net.nz
Last updated: 9 Oct 2009
