Sir George Stuart White Statue - Portland Place, London, UK
N 51° 31.249 W 000° 08.717
30U E 698045 N 5711608
This statue is located in the centre of the road in Portland Place. The horse and rider and facing south.
Waymark Code: WMHXW9
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/25/2013
Views: 3
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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