Richard Luard

Lieutenant-General Richard George Amherst Luard CB (29 July 1827 – 24 July 1891) was a British Army officer who became General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada.

Richard Luard
Luard in c. 1865
Born	29 July 1827
Died	24 July 1891 (aged 63)
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	Canadian Militia
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Commands held	General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada
Battles/wars	Crimean War Second Opium War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath

Military career

Born the eldest son of Lieutenant-Colonel John Luard and educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Luard was commissioned into the 51st Regiment of Foot in 1845.[1] Later that year he transferred to the 3rd Regiment of Foot.[1] In 1854 he transferred to the 77th Regiment of Foot and served in the Crimean War as a Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General: he was mentioned in despatches for his part in the Siege of Sevastopol.[1] He served in the Second Opium War taking part in an expedition to China in 1857.[1] In 1860 he was appointed Assistant Inspector of Volunteers[1] and in 1875 he was made Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General for the Northern District in England.[1]

In 1880 he became General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada.[1] He sought to introduce permanent infantry training schools but also upset Adolphe-Philippe Caron, the Minister of Militia and Defence, through his constant criticism of amateur soldiers.[1] He was asked to resign and, in 1884, returned to England to command a Brigade at Aldershot Garrison.[1]

Family

Luard was married on 8 October 1863 to Hannah Chamberlain.[2] They had seven children including Edward Bourryau Luard (1870–1916), who achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and was killed near Ypres in the First World War.[3][4] Another son was Charles Camac Luard.[5]

References

1. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
2. "Richard George Amherst Luard". genealogy.links.org. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
3. "Luard, Edward Bourryau". Casualty Details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
4. "Rupert Edward Inglis". www.inglis.uk.com. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
5. Kelly's (1943). Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes. Kelly's Directories. p. 1155.

External links

• Richard George Amherst Luard at The Canadian Encyclopedia