Francis Gathorne-Hardy

Gathorne-Hardy was born in 1874, a younger son of John Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook, and Cicely Marguerite Wilhelmina Ridgway. He was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.[1]

Gathorne-Hardy joined the British Army as a commissioned second lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards on 10 October 1894, and was promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1898.[1] In early February 1900 he was seconded for special service in South Africa,[2] where he was involved with Army transport duties during the Second Boer War.[3] He was promoted to captain on 2 May 1900.[1] During later stages of the war he served with the Lovat Scouts, and only left South Africa after the war had ended, in July 1902.[4] For his service in the war he received the brevet rank of major on 22 August 1902.[5] Following his return he was appointed Superintendent of Gymnasia in the Home District in October 1902.[6][7]

He served as a General Staff Officer in the First World War.[1] After commands as a General in Egypt and India, he was Commander in Chief at Northern Command from 1931 to 1933 and at Aldershot Command from 1933 to 1937.[1]

Gathorne-Hardy married Lady Isobel Constance Mary Stanley, daughter of Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby and Lady Constance Villiers, on 10 December 1898.[8]