George Colborne Nugent Brigadier - General George Colborne Nugent , ( 1864 – 1915 ) was a British Army officer who served on the staff during the Second Boer War , was closely involved in training the Territorial Force , and was killed in action in World War I . Early life . George Colborne was born on 22 February 1864 , the eldest son of Sir Edmund Charles Nugent , 3rd Baronet of Waddesdon ( 1839 – 1928 ) and his wife Evelyn Henrietta Gascoigne . He was educated at Eton . Military career . Nugent entered the Royal Military College , Sandhurst in 1884 and on passing out in February 1885 was commissioned as a Lieutenant into the Grenadier Guards . Promoted to Captain in 1897 , Nugent served with the 3rd Bn Grenadier Guards at Gibraltar before being appointed Aide - de - Camp to Major - General Sir Henry Colville commanding the infantry brigade at Gibraltar in March 1899 . Second Boer War . In October 1899 Nugent and his brigadier were transferred to Cape Colony as part of the troop build - up for the Second Boer War . Colville took command of 1st ( Guards ) Brigade in Lord Methuen ' s 1st Division , with Nugent as his Aide - de - Camp . Advancing to relieve Kimberley at the beginning of the war , Methuen attempted a night attack at Belmont on 22 – 23 November 1899 . He sent Colville off with his brigade to assault Gun Hill : although the attack was a failure , Nugent received his first Mention in Dispatches for his work that night . He distinguished himself again at the Battle of Modder River and was present at the Battle of Magersfontein . When Colville was promoted to command 9th Division , Nugent went with him and served at the Battles of Poplar Grove and Driefontein . However , in May 1900 , while Lord Roberts was closing in on Johannesburg , a Yeomanry battalion under Colville ' s command was cut off and forced to surrender , Colville was made a scapegoat and sent home . Nugent also returned to the UK , because he had been appointed with the rank of Major as one of the first officers of the Irish Guards , newly - forming in London . Service in London . In 1901 Nugent was made Commandant of the School of Instruction for Officers of the Auxiliary Forces . Based at Chelsea Barracks , this provided training for the part - time officers of the Militia , Yeomanry and Volunteers . In May 1908 he was promoted to Lieutenant - Colonel and took command of 1st Battalion Irish Guards . As CO of 1st Irish Guards , Nugent was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order ( MVO ) by King Edward VII in January 1909 . Nugent became commander of the Regiment and the Regimental District in July 1909 . This brought him the rank of Temporary Colonel , and also made him " ex - officio " commander of 5th London Infantry Brigade in the Territorial Force , newly formed from the Volunteers . The 5th London Bde comprised four battalions ( 17th – 20th ) of the London Regiment and formed part of the 2nd London Division . He was promoted to substantive Colonel in December 1911 . On completion of his four - year term commanding the district and brigade , Nugent was appointed Commandant of the Duke of York ' s Royal Military School at Dover . World War I . Nugent was still Commandant at Dover when World War I broke out . But when Charles Fitzclarence , VC ( who had succeeded him in command of the Irish Guards and 5th London Brigade ) was transferred to command 1st ( Guards ) Brigade in the British Expeditionary Force , Nugent was brought back to command 5th London Brigade . In October 1914 , 2nd London Division was selected for service on the Western Front and progressive training was carried out through the winter . Nugent ' s 5th London Bde was the leading element of the division to land in France on 9 & 10 March 1915 . In May the division ( already known in France simply as ' The London Division ' to distinguish it from the Regular Army 2nd Division ) took its place in the line and was designated 47th ( 1 / 2nd London ) Division , with the brigades numbered consecutively : 5th London became 141st ( 1 / 5th London ) Brigade . 47th Division took part in fighting at the battles of Aubers Ridge ( 9 May ) and Festubert ( 15 – 25 May ) , but 141 Bde was only marginally involved . During a quiet period of trench - holding , Nugent was killed by a stray bullet on 31 May . Family life . Nugent married Isabel Bulwer , daughter of General Sir Edward Gascoigne Bulwer in 1891 . She died in 1941 They had two sons :