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Colonel Frederic Edward Blackett Beaumont shows the following dates of rank, campaign service, and army appointments related to his service in the British Army:[1]
Frederic Edward Blackett Beaumont has the distinction of being a contemporary
of General Charles George Gordon (of Khartoum fame). Beaumont's name appears
immediately before that of Gordon in the Army Lists from the date of their
commissioning.
As a Lieutenant, Beaumont saw active service during the Crimean War.
He served with the local rank of Captain in the Turkish Contingent Engineers.
For his service he was awarded the Turkish Crimea Medal 1854-56. He was
one of the small number of British officers who served with the Turkish
forces along the Danube and received the Turkish medal only, and not the
British Crimea Medal.
In 1858 Lieutenant Beaumont again saw active service, this time in India
during the Mutiny. He served on the Staff of the Royal Engineers during
the operations against the mutinous Sepoys. On the 14th of March 1858 he
particularly distinguished himself at the capture of the Imambara and Kaisar
Bagh and was awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal with the clasp [LUCKNOW].
In 1873 Major Beaumont was placed in charge of railways at the Arsenal
at Woolwich. While at the Arsenal, he worked on methods for generating
hydrogen for balloon experiments. He was described by his contemporaries
as "a man of remarkably inventive talent."
In 1876 he took leave from the Army and was elected a member of Parliament
for South Durham. He retired from the Army shortly after his promotion
to Colonel in 1877.
Colonel Beaumont died on the 20th of August 1899.
UNIFORM AND PHOTOGRAPH DETAILS:[2]
In the CDV Beaumont is wearing an 1857 pattern single-breasted tunic
of scarlet cloth edged with blue velvet. The collars and cuffs are of garter
blue velvet with a round back gold cord on the edge of the collar and collar
seam. The shoulder knots are round back gold cord with a triple twist and
silver embroidered grenades. The trousers are dark blue with a gold lace
stripe of the Corps pattern, 1-3/4 inches wide, down the outer seam. The
forage cap is of blue cloth with a horizontal projecting peak (1861 pattern)
and a band of gold lace, 1-3/4 inches wide of the Corps pattern. The cap
appears to be missing the gold netted button in the centre of the crown.
The pouch belt is of Russia leather, 2 inches wide, with one stripe of gold
embroidery 3/8-inch wide on either edge and one wavy stripe (in a scroll)
down the centre. The sword belt, worn over the tunic, is of Russia leather,
1-1/2 inches wide, with two stripes of gold embroidery 1/4-inch wide, plain
gilt buckles, and a gilt waistbelt clasp with the Corps of Royal Engineers'
device in silver. Since the photograph dates post-1861 (from the forage
cap design), Beaumont must be a Captain. A Captain's rank insignia consists
of a crown and star on the collar. Only the crown is visible in the photograph,
with the star being covered by Beaumont's rather luxurious whiskers. His
sword is the regulation pattern blade for Infantry, 32-1/2 inches long by
1-1/8 inches wide, hilt of rolled metal, gilt, scroll pattern, pierced and
engraved. The sword knot is a round gold cord with acorn. The medal worn
by Beaumont consist of the Indian Mutiny Medal with one clasp and the Turkish
Crimea Medal with ring suspender.
3. LANE-POOLE, S. Watson Pasha. John Murray, London, 1919, p. 36.
4. BUCKLAND, C. The Medals Year Book. Token Publishing Limited, Devon, 1993, p. 56.
5. HART, H.G. Army List, January 1876, pp.
110 and 127.
KEALY, P.H. The Uniforms of the Corps of Royal Engineers Up to 1914. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1934, pp. 506-507.