Eric de Burgh

General Sir Eric de Burgh, (; ; 10 May 1881 – 6 February 1973) was a British Indian Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff in India from 1939 to 1941.

Military career Educated at Marlborough College and the Colonial College, Hollesley Bay, De Burgh was commissioned into the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, as a second lieutenant in October 1901. In February 1902 he was seconded for service with mounted infantry during the Second Boer War, with the local rank of lieutenant whilst serving in South Africa. After the end of the war in South Africa, he was in January 1903 transferred to the regular army, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment. He was seconded to the Indian Army later the same year, and served in the 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse). He attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1913 to 1914.

De Burgh served in the First World War and saw action at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, the month he was made a brigade major, the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915 and the Battle of Loos in September 1915. He went on to be a Brigadier on the General Staff at Eastern Command in India in 1930, commanding officer of the 1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade in 1931 and District Officer Commanding Lahore District in 1934.

Family In 1923, De Burgh married Mary Fanshawe, daughter of General Sir Edward Fanshawe; they had two daughters. He was the maternal grandfather of singer Chris de Burgh.