Carole Divall

General Sir John Doyle

One of the more fascinating aspects of soldiers’ memoirs is the view they give of senior officers.  While many generals are merely mentioned, obviously too remote from the ordinary soldier’s life to be worthy of comment, others provoke strong feelings either of love or hate – or, in the case of ‘Black Bob’ Crauford, a mixture of both emotions.

General Hill was universally known as ‘Daddy’ Hill for good reason.  Soldiers knew that their comfort was his consistent concern.  Another general who provoked similar feelings of love and respect was the less well-known John Doyle.

Daniel Nicol served under Doyle in Egypt, and has left a vivid picture of him in his memoirs, describing him as:

‘…a true, hearty Irishman, and well fitted to have command of men.  He had none of that pride and sullenness which too often attend those in authority.’

On one occasion the men were about to go into action on empty stomachs. Nicols recalls:

‘General Doyle rode along the ranks and told us he would get us bread and rum before we started, and he rode off at full gallop to the commissary’s for that purpose’.

Unfortunately, just as the rations were coming up, the order to march was given, so that Doyle’s efforts on behalf of the men were in vain.  On another occasion, however, he personally served out rum to the men to make sure they received it.

John Doyle was born in 1756, the fifth son of William Doyle Esq., a prominent Irish lawyer.  John was also intended for the bar but in 1771, inspired by the military success of one of his brothers, and released from the need to fulfil parental aspiration by the death of his father, he obtained an ensigncy in the 48^th Foot.

He fought in most of the major actions of the American War of Independence, and was wounded on several occasions.  He also became a good friend of Lord Rawdon, later the Earl of Moira, a connection which served him well over the years.  When Rawdon, with Doyle’s assistance, raised a regiment of Irish volunteers (the 105^th Foot), Doyle became a captain and later a major in the new regiment.

In 1784, however, the 105^th was reduced and Doyle now turned his attention to Irish politics.  He was a member for Mullingar, and took every opportunity to further Irish interests.  But when war broke out with France in 1793, he responded by raising yet another regiment, the 87^th, of which he was appointed lieutenant colonel.  Along with Lord Moira, he served under the Duke of York in the Netherlands and was seriously wounded at Alost.

In 1794, as the campaign came to an unsatisfactory end, Doyle was appointed colonel of the 87^th, a position he held to the end of his life.  Nor did he ever cease to be closely interested in the affairs of the regiment.

At this point he received a glowing testimonial from Lord Moira who, having referred to the

‘high character he had before acquired for courage and zealous activity’ (in America), added: ‘At the attack which the French made on Alost I had particular reason to applaud the cool intrepidity with which he repulsed them at one of the bridges: though he there received two wounds, he did not quit his regiment until the enemy had given up the attempt.’

There followed another, short period of political involvement but by 1797 Major General Doyle was serving as a brigadier in the Mediterranean service, first at Gibraltar, and then with Sir Ralph Abercromby at Malta and in Egypt, where, as we have seen, he won the admiration of men like Daniel Nicol.  Despite ill-health, he soldiered on for as long as possible rather than abandon his troops.

At Cairo he finally accepted that he was not fit enough to exercise command and reluctantly took leave to return to Europe for recovery of health.  He went no further than Alexandria, though, and was once more with his brigade when they returned from Cairo, much to their joy.

A contemporary view of Old Cairo

Daniel Nicol wrote, of a diversionary attack on Alexandria:

‘he desired us to lie close to the ground until ordered to rise, telling us in an Irish whisper to level low, for said he, one bullet in a Frenchman’s shin bone this day is as good as two in his head in some other time.’

The advice was obviously taken to heart for Doyle’s brigade distinguished themselves during the ensuing action.

Egypt was Doyle’s last experience of active service.  After serving briefly as secretary to the Prince of Wales, he was appointed lieutenant governor of Guernsey.  He found islanders who had been tempted by the blandishments of Napoleon to switch to French allegiance.  His first task was to alert them to the dangers of succumbing to this seduction, while convincing them of their importance to Britain as an advance bulwark against French encroachment.  Having achieved this, he set about strengthening the island’s defences and, like General Don on nearby Jersey, building a road system that would improve communications and commercial links.

In 1805 he was created a baronet, and three years later, lieutenant general, a military rank too high for the post of lieutenant governor.  Reluctantly, he left the island, where a granite obelisk was erected with the simple inscription: ‘DOYLE-GRATITUDE’.  (During a later visit, many years later, he was overwhelmed by the show of affection he received.)

The memorial to General Doyle on the Island of Guernsey

This was the end of his public service, but he enjoyed a long retirement, surviving until 1834.  He also had the satisfaction of seeing his favourite nephew and godson, Sir John Milley Doyle, gain distinction in the Peninsula in command of a Portuguese brigade.  Nicol was briefly under the command of the younger John Doyle, and he recorded how ‘the old comrades gladly drank the health of their colonel and that of his uncle, Sir John Doyle’.

As a final word on Doyle, Nicol makes clear in his memoirs what it was about this ‘hearty Irishman’ that made him such a respected senior officer to the men in the ranks.

‘Our Brigade was inspected by Lord Hutchinson who ordered us camels to carry our packs to Alexandria but Colonel Spencer said there was no need for it.  This officer had had command of the brigade since General Doyle left and what different treatment we received, the one always looking out for the comfort of the soldiers, the other harassing us as far as he thought we would bear it.’

In 1811 The Military Chronicle published a life of Doyle up to that point.  The final paragraph recommended him as a model that ‘the younger part of the army’ might imitate.

‘Let them copy after him those traits of military virtue which should be deeply engraven on a soldier’s breast – submission to the sovereign rule of discipline…To know how to obey requires as generous a disposition and full as rational and great a soul, as to know how to command.  It is this proud submission, and generous obedience, which correct the violence, and temper the gallantry of the soldier, with the mildness and humanity of the philosopher.  In fine, let them imitate the high courage and polish of his character, tempered, as it is, by honour, and regulated by just conceptions of duty.’

A 1984 Guernsey stamp commemorating Sir John Doyle

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