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'Sir Colin Halkett' GCB, GCH (1774-1856) was a British army officer.

Contents

Family

Military career

Peninsula War

Governor

Honorary Distinctions

References

Literature

External links

Family

Halkett came from a military family. His father was Major-General F.G. Halkett and his younger brother was General Hugh Halkett.

Military career

Halkett began his military career in the Dutch Guards and served in various companies for three years, leaving as a captain in 1795.
From 1800 to 1801 he commanded Dutch troops on the Island of Guernsey. On 28th of July 1803 Major Halkett a ''letter of service'' was issued Halkett (and to Lieutenant-colonel von der Decken)empowering him ''to raise a battalion of infantry with an establishment of four hundred and fifty-nine men'' and offering him the rank of lieutenant-colonel, should he increase the number to eight hundred men.^[1]. These men, that formed the nucleus, of what was to become the King's German Legion in December 1803. On November 17 1803 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given command of the 2nd Light Infantry Battalion. This Battalion was involved in Cathcart's expeditions to Hanover, Rügen and Copenhagen.

Peninsula War

In 1811 he was given command of the Light Brigade of the Kings German Legion. He held this command throughout the Peninsula War from Albuera to Toulouse. On January 1 1812 he was promoted to Colonel. On July 22 1812 At the Battle of Salamanca he commanded 1st Brigade of the 7th Division. The 7th was commanded by Major-General Hope.
Halkett was promoted to Major-General on 4 June 1814.
1815 June 18, at the Battle of Waterloo he commanded the 5th Brigade in the 3rd Division which was under the command of Major-General Carl von Alten. He was wounded four times during the course of the battle.

Governor

Between 1821 and 1830 he was Lieutenant Governor of Jersey and the first to reside in the St Saviour Government House, still in use today. During this time he married Letitia Cricket, a widow of Captain Tyle of the Royal Artillery. He had a son, Frederick (John) Colin Halkett, on 10 June 1826.
Two streets in Saint Helier are named after him.
1830 July 22 he was promoted to Lieutenant-General.
Sir Colin died in 1856. At the time of his death he was governor of Chelsea Hospital.

Honorary Distinctions

★ Britain

★
★ Gold Cross for Albuera, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nive

★
★ GCB

★
★ Waterloo Medal

★ Hanover

★
★ GCH

★ Portugal

★
★ Order of the Tower and Sword 2nd rank

★ Bavaria

★
★ Order of Maximilian Joseph 2nd rank

★ Netherlands

★
★ Military Order of William 2nd rank ^[2]
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'Battle Order of the 1st Brigade at The Battle of Salamanca'

'Unit'	'Commander'	'Number of Men'
1st Brigade	Colonel Sir Colin Halkett
1st Light Battalions King’s German Legion
2nd Light Battalions King’s German Legion
7 Cos Brunswick Oels

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'Battle Order of the 5th Brigade at The Battle of Waterloo'

'Unit'	'Commander'	'Number of Men'
5th Brigade	Major General Sir Colin Halkett	2,274
II/30th Foot Regiment	Lieutenant Colonel Bailey	635
33rd Foot Regiment	Lieutenant Colonel Elphinstone	576
II/69th Foot Regiment	Major Muttlebury	565
II/73rd Foot Regiment	Lieutenant Colonel Harris	498

References

1. Beamish, History of the King's German Legion Vol 1 p.75f
2. Beamish, History of the King's German Legion vol 2, p.524ff

Literature

★ N. Ludlow Beamish; ''History of the King's German Legion Vol 1''. 1832-37 (new edition: Naval and Military Press 1997 ISBN 0-952201-10-0)

★ N. Ludlow Beamish; ''History of the King's German Legion Vol 2''. 1832-37 (new edition: Naval and Military Press 1997 ISBN 0-952201-10-0)

★ Mike Chappell; ''The King's German Legion (2) 1812-1816''. Osprey 2000 ISBN 1-85532-997-2

External links

★ 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica entry

★ Halket's entry on the Queen's Royal Surreys page