Early Life :

Education & Career :

He went to Allhallows School (Allhallows College) then at Honiton c.1515 - 1938 and afterwards at Rousdon 1938 - 1998.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

At the outbreak of war the British, together with Indian troops, resolved to protect oil supply in the region by occupying the area around Basra at Abadan. This evolved into a series of campaigns towards Baghdad against the Turkish forces as Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) was part of the Ottoman Empire. Meetings in late 1914 and into 1915 led the Viceroy and Indian government at Simla to reconsider the limited involvement of troops and they decided to order further advances with a view to securing the Shatt-al-Hai, a canal connecting the Tigris and Euphrates river and potentially capturing Baghdad. The British government disagreed and wished to conserve forces for the Western front. The Viceroy was given permission to act as it wished, but told in no uncertain terms that no reinforcements should be expected.

The initial success experienced by the British and Indian forces quickly disintegrated in the face of Ottoman opposition. The Siege of Kut-Al-Amara began on 7th December with the besieging of an 8,000 strong British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut, 100 miles south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. These campaigns produced few tactical benefits, indeed the catastrophic defeat at Kut in 1916 was a major setback. Badhdad was eventually taken in March 1917.

The conditions in Mesopotamia were dreadful. The climate, sickness and disease produced large losses in addition to battle casualties. About as many men died of disease as were killed in action. The Mesopotamia front was part of a strategy hoping for success at lower cost than the Western Front but no decisive victory was achieved.

Detail :

He joined the Army in 1894 and the Indian Staff Corps in 1896. He was promoted Lieutenant, Indian Army in 1897 and Captain in 1903. He served in the Tibet Campaign 1903-04, being present at the action at Niani, the operations in and around Gyantse and in the march to Lhasa. He was slightly wounded, mentioned in despatches and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 16.12.1904). He became Political Resident at Aden in 1910. Major Humphreys served in the Great War and was killed in action on 17.2.1917 whilst serving with the 8th Gurkha Rifles.

Probate: HUMPRHREYS Dashwood William Harrington of Delhi India major 1/8th Gurkha Rifles died 17 February 1917 at Mesopotamia Probate Dublin to Florence Eliza Humphreys and Lilian Frances Humphreys spinsters. Effects £1405 in England. Sealed London 9 March.

In addition to the DSO and MiD, he was awarded the Tibet Medal 1904 with Gyanste Clasp, for work in the Tibet Campaign, and also the Delhi Durbar Coronoation Medal of 1911. He more than likely received at least two of the three medals for service in WW1, but cannot yet locate him on the Medal Roll.

His name is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.

Masonic :

Joined the English from the Scottish Constitution, joining Alexandra Lodge No. 1065 at Jubbulpore in 1913, but he resigned prior to the start of the war on 30th April 1914. He is then seen joining Siwalik Lodge No. 2939, probably through troop movement, at Dehra Dun on the 17th June 1915, but resigned 8th August 1916. He doesn't appear to be a subscribing Freemason at the time of his death.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley
• Researcher : Tom Hawley