William Maynard Gomm

Field Marshal Sir William Maynard Gomm, (10 November 178415 March 1875) was a British Army officer. After taking part in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland, he served in most of the battles of the Napoleonic Wars. During the Hundred Days he took part in both the Battle of Quatre Bras and the Battle of Waterloo. He went on to be Commander of the troops in Jamaica and in that role established new barracks at Newcastle, Jamaica, high in the mountains. After that he became Governor of Mauritius and, finally, Commander-in-Chief, India, in which role he introduced promotion examinations for officers.

Military career Born the son of Lieutenant-Colonel William Gomm (who served in the 46th Foot during the American Revolutionary War and was killed in the attack on Guadeloupe in April 1794) and Mary Alleyne Gomm (née Maynard), Gomm was commissioned as an ensign in the 9th Regiment of Foot on 24 May 1794, at the age of nine, in recognition of the services rendered by his father. Promoted to lieutenant on 14 April 1795, he continued his full-time education at a private school in Woolwich.

Gomm joined his regiment in 1799 and was deployed to the Netherlands where he fought under the Duke of York and Albany at the Battle of Bergen in September 1799 and at the Battle of Alkmaar in October 1799 during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland. he joined the Senior Division of the new Royal Military College at High Wycombe. He went on to fight at the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812, the Siege of Badajoz in April 1812 (where he was wounded) and the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812 before being promoted to lieutenant colonel on 17 August 1812. After that he took part in the Siege of Burgos in September 1812, the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813 and the Siege of San Sebastián in July 1813 as well as the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813 and the Battle of the Nive in December 1813 (where he was wounded again). and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815. He acquired a property at 6 Upper Grosvenor Street in London in 1826.

Gomm was promoted to colonel on 16 May 1829 and to major-general on 10 January 1837. He became Commander of the troops in Jamaica in 1839 and in that role observed that yellow fever, a major cause of death among the British troops stationed in Jamaica, was far less prevalent in the mountains and he therefore established new barracks at Newcastle, Jamaica, high in the mountains. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Cambridge University in 1842.

Gomm was briefly General officer commanding Northern District in early 1842 before being appointed the Governor of Mauritius in June 1842. Promoted to lieutenant-general on 9 November 1846, he was sent out to India in Summer 1849 to become Commander-in-Chief, India arriving only to discover that his appointment had been cancelled in favour of Sir Charles Napier. but, following Napier's resignation as Commander-in-Chief, India, Gomm succeeded him in December 1851. he retired from active service in 1856 and, after advancement to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 21 June 1859 and after further promotion to field marshal on 1 January 1868, he became Constable of the Tower in October 1872. He also served as honorary colonel of the 13th Regiment of Foot. He died at Brighton in Sussex on 15 March 1875 and was buried at Christ's Church in Rotherhithe.