WINGATE (Sir Francis Reginald, 1861-1953, Sirdar of the Egyptian Army, Governor-General of the Sudan 1899-1916 and from 1920 1st Baronet)

Typed Letter Signed ‘Reginald Wingate’ to R. Nicholson CMG, CBE, Secretary of the Royal African Society who retired from the post in 1938, saying that “by some extraordinary lapse, I entirely missed the inclusion of your name in the New Year’s Honours List and it was only when I got the African World on Saturday that I saw your name was included in the List for a C.B.E. I cannot tell you what sincere gratification this gave me and I am sure all your friends will rejoice with me that your splendid services while Secretary of the Royal African Society have been recognised in this way. I hope you will live long to enjoy this honour and perhaps other which may follow... I do not know whether you saw a letter published in the ‘Times’... from my son, dealing with the Refugee and Palestine questions and strongly recommending the adoption of British Guiana as a home for them. As you have had a good deal of experience in that part of the world perhaps some day we can arrange a meeting between yourself, my son and myself to talk the matter over, that is to say, if you are free, but I suppose you do not come to London more often than you can help. I do hope your general health has improved...”, 2 sides 4to., Queen Anne’s Mansions, St James’s Park, 9th January

In 1917, Wingate succeeded Sir Henry McMahon as High Commissioner in Egypt, a post he held until 1919. He was not a successful administrator in the very different political climate in that country, and was made a scapegoat for the riots incited by Saad Zaghlul and his party that spread across Egypt. Angry at his treatment, Wingate refused to actually resign, even after he was officially replaced by Lord Allenby, and threatened to embarrass the British Government. He was refused a peerage or another appointment, although he was created a baronet in the 1920 King's Birthday Honours, gazetted as a Baronet, of Dunbar, in the County of Haddington, and of Port Sudan. He never held another public or military office, retiring from the Army on 1st February 1922, but became a director of a number of companies. He continued to hold honorary positions in the army: as Colonel Commandant, Royal Artillery and Honorary Colonel of the 7th Battalion Manchester Regiment, of the 57th Medium Brigade, Royal Artillery, and of the 65th Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery. For many years he was the senior general of the British Army.

Item Date:  1939

Stock No:  42566      £225

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