Memorial plaque dedicated to General Sir Henry Wyndham in All Saints' church, Cockermouth.
"Henry Wyndham was born on 12 May 1790, the second son (illegitimate) of the 3rd Earl of Egremont. In 1806 he joined the army as an ensign in the 31st Regiment but within a month had transferred to the Foot Guards. He served in the Peninsula as ADC to the Duke of Wellington and fought at Vimiera and Rorica. He also served with Sir John Moore and brought home despatches after Corunna, at the same time escorting a French prisoner, General Lefèvre. He transferred to the 10th Hussars in July 1809 with the rank of captain and served in the Peninsula in 1811 attached to the Portuguese cavalry, and was at the battle of Albuhera. When the 10th came out to Spain in 1813 he fought with them at Morales del Toro. He and his squadron played a prominent part in the pursuit of the French after Vittoria and in operations in the Pyrenees.
He left the regiment in 1813 and purchased his majority in the 60th Rifles, then became a lieutenant-colonel in Dillon’s Regiment which was a unit of foreign soldiers serving for the British, but it was disbanded in 1814. He then transferred to the Coldstream Guards and fought with them at Waterloo. He achieved fame at Hougoumont where he and three others prevented the French from forcing their way in. He was severely wounded in the battle and would have lost an arm but for the intervention of Assistant Surgeon Jenks of the 10th Hussars.
On 11 July 1816 Henry Wyndham was appointed CO of the 19th Lancers, but they were also disbanded in 1821 and he went on half pay. In March 1824 he succeeded George Quentin as CO of the 10th Hussars and remained with the regiment for 9 years. He retired on 22 March 1833, and reached the rank of major-general in 1837. He commanded the Dublin District from 1843 to 46, promoted to lieutenant-general in 1846. He was appointed Colonel of the 11th Hussars on 19 Nov 1847. He also sat as MP for Cockermouth from 1852 to 57 and West Cumberland from 1857 to 1860. He was promoted to General in 1854 and knighted KCB. He died on 2 August 1860."
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"Ensign 31st Foot 27th March 1806
1st Foot Guards 25th April 1806
Captain 71st Highlanders 8th June 1809
10th Hussars 6th July 1809
Major 60th Foot 9th Oct 1813
Lt-Col in Dillon's Regiment 20th Jan 1814
2nd Btn. Coldstream Guards 25th July 1814
19th Light Dragoons 11th July 1816
half pay 10th Nov 1821
10th Hussars 18th Oct 1824
Colonel of the Army 27th May 1825
9th Lancers 22nd March 1833
Major-General 10th Jan 1837
Lt-General 9th Nov 1846
Colonel 11th Hussars 19th Nov 1847
General 20th June 1854
Died 2nd August 1860 aged 70"
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The plaque reads -
TO THE MEMORY OF GENERAL SIR HENRY WYNDHAM, KNIGHT OF THE
CROSS OF THE BATH. COLONEL OF THE 11th HUSSARS AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
FOR THE WESTERN DIVISION OF THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. BORN MAY 12th 1790
ENTERED THE GRENADIER GUARDS IN 1806, WAS SHORTLY AFTERWARDS EMPLOYED
IN THE OFFICE OF COMMANDER IN CHIEF, H.R.H. THE DUKE OF YORK.
APPOINTED AIDE-DE-CAMP TO SIR JOHN MOORE, BROUGHT HOME THE DESPATCHES
AFTER THE BATTLE OF CORUNNA, TOGETHER WITH THE FRENCH GENERAL LEFEVRE.
AS A PRISONER OF WAR.
APPOINTED AIDE-DE-CAMP TO SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY AND WAS WITH HIM IN SPAIN
SERVED WITH THE HUSSAR BRIGADE AS CAPTAIN INTHE 10th HUSSARS AND ALSO
WITH THE PORTUGESE CAVALRY.
SERVED THROUGHOUT THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGNS OF 1808 '9 '11 AND 13
INCLUDING ACTIONS OF CORUNNA, ALDEIA, VIMIERA, BENAVENTE,
ALMEIDA, USAGRE, MORALES DE TORO, VITTORIA, AND THE PYRENEES
SERVED ALSO THE CAMPAIGN OF 1815 AS A LIEUT. COLONEL IN THE COLDSTREAM
GUARDS. WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED AT WATERLOO DURING THE MEMORABLE
DEFENCE OF THE FARM HOUSE AT HOUGOUMENT BY A WING OF THAT REGIMENT.
MADE KINGS AIDE-DE-CAMP IN 1825. COMMANDED THE 10th HUSSARS AND THE 19th LANCERS
COMMANDED THE CAVALRY IN PORTUGAL IN 1827, AND THE DUBLKIN DISTRICT
IN 1843 '44 '45 AND '46.
WAS RETURNED TO COCKERMOUTH IN 1852. SAT FOR THAT BOROUGH TILL
1857, WHEN HE WAS ELECTED MEMBER FOR WEST CUMBERLAND.
DIED AT COCKERMOUTH CASTLE ON THURSDAY AUG 2nd 1860 IN THE 71st YEAR OF HIS AGE.
"REQUIESCAT IN PACE"