Edward Willis (British Army officer)

Major-General Edward Henry Willis, CB, CMG (1870– 26 June 1961) was a British Army officer who became Lieutenant Governor of Jersey.

Edward Willis
Born1870
Died1961
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1890 - 1934
RankMajor-General
Battles/warsWorld War I
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Background

Willis was the second son of Henry Scott Willis, a wool merchant of Northfield, Trowbridge, Wiltshire.[1] His elder brother took over the family wool business, having served as a supernumerary captain (honorary major) with The Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment, and his younger brother was a provincial commissioner in Northern Rhodesia.[2]

Military career

Willis was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) as a second-lieutenant on 14 February 1890,[3] promoted to lieutenant on 14 February 1893, and to captain on 19 January 1900.[4] He was attached to the 60th battery RFA which was stationed in British India until November 1902, when he was in command as they returned home.[5] They were subsequently stationed at Ballinrobe, County Mayo.[6]

After serving in World War I, he was appointed major general, Royal Artillery in 1921 and Director of the Royal Artillery in 1927.[7] He became Lieutenant Governor of Jersey in 1929[8][9] and retired in 1934.[8]

Later life

Having been appointed CB, CMG and received the Order of St Stanislaus, 2nd Class (with swords)[10] in the course of his career, Willis died at his house, Westlands, at Saint Brélade, Jersey on 26 June 1961. In 1925, he had married Ellis Mary, daughter of Alexander William Duke;[11] their son, Major John Henry Willis, M.C., of the 12th Lancers, was the second husband of the actress Hermione Baddeley, from 1940 until their 1946 divorce.[12][13]

References
  1. Marlborough College Register from 1843 to 1904 inclusive, fifth edition, 1905, pg 370, pg 451
  2. Northern Rhodesia Blue Book for the year ended 31 December 1929, pg A-89
  3. "No. 26026". The London Gazette. 25 February 1890. p. 1044.
  4. "No. 27168". The London Gazette. 23 February 1900. p. 1257.
  5. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36919). London. 7 November 1902. p. 6.
  6. Hart′s Army list, 1903
  7. "Senior Army appointments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2015.
  8. "Government House, Jersey" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011.
  9. "No. 33496". The London Gazette. 17 May 1929. p. 3312.
  10. Supplement to the London Gazette, 15 Feb. 1917, pg 1600
  11. "Archives and collections online".
  12. The Unsinkable Hermione Baddeley, Hermione Baddeley, Collins, 1984, pg 114
  13. Stage and Screen Lives, Michael Billington, 2001, pg 23
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Francis Bingham		 Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
1929–1934		 Succeeded by
Sir Horace Martelli
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