Sir George Stuart White Statue - Portland Place, London, UK - Official Local Tourism Attractions on Waymarking.com

The UK Attraction website tells us:

This statue is one of several that celebrate great figures in and around the historic Portland Place at the end of Regents Street in London. George Stuart White was one of the greatest military minds of his generation. He was a Field Marshall and served in many locations for the British army across the world but most notably won the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the face of danger during a campaign in Afghanistan around 1880.

The inscription, that is identical on either side of the Portland stone plinth, reads:

Field-Marshal
Sir George Stuart White
VC GCB OM GCSI
GCMC GCIE GCVO
Born 1835 Died 1912

The bronze, life-size sculpture shows Sir George seated on his horse in full Field-Marshall regalia.

The Ladysmith and District Historical Society website tells us about Sir George:

General Sir George Stewart White VC, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO was born at Rock Castle, Portstewart, County Londonderry, son of James White of Whitehall, Co. Antrim and Frances Ann Stewart. His mother was a daughter of George Stewart, Surgeon-General to the British Forces in Ireland, and his wife Frances, daughter of Colonel William Stewart M.P., of Killymoon Castle, Co. Tyrone.

He was educated at Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire and later at King William's College on the Isle of Man. From 1850 White attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst where he achieved the rank of Under Officer.After graduating from Sandhurst, White was commissioned into the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot in 1853 and saw service in the Indian Mutiny.

In the second Afghan War of 1879/80, he was awarded the Victoria Cross and during 1880 and 1881 he served as Military Secretary to the Viceroy in India. In 1885, he was assigned to special service in Egypt. The same year, he became Brigadier-General in Madras. He became Commanding-Brigadier on the Burmese expedition of 1885-6 and from 1886-89 he commanded the Upper Burma Field Force. In 1889, he was promoted to Major-General and then Commander-In-Chief West Indies. Between 1898-99, he served as Quarter Master General Headquarters of Army.

In 1899, now promoted to Lieutenant-General, White commanded the Natal Forces in South Africa and was confined in Ladysmith during the Siege. In July 1900, he became Commander-In-Chief, Gibralter. In 1874 he married Amelia Baly - the daughter of the Joseph Baly, Archdeacon of Calcutta. They had 5 children. He was a famous son of the Gordon Highlanders and died on 24th June 1912.

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