GeneralRichard Airey, 1st Baron Airey, GCB (April 1803 – 14 September 1881), known as Sir Richard Airey between 1855 and 1876, was a senior British Army officer of the 19th century.
In 1854 he was given a brigade command in the army sent out to the East, from which, however, he was rapidly transferred to the onerous and difficult post of Quartermaster-General under Lord Raglan, in which capacity he served through the campaign in the Crimean War.[1] He was reported upon most favourably by his superiors, Lord Raglan and Sir James Simpson[4] and for his performance was made a major general in December 1854 and was awarded a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). Following Raglan's instructions, Airey issued the fateful order for the Charge of the Light Brigade.[1] He was also criticised for incompetence in the provision of supplies and transport.[1] Airey demanded an enquiry on his return to England, which took place under Lord Seaton and which cleared him completely, but he never recovered from the effects of persecution from his critics.[1]
In 1838, he married his cousin, Harriet Mary Everard Talbot (d. 28 July 1881), daughter of James Talbot, 3rd Baron Talbot of Malahide.[2] Their only daughter, Katherine Margaret Airey (d. 22 May 1896), married Sir Geers Cotterell, 3rd Baronet. Airey died at the house of Lord Wolseley, at Leatherhead, Surrey, when his title became extinct.[2]
Notesedit
^ abcdefghijklRichard Airey at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
^One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Airey, Richard Airey". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 445.
Cokayne, George E. (1910). Gibbs, Vicary (ed.). The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant. Vol. I, Ab-Adam to Basing. London: St. Catherine Press. p. 69.
Cokayne, George E. (1998). Hammond, Peter W. (ed.). The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant. Vol. XIV, Addenda and Corrigenda. London: St. Catherine Press. p. 13.
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richard, airey, baron, airey, general, april, 1803, september, 1881, known, richard, airey, between, 1855, 1876, senior, british, army, officer, 19th, century, lord, aireylord, aireyborn1803newcastle, upon, tyne, northumberland, england, ukdied14, september, 1. General Richard Airey 1st Baron Airey GCB April 1803 14 September 1881 known as Sir Richard Airey between 1855 and 1876 was a senior British Army officer of the 19th century The Lord AireyLord AireyBorn1803Newcastle upon Tyne Northumberland England UKDied14 September 1881 aged 77 78 Leatherhead Surrey England UKAllegiance United KingdomService wbr branch British ArmyYears of service1821 1876RankGeneralBattles warsCrimean WarAwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathCommander of the Legion of Honour France RelationsLieutenant General Sir George Airey father Caricatured by Spy for Vanity Fair 1873 Contents 1 Background 2 Military career 3 Family 4 Notes 5 ReferencesBackground editBorn at Newcastle upon Tyne Northumberland Airey was the eldest son of Lieutenant General Sir George Airey and his wife Catherine Talbot daughter of Richard Talbot and Margaret Talbot 1st Baroness Talbot of Malahide 1 2 Military career editAirey was educated at the Royal Military College Sandhurst and entered the army as an ensign of the 34th Cumberland Regiment of Foot in 1821 1 He became captain in 1825 and served as aide de camp on the staff of Sir Frederick Adam in the Ionian Islands 1827 1830 and on that of Lord Aylmer in North America 1830 1832 1 In 1838 Airey then a lieutenant colonel went to Horse Guards as assistant adjutant general 2 In 1847 he was appointed assistant quartermaster general an appointment he retained until 1851 2 3 From 1852 to 1854 he was Military Secretary to the commander in chief Lord Hardinge 1 3 In 1854 he was given a brigade command in the army sent out to the East from which however he was rapidly transferred to the onerous and difficult post of Quartermaster General under Lord Raglan in which capacity he served through the campaign in the Crimean War 1 He was reported upon most favourably by his superiors Lord Raglan and Sir James Simpson 4 and for his performance was made a major general in December 1854 and was awarded a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath KCB Following Raglan s instructions Airey issued the fateful order for the Charge of the Light Brigade 1 He was also criticised for incompetence in the provision of supplies and transport 1 Airey demanded an enquiry on his return to England which took place under Lord Seaton and which cleared him completely but he never recovered from the effects of persecution from his critics 1 In 1855 he returned to London to become Quartermaster General to the Forces at home 1 In 1862 he was promoted to lieutenant general and from 1865 to 1870 he was Governor of Gibraltar being appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath GCB in 1867 1 In 1870 he became Adjutant General to the Forces at Headquarters and in the following year attained the full rank of general 1 On 29 November 1876 on his retirement he was elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Baron Airey of Killingworth in the County of Northumberland 5 2 During 1879 1880 he presided over the celebrated Airey Commission on army reform 1 Family editIn 1838 he married his cousin Harriet Mary Everard Talbot d 28 July 1881 daughter of James Talbot 3rd Baron Talbot of Malahide 2 Their only daughter Katherine Margaret Airey d 22 May 1896 married Sir Geers Cotterell 3rd Baronet Airey died at the house of Lord Wolseley at Leatherhead Surrey when his title became extinct 2 Notes edit a b c d e f g h i j k l Richard Airey at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography a b c d e f Cokayne 1910 p 69 a b Cokayne 1998 p 13 nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Airey Richard Airey Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 1 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 445 No 24386 The London Gazette 24 November 1876 p 6301 References editCokayne George E 1910 Gibbs Vicary ed The complete peerage of England Scotland Ireland Great Britain and the United Kingdom extant extinct or dormant Vol I Ab Adam to Basing London St Catherine Press p 69 Cokayne George E 1998 Hammond Peter W ed The complete peerage of England Scotland Ireland Great Britain and the United Kingdom extant extinct or dormant Vol XIV Addenda and Corrigenda London St Catherine Press p 13 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Richard Airey 1st Baron Airey nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1885 1900 Dictionary of National Biography s article about Lord Airey thePeerage comMilitary officesPreceded byLord FitzRoy Somerset Military Secretary1852 1854 Succeeded bySir Charles YorkePreceded byThe Lord de Ros Quartermaster General Eastern Army1854 1855 Succeeded byPercy Egerton HerbertPreceded bySir James Freeth Quartermaster General to the Forces1855 1865 Succeeded bySir James GrantGovernment officesPreceded bySir William Codrington Governor of Gibraltar1865 1870 Succeeded bySir William WilliamsMilitary officesPreceded byLord William Paulet Adjutant General1870 1876 Succeeded bySir Charles EllicePreceded bySir Samuel Auchmuty Colonel of the 7th Royal Fusiliers Regiment of Foot1868 1876 Succeeded bySir Richard WilbrahamPeerage of the United KingdomNew creation Baron Airey1876 1881 Extinct Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Airey 1st Baron Airey amp oldid 1151329174, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
