Page 165 - Arabian Studies (V)

The Political Residents of Aden: Biographical Notes 155
India. It was said that his great achievement was in reducing Army
Regulations from 28 volumes with 6,000 pages to 13 volumes with
1,000 pages and the number of forms in use in the Indian Army
from 3,200 to 2,000. He was regarded as one of the most brilliant
officers in the service and destined for the highest posts but he got
caught up in the struggle between Curzon and Kitchener. The latter
did not forgive his support of the Viceroy and his posting to Aden
was regarded as an exile. He was, however, promoted Lieutenant-
General in 1910 and knighted in 1914. He died in December 1933.
1910 (November) to 1914 (November)
BELL, Major-General Sir James Alexander
Born in 1856, the son of an Army officer, he was educated at
Harrow. He joined the Essex Regiment in 1875, transferring to the
Bengal Staff Corps in 1879. He fought in the Afghan War of 1878-
80 and then held staff appointments and commanded Brigades in
India until his posting to Aden, where he was the first Resident to
receive the visit of a reigning monarch. He was promoted Major-
General and knighted in 1911. His health broke down and he was
invalided home. He died in November 1926.
1914 (November) to 1915 (July)
SHAW, Major-General David Levinge
Bom in 1860, he joined the Punjab cavalry. He fought in the
Afghan War of 1878-80 and on the North West Frontier. From
1905 to 1909 he was Assistant Adjutant-General in India and was
promoted Major-General in 1914. On arrival in Aden he created a
bad impression, causing Wingate to write ‘Shaw does not appear to
possess intelligence or good manners.’ Sir Mark Sykes also thought
poorly of him. He was blamed for the fiasco of the attempt to
prevent the Turks from capturing Lahej and was summarily
removed. He was posted to Karachi but a year later was blamed for
a further disaster when newly-arrived British troops were put on a
train without adequate cooling to cross the Scind Desert at the
height of summer. Many casualties were caused by heatstroke and
Shaw was removed from command. He was not actually retired
until August 1919 and died in January 1931, maintaining that he
had been most unjustly treated.
1915 (July-September)
YOUNGHUSBAND, Major-General Sir George John
Born in 1859, he was the son of a General and the elder brother of
Sir Francis Younghusband who led the mission to Lhasa. He was
educated at Clifton and Sandhurst and commissioned in the Leices­
tershire Regiment in 1868. He took part in the Afghan War of