John Cecil Russell

John Cecil Russell was born in 1839. He joined the 10th Hussars as a cornet on 18 Sep 1860, promoted to lieutenant 16 Aug 1864, captain 28 May 1870. He left the 10th Hussars in 1872 and transferred to the 12th Lancers. During the Ashanti War of 1873 he served as ADC to Sir Archibald Alison. He became well-known in the Zulu War as being patronised by Lord Chelmsford. He had reached a brevet majority on 1 April 1874 and was made brevet lieutenant-colonel on 29 Nov 1879 so that he could be put in command of the colonial volunteers over the head of Major Dartnell. This at first caused some trouble as the volunteers did not accept his authority. At Kambula, Evelyn Wood was relieved to have Russell arrive with a squadron of Mounted Infantry but he found himself in danger of being caught up in the disaster at Hlobane. He misinterpreted an order from Wood which required him to hold a position at Zunguin’s Nek when the Zulus were approaching. But he thought Wood meant another nek further away from the battle going on at Hlobane.
Russell was on the staff at Aldershot as ADC to Sir T McMahon in 1873, for 5 years. He was then made commandant of the Cavalry Depot. He was appointed Extra Equerry to the Prince of Wales in 1880 with the substantive rank of major, gazetted 5 June. He was second in command of the 12th Lancers in 1881, and later that year promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, on 1 July, in command of the regiment. He was promoted to Colonel on 7 Feb 1884 and relinquished command on 30 Nov 1885. He later reached the rank of major-general and was married, producing a daughter, Hester Frances Russell who married Hugh Burdett Money-Coutts, 6th Lord Latymer.
Major General Russell and his wife lived at Barton Court, Canterbury. He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) and died in 1909. The photo shows him in the undress frock coat of the 10th Hussars c1864.

Regimental Details | Soldiers