James Bevan Edwards - Military Career

Military Career

Edwards was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1852. He served with the Royal Engineers in the Crimean War in 1853 and the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

He transferred to the Indian Staff Corps in 1882 and, during the Mahdist War, became Commanding Royal Engineer for the Suakin Expeditionary Force in 1885. He was mentioned in despatches for his role in this Expedition.

On return to the UK he became Commandant of the Royal School of Military Engineering. He was then appointed Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1889.

Edwards was also chosen by the British Government to inspect the forces of the Australian colonies in 1889 and to advise on their organisation. He recommended a structure to enable the colonies to combine for mutual defence, uniform organisation and armament, a common Defence Act, a military college to train officers and a uniform gauge for railways.

At the 1895 general election, he was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hythe in Kent, but he made his resignation from the British House of Commons in February 1899.

He became colonel-commandant of the Royal Engineers in 1903.

Edwards died in 1922 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.