Charles van Straubenzee

General Sir Charles Thomas van Straubenzee GCB (17 February 1812 – 10 August 1892), was a British Army officer. He served as Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong, and Governor of Malta.

Sir Charles van Straubenzee
Van Straubenzee as brigadier-general in 1860
Born	17 February 1812 Fort Ricasoli, Malta
Died	10 August 1892 (aged 80) Bath, Somerset, England
Buried	Smallcombe Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1828–1881
Rank	General
Commands held	3rd Bn the Buffs 1st Brigade of the Light Division Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong Bombay Army Malta
Wars	Gwalior Campaign Crimean War Second Opium War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Military career

Van Straubenzee in 1861

Van Straubenzee was born at Fort Ricasoli, Malta, in 1812,[1] as the second son of Thomas van Straubenzee (1782–1843), a Royal Artillery major, of Spennithorne, Yorkshire, and his wife Maria, youngest daughter of Major Henry Bowen.

A member of an old and distinguished military family, Van Straubenzee was commissioned into the Ceylon Rifle Regiment in 1828.[2] He transferred to the 39th Regiment of Foot in 1833, and, during the Gwalior campaign, he took part in the Battle of Maharajpore in 1843; he took temporary command of his regiment when its commanding officer was wounded and brought the regiment out of action.[2]

In 1846, he transferred to 3rd Battalion the Buffs of which he became commanding officer in 1851,[2] and fought in the Crimean War commanding the 1st Brigade of the Light Division, and taking part in both assaults on the Redan during the Siege of Sevastopol.[2]

In 1857, Van Straubenzee became Commander British Forces in Hong Kong and led an attack on Canton during the Second Opium War.[2] In 1862, he was made general officer commanding a Division of the Bombay Army at Ahmedabad and subsequent took overall command of the Bombay Army.[2]

He was colonel of the 47th Regiment of Foot from 1865 to 1867, and of the 39th Regiment of Foot from 1867,[3] until they became part of the Dorset Regiment in 1881, after which he continued as colonel of the 2nd Battalion until 1892.[4] Van Straubenzee became Governor of Malta in 1872.[2]

Van Straubenzee is buried at St Mary the Virgin's Churchyard near Bath, Somerset.[2]

Family

He married Charlotte Louisa Richardson in 1841, daughter of General John Luther Richardson.[5]

See also

• List of British recipients of the Légion d'Honneur for the Crimean War

References

1. Cassar, Michael (31 January 2016). "Grand Harbour: from a naval, commercial to a leisure port". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016.
2. Vetch, R. H.. "Straubenzee, Sir Charles Thomas Van (1812–1892), rev. Roger T. Stearn". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004 ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/28110. Accessed 25 August 2016.
3. "39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
4. "47th (the Lancashire) Regiment of Foot". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
5. Conqueror List