Major Julian Haslar

HASLER, JULIAN, Brigadier-General, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), Commanding the 11th Infantry Brigade, 2nd son of the late William Wyndham Hasler, J.P., of Aldingbourne House and Barkfold Manor, Sussex, by his wife, Selina Sarah, daughter of Lionel Charles Hervey; born Halnaker House, Chichester, 16 Oct. 1868; educated Winchester College and Sandhurst; gazetted to the Buffs, 19 Sept. 1888, and promoted Lieutenant 4 Feb. 1892, Captain 12 March, 1898, Brevet Major, 22 Aug. 1902, Major, 7 Feb. 1907, Lieutenant-Colonel 28 April, 1906, and Colonel 11 Jan. 1910; was employed with the West African Frontier Force, 17 June, 1899, to 23 Feb. 1900; with the Rhodesian Field Force (on special service) 6 April, 1900 to 10 Oct. 1901, and with the West African Frontier Force, 17 June, 1903 to 25 April, 1910; served (1) with the Chitral Relief Force, 1895 (Medal with clasp); (2) in the Malakand Expedition on the North-West Frontier of India, 1897-8, took part in the operations in Bajaur and in the Mamund country, Utman Khel and Buner and in the attack and capture of the Tanga Pass (clasp); (3) in the South African War, 1899-1902, was severely wounded (mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 15 Nov. 1901], Queen's medal with four clasps and King's medal with two clasps, Brevet of Major); (4) In West Africa (Northern Nigeria) 1903, during the Kano Sokoto Campaign (medal with clasp), and (5) again in West Africa, in command of operations in Northern Nigeria (mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 18 Sept. 1906], Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel). After the outbreak of the European War he was promoted Brigadier-General Feb. 1915, and was appointed to command the XIth Infantry Brigade. He went to France Sept. 1914; was wounded 21 Oct.; returned 20 Dec. in command of The Buffs, and was killed in action at St. Jean, near Ypres, 29 April, 1915. He was twice mentioned in Despatches by F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French [London Gazette, Feb. 17, 1915, and 22 June, 1915]. The 11th Brigade was operating as part of 4th division in the area of Ploegsteert Wood, Belgium close to the French Border. On 24 April 1915 it was sent north to reinforce the 5th Corps in the Ypres salient and was subsequently attached to 28th Division, taking over the front line between BERLIN WOOD and FORTUIN. On 27 April 1915, Hasler fell in action at St. Jean, near Ypres in Belgium, in the context of the Second battle of Ypres, being the second general to die because of heavy shelling of an advanced headquarter that was placed too close to the salient.[10] His commanding officer, Major-General Edward Bulfin, had ordered him to abandon the position after dark on that same day, but he was delayed and was killed around 9pm that evening. "I saw poor Julian Hasler on the 27th April; the place was being heavily shelled. I sent him up Grogan and Le Preu, my GSO2 and GSO3, to help him, and some signallers, but all the lines were constantly cut so I ordered him to get out as soon as it was dark. He was killed about 9 p.m. that night: he could have got out at 6 p.m., but delayed" General Bulfin, commander of the 28th Division[11] General Sir Charles Wilson, commanding the 4th Division wrote: "The 4th Division, and the whole Army has suffered a great loss in your husband's death; he was not only a splendid soldier, but he was loved by everybody," and General Lynden-Bell: "We all recognised him as one of our very finest Brigadiers. His bravery was extraordinary, and wherever the bullets and shells were thickest, he was sure to be found. I cannot express to you the terrible grief his death has caused to the whole of his Brigade, every man of which knew him and loved him." General Hasler raised and commanded Hasler's Australian Scouts, who did such excellent work in South Africa. He married at Aldingbourne, 11 Aug. 1908, Edith Gwendoline, eldest daughter of Captain John Orr-Ewing, 5th Dragoon Guards, and granddaughter of Sir Archibald Orr-Ewing, 1st Bart., and had two sons: William Julian, b. 11 Oct. 1912, and John Wyndham, b. 21 April, 1914.