Neville Bowles Chamberlain

Field Marshal Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain (10 January 1820 – 18 February 1902) was a British general in British India. He served in the Bengal Army and saw action in the First Anglo-Afghan War, Gwalior campaign, Second Anglo-Sikh War, Indian Rebellion, Ambela campaign and Second Anglo-Afghan War. He later became Commander-in-chief of the Madras Army, and was promoted to field marshal.

Background and early life Chamberlain was born in Rio de Janeiro, the third son of Sir Henry Chamberlain, 1st Baronet, consul general and charge d'affaires in Brazil, and his second wife Anna Eugenia née Morgan. His elder brother, William Charles Chamberlain, was an admiral, while younger brothers Crawford Chamberlain, and Charles Francis Falcon Chamberlain, were also army officers. During his time at Woolwich he earned a reputation for fighting and rebellious behaviour, and on his return home he threatened to join the British Legion, a body of troops leaving for Spain under Sir George de Lacy Evans.

India Chamberlain embarked for India on board the ship George and arrived at Madras in May 1837. He remained at Madras for a short time as the guest of the retired general Sir John Doveton before continuing on to Calcutta in June. Promoted to lieutenant on 16 July 1842, he transferred to the 1st Cavalry of Shah Shujah's Contingent and took part in a march from Kandahar to Kabul in August 1842. During the withdrawal from Kabul he was again wounded at Landi Kotal in October 1842 and again at Ali Masjid in November 1842.

Punjab

He took part in the Battle of Chillianwala in January 1849 and the Battle of Gujrat in February 1849 during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. he became assistant commissioner in the Rawalpindi District in December 1849 and then assistant commissioner in the Hazara District in June 1850. For this he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 11 November 1857 and promoted to colonel on 27 November 1857.

Chamberlain was reappointed to the command of the Punjab Irregular Frontier Force in 1858 and led it during the Ambela Campaign during which he was again severely wounded again in November 1863. he returned to the United Kingdom and was promoted to major-general for distinguished service on 5 August 1864. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India on 24 May 1866 and accompanied the Duke of Edinburgh on an official trip to India in 1869. advanced to Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India on 24 May 1873 and further advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 28 May 1875.

Chamberlain became Commander-in-chief of the Madras Army in February 1876 and, having been promoted to full general on 1 October 1877, was sent on a mission to the Emir of Afghanistan, Sher Ali Khan, whose refusal to allow him, along with Major Louis Cavagnari, to enter the country precipitated the Second Anglo-Afghan War in November 1878. He left India in February 1881 and retired to Lordswood near Southampton in February 1886.

Later life and death In retirement, Chamberlain was an active member of the Southampton Unitarian Church. He was a vocal critic of British policy during the Boer War between 1899 and 1901. He was promoted to field marshal on 25 April 1900, died at Lordswood on 18 February 1902 and was buried at Rownhams near Southampton.

Family In 1873, Chamberlain married Charlotte Cuyler Reid, daughter of Major-General Sir William Reid, who died in 1896; there were no children.