John Yorke (British Army officer)

Born the son of Simon Yorke of Erddig (1771–1834) and Margaret Holland (1778–1848),{{cite web|url=https://denisestartin.co.uk/2014/11/16/the-genealogy-of-erddig-house/|publisher=Micro Residency, Archaeology Team|title=The {{sic|Gene|aology|hide=y}} of Erddig House|date=16 November 2014|access-date=7 October 2017}} Yorke was commissioned as a cornet in the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Dragoons on 21 December 1832.{{London Gazette |issue=19006|pages=2786 |date=21 December 1832}} He was promoted to lieutenant on 5 December 1834,{{London Gazette |issue=19218|pages=2206 |date=5 December 1834}} to captain on 14 December 1841,{{London Gazette |issue=20051|pages=3216|date=14 December 1841}} to major on 4 September 1849{{London Gazette |issue=21015|pages=2721 |date=4 September 1849}} and to lieutenant colonel on 4 April 1853.{{London Gazette |issue=21408|pages=291 |date=4 February 1853}}

Yorke was severely wounded as he commanded the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Dragoons when the regiment took part in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava in October 1854 during the Crimean War: his leg was shattered and he was disabled for life.Kinglake, p. 292-293 Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 10 July 1855,{{London Gazette |issue=21743|pages=2654|date=10 July 1855}} he was promoted to full colonel on 23 March 1856{{London Gazette |issue=21879|pages=1631|date=2 May 1856}} and awarded the Order of the Medjidie, 4th Class, for his role in the war, on 2 March 1858.{{London Gazette |issue=22107|pages=1252|date=2 March 1858}}

In 1861 he acquired Plas Newydd in Llangollen where he lived in retirement, added the black and white features on the exterior and filled the interior with oddities from around the world.{{cite news |title=Wales: A tale of two ladies ahead of their time |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/wales/724170/Wales-A-tale-of-two-ladies-ahead-of-their-time.html |newspaper=The Telegraph|location=London |date=4 May 2002 |access-date=9 April 2016}} He became commandant of the Royal Military Asylum on 1 April 1864.{{London Gazette |issue=22840|pages=1855|date=1 April 1864}} He was promoted to major general on 17 June 1866,{{London Gazette |issue=23135|pages=3929|date=10 July 1866}} to lieutenant general on 1 August 1874{{London Gazette |issue=24123 |pages=4073 |date=18 August 1874}} and to full general on 1 October 1877.{{London Gazette |issue=24508 |pages=5457 |date=2 October 1877}}

Yorke served as colonel of the 19th Hussars from 1872{{London Gazette |issue=23857|date=14 May 1872 |page=2306}} to 1889{{cite web|last=Mills |first=T.F. |year=2007 |url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D19c(H).htm |title=19th Royal Hussars (Queen Alexandra's Own) |publisher=regiments.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118041250/http://regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D19c%28H%29.htm |archive-date=18 January 2008}} and as colonel of the 1st (Royal) Dragoons from 1889{{London Gazette |issue=25918|date=5 April 1889|page=1938}} until his death in 1890.{{cite web |last=Mills |first=T.F. |year=2007 |url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D01rd.htm |title=The Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) |access-date=5 April 2007 |work=regiments.org |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070303145202/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D01rd.htm |archive-date = 3 March 2007}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Kinglake|first=Alexander William |title=The Invasion of the Crimea|volume=5|publisher=Blackwood|year=1908}}

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{{s-bef | before=John Hall}}

{{s-ttl | title=Colonel of the 19th Hussars | years=1872–1889}}

{{s-aft | after=Coote Synge-Hutchinson}}

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{{s-bef | before=Charles Philip de Ainslie}}

{{s-ttl | title=Colonel of the 1st (Royal) Dragoons | years=1889–1890}}

{{s-aft | after=Sir Frederick Marshall}}

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Category:1814 births

Category:1890 deaths

Category:British Army generals

Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath