Frederick William Benson

Major-General Sir Frederick William Benson, KCB was a Canadian-born British Army officer. Born into a prominent Canadian family, Benson fought in the Fenian raids as a teen, before proceeding to England to pursue a military career. A cavalry officer, Benson spent much of his early career in India, with the exception of a stint in England to attend the Staff College.

Early life in Canada
Born at St. Catharines, Canada West, Frederick Benson was the son of Senator James Rea Benson by his wife, the daughter of Charles Fortescue Ingersoll and a niece of Laura Secord. He was educated at the Grantham Academy, T. B. Phillips' private school at St. Catharines, and Upper Canada College.

In 1866, he enlisted in the 19th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry), Canada, and took part in that year's campaign against Fenian raiders on the Niagara frontier as a private. For his service, he received the Canada General Service Medal with clasp. Benson later became honorary colonel of the 19th St. Catharines Regiment.

British Army service
After the Fenian raids, Benson proceeded to England to attend the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he received a sword of honour from the Commander-in-Chief, the Duke of Cambridge upon his graduation, as well as a second sword from the gentleman cadets of his company as a mark of their esteem.

In 1869, Benson was commissioned into the 21st Hussars, then in India, as a cornet, the regiment which (as 21st Lancers) of which he would later become colonel. He became a lieutenant in 1870, before exchanging into the 12th Royal Lancers in 1876. The following year, he became aide-de-camp to the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces, Sir George Couper Bt., whose daughter he married in 1881.

He passed into the Staff College in 1878, heading the list of all cavalry and infantry officers. Upon passing out of the Staff College in 1880, he became a captain in the 5th Dragoon Guards, before exchanging into the 17th Lancers in 1881 in order to serve in India. He was brigade-major at Poona from 1882 to 1884, and garrison instructor at Bengal from 1884 to 1890. He was promoted to major in 1886. In 1890, Benson returned to England with the 17th Lancers.

After two years in England, Benson was given the command of the Egyptian Cavalry in 1892, at the request of General Sir Francis Grenfell and on the recommendation of General Sir George Luck. During his tenure, he expanded and reorganized the force; in 1893, he led the cavalry and camel corps patrol from Suakin to Senkat Wells over unexplored country, returning by a different route in order to offer reassurance to inhabitants who had been recently raided by Osman Digna. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on half-pay in 1893, but was not offered promotion to the rank of miralay in the Egyptian army, even though more junior British officers had been promoted to the rank. He resigned the Egyptian appointment in 1894, being received by the Khedive before his departure. On his last day in Cairo, he passed an examination in Arabic with honours, receiving a prize of 100 guineas.

From 1895 to 1898, he was Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General for Instruction, Dublin District. Promoted to full colonel in 1898, he was Assistant Adjutant-General, South-Eastern District and Chief Staff Officer to Lieutenant-General Sir William Butler from 1898 to 1900.

He retired from the Army in December 1909 with the rank of major-general.

Frederick Benson Mews, built on the former Joint Services School of Intelligence site in Ashford, Kent, is named after him.