Granville Elliott - British Military Career

British Military Career

Back in the UK, he remarried, on 3 September 1750, to Elizabeth Duckett (25 June 1724 - October 1804) at St. Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street, London. However, he soon returned to the service of the Estates-General of the Netherlands, and the first child of his second marriage was born in the Netherlands although later children would be born at their home in Kew.

On his return to the UK, he was appointed Major-General of the Scotch Brigade. On 21 April 1757, he became Colonel and Major-General of the British 61st Foot Regiment - The Glorious Glosters. That summer, he was a Staff Officer on the army expedition to St Malo, and, from 5 July 1758 to 31 August 1758, he received a short-term commission as Colonel and Lieutenant-General in the Dutch Army. The Seven Years' War was approaching, and Granville's knowledge of continental warfare was significant. In early 1759, he returned to continental Europe, as part of a massive British army deployment. At the Battle of Minden, on 1 August 1759, he commanded the Cavalry Regiment under John Manners, Marquess of Granby. Manners was himself second in command to Sir George Sackville, who was later cashiered for his inaction at the battle. Despite this chain of command, Granville Elliott saw significant action in battle, and was seriously wounded. He retired to convalesce at army headquarters in Rodheim an der Bieber, Gießen, Hesse, Germany, but died there 9 weeks later on 10 October 1759 from the wounds incurred. He is buried in the local 13th century church. A brass commemorative plaque was erected during the 20th century by his British descendants in the church.

Light Cavalry was introduced into the British Army as a direct result of advice from General Granville Elliott.