# Edward Chaytor

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New Zealand general (1868–1939)

Sir Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor Chaytor, c. 1918 Nickname Fiery Ted Born (1868-06-21)21 June 1868 Motueka, New Zealand Died 15 June 1939(1939-06-15) (aged 70) London, England Allegiance New Zealand Branch New Zealand Army Service years 1886–1924 Rank Major General Commands New Zealand Military Forces (1919–24) ANZAC Mounted Division (1917–18) New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (1915–17) Wellington Military District (1910–14) South Island Battalion (1902) Conflicts Second Boer War First World War Gallipoli Campaign Sinai and Palestine Campaign Awards Knight Commander of St Michael and St George Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Commander of the Order of the Bath Mentioned in Despatches (7) Order of the Nile (Egypt) Commander of the Order of the White Eagle (Serbia)

[Major General](/source/Major-general_(United_Kingdom)) **Sir Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor**, [KCMG](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Most_Distinguished_Order_of_Saint_Michael_and_Saint_George), [KCVO](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Royal_Victorian_Order), [CB](/source/Companion_of_the_Most_Honourable_Order_of_the_Bath), [ADC](/source/Aide_de_Camp) (21 June 1868 – 15 June 1939)[1] was a commander of [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand) troops in the [Boer War](/source/Second_Boer_War) and the [First World War](/source/First_World_War).

## Early life and family

Born in [Motueka](/source/Motueka), New Zealand, Chaytor was the son of [John Clervaux Chaytor](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Clervaux_Chaytor&action=edit&redlink=1) and his wife Emma, daughter of Edward Fearon. His paternal great-grandfather was the industrialist and politician [Sir William Chaytor, 1st Baronet](/source/Sir_William_Chaytor%2C_1st_Baronet). He was educated at [Nelson College](/source/Nelson_College) from 1880 to 1884,[2] and was then a sheep farmer at [Spring Creek](/source/Spring_Creek%2C_New_Zealand) near [Blenheim](/source/Blenheim%2C_New_Zealand).

Chaytor married Louisa Jane Collins, daughter of Charles Sweeney Collins, on 17 October 1898. Together they had three children. Son Edward John Clervaux Chaytor (1903–1976) was a [Brigadier](/source/Brigadier) in the [Royal Artillery](/source/Royal_Artillery); daughter Katherine, married [Sir Robert Gooch, 11th Baronet](/source/Sir_Robert_Gooch%2C_11th_Baronet).

## Military career

Major General Chaytor (right) with Brigadier General [Charles Frederick Cox](/source/Charles_Frederick_Cox) in Rishon Lezion, November 1918.

In the Boer War Chaytor was a captain in the Third New Zealand Contingent and a lieutenant colonel in the Eighth New Zealand Contingent. After the Boer War Chaytor became a professional officer in the New Zealand Army.

In the First World War he was in the [New Zealand Expeditionary Force](/source/New_Zealand_Expeditionary_Force) in Egypt and Gallipoli. At the end of 1915, he was given command of the [New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade](/source/New_Zealand_Mounted_Rifles_Brigade), which was part of the [Egyptian Expeditionary Force](/source/Egyptian_Expeditionary_Force) in the [Sinai and Palestine campaign](/source/Sinai_and_Palestine_campaign) and soon after was promoted to brigadier. In 1916 prior to the [Battle of Romani](/source/Battle_of_Romani) he personally reconnoitred the Turkish position from an aircraft. He was appointed a [Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (CMG) in the [1917 New Year Honours](/source/1917_New_Year_Honours).[3]

In 1917, Chaytor took over the [Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division](/source/Australian_and_New_Zealand_Mounted_Division), and was promoted to temporary major general in April.[4] When taking part in the assault on [Rafa](/source/Battle_of_Rafa) he ignored [Chetwode's](/source/Philip_Chetwode) order to withdraw from the attack and took the town's main defensive position. In 1918 [Chaytor's Force](/source/Chaytor's_Force) captured Amman in Jordan and thousands of prisoners.

## Later life

Chaytor was appointed [Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces](/source/Chief_of_Army_(New_Zealand)) in 1919 and in this role oversaw a major reorganisation of the Territorial Force. On the occasion of the royal visit by [Edward, Prince of Wales](/source/Edward_VIII) to Australia and New Zealand, he was appointed a [Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Royal_Victorian_Order) in 1920.[5] He was appointed honorary colonel of the [1st (Canterbury)](/source/1st_(Canterbury)_Regiment) and [12th (Nelson and Marlborough) Regiments](/source/12th_(Nelson_and_Marlborough)_Regiment) in 1920.[6] He retired from the military in 1924, being replaced as commandant by Major General [Charles Melvill](/source/Charles_Melvill). He lived in [London](/source/London) until his death on 15 June 1939.

## See also

- [Chaytor baronets](/source/Chaytor_baronets)

## References

- *Fiery Ted: Anzac Commander* by Michael Smith (2008, Christchurch NZ) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-473-13363-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-473-13363-4)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Biography in DNZB](http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=3C13) retrieved 6th Dec 2010

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NCOB_register_2-0)** *Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006*, 6th edition

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["No. 29945"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29945/supplement/1606). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 13 February 1917. p. 1606.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["No. 30100"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30100/supplement/5296). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 29 May 1917. p. 5296.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["No. 32086"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32086/page/9986). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 15 October 1920. p. 9986.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Latter, Edward G.](/source/Ed_Latter) (1992). *Marching Onward: A History of the 2nd Battalion (Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast) Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, 1845 - 1992*. Christchurch: 2nd Battalion RNZI. p. 79. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-473-01567-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-473-01567-6).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Edward Chaytor](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Edward_Chaytor).

- [1914 photograph of Staff and senior officers of New Zealand and Australian Division in Egypt](https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/WaiNewZ-fig-WaiNewZ306a.html)

Military offices Preceded by Major General Alfred William Robin Commandant of New Zealand Military Forces December 1919 – March 1924 Succeeded by Major General Charles Melvill Preceded by Major General Harry Chauvel General Officer Commanding ANZAC Mounted Division 1917–1918 Succeeded by Brigadier General Granville Ryrie

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Other Te Papa (New Zealand)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edward Chaytor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Chaytor) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Chaytor?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.