7th Hussars


Major-General Sir Hugh McCalmont KCB CVO


Hugh McCalmont lived at Abbeylands in County Antrim. He served in the Red River expedition in Canada, attached to the 60th Rifles, He was also involved in the 3rd Ashanti War, and the Russo-Turkish War where he was military attache at the Turkish HQ in Armenia, being present at the siege of Kars. During 6 months leave he went to Afghanistan for the war of 1879. He was brigade major in the famous Moonlight charge at Kassassin in 1882 and was present at Tel-el-Kebir. In the Nile Expedition of 1884 he commanded the composite Light Camel Regiment.

When he joined the 4th Dragoon Guards in 1886 as second-in-command he attended a review order parade in place of the commanding officer who was on leave. McCalmont had no plume in his helmet so the adjutant rode up to him and politely pointed out that his plume was missing. McCalmont replied, "You may be right sir, but I cannot possibly be wrong. The regiment will dismount and remove plumes." He was a prankster with no respect for social rank. When the future Duke of Connaught joined the 7th Hussars in 1874 McCalmont detonated a pyrotechnic device under the Duke's whist table, shattering windows and filling the room with smoke. The Duke retaliated by raiding Hugh's quarters and scattering his clothes in the trees of the mess lawn. McCalmont commanded the 4th Dragoon Guards from 1888 until 1892, and was Colonel of the 7th Hussars from 1907 until his death in 1924.

1845 Born in Northern Ireland
1865 Cornet in 9th Lancers, 23rd June
1866 Lieutenant, 9th Lancers, 27th July
1869 Captain, 9th Lancers, 29th May
1870 Captain, 7th Hussars, 20th July
1870 Red River Expedition
1873 3rd Ashanti War
1877 Russo-Turkish War
1878 Brevet Major, 30th Nov
1879 ADC to Sir Garnet Wolseley in Zululand
1879 2nd Afghan War
1880 Brevet Lieut-Colonel, 24th July
1882 Egyptian Expedition
1884 Commanded Light Camel Regiment
1885 Colonel, 15th June
1885 Married Rose Elizabeth Bingham
1886 Transferred to 4th Dragoon Guards
1888 In command of 4th Dragoon Guards, 7th Mar (until 1892)
1895 Ulster Unionist MP for North Antrim
1896 Major-General, 24th June
1898 Commanded Cork District (until 1903)
1900 KCB
1902 GOC 8th Division in Ireland
1906 Retired, 1st Oct
1907 Colonel of 7th Hussars, 13th May
1924 Died on 2nd May.


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by Stephen Luscombe