Harcourt Mortimer Bengough Major General Sir Harcourt Mortimer Bengough KCB ( 25 November 1837 – 20 March 1922 ) joined the British Army in 1855 , and retired in 1899 , after more than forty years of distinguished service from the Crimea to all quarters of the Empire . Early life and career . Bengough was born on 25 November 1837 , and educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire from 1851 . He was added to the Commander - in - Chief ’ s list of potential officers in February 1853 , aged barely 16 . He was commissioned ensign by purchase in the 77th Regiment of Foot on 22 March 1855 , and promoted lieutenant on 3 October of the same year . He achieved his captaincy by purchase on 30 December 1864 . He was granted a brevet majority on 1 October 1877 which was made substantive on 2 February 1878 . Bengough was versed in languages and used that skill to produced a booklet on the Zulu language just before he left England . The booklet was made available in the Colony . And , even though the booklet was not officially required , it still received publicity through a mention in the local press and in the General Orders . Towards the end of the Crimean War , Bengough entered that war . Bengough also served in Australia and India . The Anglo - Zulu Wars . Lt - Col Bengough arrived in Natal with the 77th Foot in December 1878 . He was placed in command of the 2nd Battalion Natal Native Contingent , which formed part of Durnford ’ s Column , and which was left to protect the frontier at Kranz Kop on the departure of that force to join Glyn ’ s Column . He crossed the Buffalo River in command of the battalion on 22 January 1879 . On receipt of the news of the disaster at Isandlwana , he hastened towards Rorke ' s Drift , intending to join the General ’ s force . En route , he received orders to proceed to Helpmakaar near Dundee , KwaZulu - Natal . Bengough was ordered to Umsinga , where , despite the desertion of large numbers of his men , he constructed Fort Bengough . He joined the division of General Edward Newdigate in May , in command of the battalion of which the numbers had increased and the discipline improved . He and the battalion took part in the advance into Zululand . He commanded the headquarters and three companies which were present at the Battle of Ulundi . Bengough was Mentioned in Despatches by General Newdigate on 6 July 1879 , who reported the good service rendered by the battalion in scouting and outpost duties during the action . Bengough then served in command of the battalion in Russell ’ s Column until the capture of the King Cetewayo , when it was disbanded . Bengough visited the kraal near where the Prince Imperial was killed and recalled that he ' brought away as a memento of the sad event a knobkerry stick , which I found in the kraal , and which now hangs in the hall of my house . ' In the wake of a famous battle , especially one that marked the culmination of a war such as Ulundi on 4 July 1879 , every European involved in the battle appeared to want to own an object that could serve as a reminder of the event . Later career . In common with a number of other officers after the Anglo - Zulu War , Major Bengough was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 29 November 1879 , he returned to regimental duty on 21 June 1880 , and he received substantive promotion to that rank on 1 July 1881 . He was on half - pay for a period commencing on 29 April 1882 , when he was appointed Assistant Adjutant General at Madras . and was promoted colonel on the 29 November 1883 . He took part in the Third Anglo - Burmese War , and was Mentioned in Despatches on 26 March 1886 . He was given command of a Brigade in the Madras Army on 8 November 1886 , and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath ( CB ) on 26 November 1886 . He relinquished command of the brigade on 13 November 1891 . He was appointed local major general , when he went to Jamaica on 25 October 1893 . The rank was made permanent on 13 February 1894 , and he relinquished the Jamaica command on 19 December 1894 . His last command was of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Aldershot Division with the rank of major general , he relinquished command on 1 December 1897 . He retired from the service on 29 November 1898 ; Bengough himself says that he did so " a little before the Boer War of 1899 " . He was promoted Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath ( KCB ) on 26 June 1908 . He died in West Bognor on 20 March 1922 . Interest in sport . Whilst commanding the 1st Infantry Brigade in Aldershot in the 1890s he expressed the opinion that : " There can be no better pastime for soldiers than football , combining as it does skill , judgment , pluck . resource , activity — all soldierly qualities — and affording amusement to all , from the recruit enjoying the humble punt - about on the parade groundto the crowds of enthusiasts keenly watching a hard contested struggle for the final ties for the Army Cup . " In his memoirs he gives an interesting account of his adventures in the realm of sport — pig - sticking , tiger - shooting , and pursuing other forms of game in India and elsewhere .