Hugh Boustead
| John Edmond Hugh Boustead | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 14 April 1895 Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka |
| Died | 3 April 1980 aoremovetag(aged 84) Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Nationality | British |
Colonel Sir John Edmond Hugh Boustead, KBE, CMG, DSO, MC & Bar (14 April 1895 – 3 April 1980), was a British military officer, modern pentathlete, and diplomat who served in numerous posts across several Middle Eastern countries, including ambassador to Abu Dhabi from 1961 to 1965. The son of a tea planter from Sri Lanka, Boustead began his career with the Royal Navy, but soon joined the British Army to fight in the trenches during World War I, where he earned his first of two Military Crosses. Following an appearance at the 1920 Summer Olympics, Boustead spent several years as a mountaineer and explorer prior to being appointed commander of the Sudan Camel Corps, with whom he served through World War II. He then embarked on a diplomatic career until his 1965 retirement, and published an autobiography, The Wind of Morning, in 1971, nine years prior to his death in Dubai.
Early life
Boustead was born on 14 April 1895 in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, the son of a local tea planter. He attended a naval college in Great Britain prior to the onset of World War I, where he began the conflict as a midshipman in the Royal Navy. He soon deserted this post, however, to engage in trench warfare as a member of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment from South Africa. He earned a Military Cross at the Battle of Arras, this was gazetted on 26 July 1917 with the citation:
He then transferred to the British Indian Army on 25 August 1917. He was promoted to lieutenant on 6 August 1918. He returned to the South African Army on 30 September 1918, A Bar to the MC followed, for actions on 25 August 1919 at , fighting alongside the Cossacks against the Bolshevik Red Army, the citation was gazetted on 23 April 1920 and read:
At this time he was officially an "Instr[uctor], Physical Training". His gallantry eventually led to the pardoning of his earlier desertion.
Career
A boxing champion during his service with the British army, Boustead was recruited to captain the British team in the modern pentathlon at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He finished joint 14th in a field of 23 competitors in his only Olympic appearance. He then continued his military career, he transferred to the Gordon Highlanders and was seconded from them to serve in Sudan from 19 November 1924, he was promoted captain on 1 Mar 1927, he served as a General Staff Officer, THird Grade from 22 July 1929 to 26 November 1930, was promoted local major on 3 February 1931, and this secondment culminated in his appointment as commander of the Sudan Camel Corps in 1931, he was promoted local lieutenant colonel from 17 October 1931. He was awarded a brevet majority on 1 January 1933. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1934 King's Birthday Honours. His secondment ended on 19 November 1934, and he returned to regimental duty with the Gordons in his substantive rank of captain. As a result of his experince as commander of the Sudan Camel Corps, during World War II he led some of the units that helped restore Emperor Haile Selassie I to the throne of Ethiopia in 1941. His World War II service ended on 7 December 1946. A seasoned explorer, he participated in both the 1926 British expedition to Kangchenjunga and the 1933 expedition to Mount Everest, explored the Libyan desert with Ralph Alger Bagnold, and traversed the desolate wastes of Greenland.
Following World War II Boustead served as a diplomat in several Middle Eastern countries including Sudan, Yemen, and Oman, prior to spending nine years (1949-1958) as a Resident Adviser in the Aden Protectorate. He was then appointed political agent (then equivalent to ambassador) of Abu Dhabi in 1961, a position that he held until 1965. He was promoted Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours that year, and presented with the Lawrence of Arabia Memorial Medal of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs.
Later life
Following his 1965 retirement Boustead resided in Dubai, where he was asked by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to oversee his stable of horses in Al Ain. In 1971 he published his autobiography, The Wind of Morning, which was well received. In addition to his knighthood and receiving the Military Cross and Bar, he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1954 Queen's Birthday Honours, and appointed to the Distinguished Service Order on 30 December 1941 (and Mentioned in Despatches on the same date). He died on 3 April 1980 in Dubai, at the age of 84. He was also awarded the St George's Military Medal with 1 Palm by Haile Selassie.
References
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Boustead
