George Paynter (British Army officer)

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Sir George Paynter
Born2 August 1880
London, England
Died15 August 1950(1950-08-15) (aged 70)
Grantham, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankBrigadier-General
UnitLincolnshire Regiment
Scots Guards
Commands held172nd (2/1st South Lancashire) Brigade
Battles/warsFirst World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order and Bar, Mentioned in Dispatches

Brigadier-General Sir George Camborne Beauclerk Paynter KCVO, CMG, DSO* (2 August 1880 – 15 August 1950) was a British Army officer and courtier in the Household of King George V and Queen Mary.

Early life[edit]

Paynter was born in London, the son of Major George Paynter and Frances Maria Janetta Beauclerk. He was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Military career[edit]

He joined the British Army and was commissioned into the 4th (Militia) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment on 23 March 1898.[1] He transferred to the Scots Guards, where he received a regular commission as a second lieutenant on 18 October 1899. Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in late 1899, the 2nd battalion Scots Guards were posted to South Africa as reinforcements in April 1900. Paynter served there with the battalion until the end of the war, and took part in operations in the Orange River Colony from May to November 1900, including the actions at Biddulphsberg (May 1900) and in the Wittebergen (July 1900). He was promoted to lieutenant on 16 March 1901.[2] The war ended with the Peace of Vereeniging in June 1902, and Paynter left Port Natal with other men of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards on the SS Michigan in late September 1902, arriving at Southampton in late October, when the battalion was posted to Aldershot.[3]

He served in the First World War. Paynter was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership of the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards in fighting on 24 October 1914.[4] On 25 August 1916 he became commanding officer of the 172nd (2/1st South Lancashire) Brigade and was promoted to temporary brigadier-general. He was awarded a bar to his DSO for gallant command of his brigade in October 1918.[5] He was injured on 4 October 1918 and was sent to Highclere Castle in Berkshire to recover. While staying at the castle Paynter had a relationship with one of the nurses, who was subsequently fired by Almina Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon.[6] He returned to his brigade on 25 October. On 2 June 1919 he was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel.[7] He was promoted to full colonel in 1922 and invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.[8]

Courtier[edit]

On 1 December 1927 Paynter was appointed as an equerry to George V.[9] In 1930 he resigned and became an extra equerry,[10] a position he still held in July 1936.[11] On 3 August 1937 he became Groom in Waiting.[12] On 12 November 1943 he took retired pay and was granted the honorary rank of brigadier-general.[13] He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Sutherland on 6 March 1945.[14] On 8 June 1950 he was invested as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.[15]

Marriage[edit]

He married Alberta Diana Hunloke, daughter of Major Sir Philip Hunloke and Sylvia Heseltine, on 5 February 1921 at St George's, Hanover Square.

He lived at Eaton Grange, at Eaton, Leicestershire.[16][17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "No. 26950". The London Gazette. 22 March 1898. p. 1868.
  2. ^ Hart′s Army list, 1903
  3. ^ "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning Home". The Times. No. 36888. London. 2 October 1902. p. 4.
  4. ^ "No. 28992". The London Gazette. 1 December 1914. p. 10189.
  5. ^ "No. 13362". The Edinburgh Gazette. 4 December 1918. p. 4381.
  6. ^ Hastings, Chris (20 September 2011). "Housemaid's tryst with Randy Major: Racy plotline mirrors real life scandal at stately home". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  7. ^ "No. 31515". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 August 1919. p. 10620.
  8. ^ "No. 32730". The London Gazette. 18 July 1922. p. 5361.
  9. ^ "No. 33334". The London Gazette. 2 December 1927. p. 7737.
  10. ^ "No. 33576". The London Gazette. 4 February 1930. p. 719.
  11. ^ "No. 34423". The London Gazette. 21 July 1936. p. 624.
  12. ^ "No. 34423". The London Gazette. 3 August 1937. p. 4950.
  13. ^ "No. 36244". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 November 1943. p. 4961.
  14. ^ "No. 16212". The Edinburgh Gazette. 16 March 1945. p. 101.
  15. ^ "No. 38929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1950. p. 2779.
  16. ^ The Tatler Wednesday 17 September 1952, page 67
  17. ^ The Tatler Wednesday 7 January 1953, page 40
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