Francis Ventris

Francis Ventris
Francis Ventris
Born	1857
Died	1929
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Major-General
Commands	25th Division; Commander of British Forces in China
Battles / wars	World War I
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath

Major-General Francis Ventris CB (1857–1929) was Commander of British Forces in China.

Military career

The son of Edward Favell Ventris, who was Vicar of West Mersea in Essex before becoming Rector of Church Aston, Newport, Shropshire, by his wife Rose (née Fisher),^[1] he was educated at Adams' Grammar School in Newport. Ventris was commissioned into the 44th Regiment of Foot in 1875.^[2] He became an Adjutant of that Regiment in 1880.^[3] In 1897, having served as an Assistant Adjutant-General in India, he was given command of a district in that country.^[4] In 1903 he became a Brigadier commanding troops in North China.^[5]

He retired in 1909^[6] but was then recalled at the start of World War I to become General Officer Commanding 25th Division in September 1914.^[7] In 1915 he was appointed Commander of British Forces in China,^[8] a post he relinquished in 1921.^[9]

He was given the colonelcy of the Essex Regiment in 1904, a position he held until his death.^[10]

He died in 1929. He had married Helen Maud Davies in 1883, and was father to three sons and two daughters. His eldest son Edward (1885-1938) was the father of Michael Ventris, who deciphered Linear B.^[11] His youngest son Second Lieutenant Alan Favell Ventris of the South Lancashire Regiment was killed in action near Ypres on 14 September 1915, age 18 years, and is interred at Birr Crossroads Cemetery.^[12]

References

^ Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford, 1891
^ "No. 24180". The London Gazette. 12 February 1875. p. 599.
^ "No. 24865". The London Gazette. 20 July 1880. p. 4043.
^ "No. 26906". The London Gazette. 2 November 1897. p. 5995.
^ "No. 27586". The London Gazette. 11 August 1903. p. 5074.
^ "No. 28270". The London Gazette. 13 July 1909. p. 5384.
^ The 25th Division in France and Flanders by Lieutenant-Colonel M Kincaid-Smith Archived 12 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Naval & Military Press, 2006, ISBN 978-1-84734-103-7
^ Hong Kong Legislative Council
^ "No. 32381". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 July 1921. p. 5447.
^ "The Essex Regiment". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 25 December 2005. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
^ "Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) Officers 1939-1945 -- V". www.unithistories.com.
^ "Ventris Family". Friends of Hastings Cemetery. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

Military offices
Preceded by New formation	General Officer Commanding the 25th Division September 1914–May 1915	Succeeded by Beauchamp Doran
Preceded by Francis Kelly	Commander of British Forces in China 1915–1921	Succeeded by Sir George Kirkpatrick
Preceded by Hon. John Jocelyn Bourke	Colonel of the Essex Regiment 1904–1929	Succeeded by John Cartwright Harding-Newman

[1] Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford, 1891

[2] "No. 24180". The London Gazette. 12 February 1875. p. 599.

[3] "No. 24865". The London Gazette. 20 July 1880. p. 4043.

[4] "No. 26906". The London Gazette. 2 November 1897. p. 5995.

[5] "No. 27586". The London Gazette. 11 August 1903. p. 5074.

[6] "No. 28270". The London Gazette. 13 July 1909. p. 5384.

[7] The 25th Division in France and Flanders by Lieutenant-Colonel M Kincaid-Smith Archived 12 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Naval & Military Press, 2006, ISBN 978-1-84734-103-7

[8] Hong Kong Legislative Council

[9] "No. 32381". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 July 1921. p. 5447.

[10] "The Essex Regiment". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 25 December 2005. Retrieved 14 March 2017.

[11] "Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) Officers 1939-1945 -- V". www.unithistories.com.

[12] "Ventris Family". Friends of Hastings Cemetery. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

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