▁Engine ers ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁ 3 1 ▁years ▁old , ▁and ▁a ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁Royal ▁Engine ers , ▁British ▁Army ▁and ▁with ▁Beng al ▁S app ers ▁and ▁Min ers ▁( B rit ish ▁Indian ▁Army ) ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Ang lo - A fg han ▁War ▁when ▁the ▁following ▁de ed ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁March ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁near ▁Ma idan ah , ▁Afghan istan ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁V C . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁After ▁this ▁incident ▁promotion ▁followed ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁Commander ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁Field ▁Company ▁during ▁the ▁Su ak in ▁Ex ped ition ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Major - General ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁By ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁he ▁was ▁General ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁B elf ast ▁in ▁which ▁capacity ▁he ▁founded ▁the ▁B ally kin lar ▁training ▁camp . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁General ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁within ▁Third ▁Army ▁Corps ▁in ▁Ireland ▁on ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁and ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 9 0 5 . ▁Later ▁that ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁General ▁Officer ▁Command ing - in - Ch ief ▁for ▁Scottish ▁Command ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁before ▁he ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁Le