Abadie E H E Major 9th Lancers
MAJOR EUSTACE HENRY AGREMONT ABADIE. D.S.O.
9th QUEEN’S ROYAL LANCERS, is reported to have been killed in action at Messines in October, 1914. He was at first officially reported to be a prisoner of war; as no official confirmation of his death has been received, and as nothing has born heard of or from him since, it must be unhappily assumed that the gallant officer has lost his life. He was the elder surviving son of the late Major- General Henry Richard Abadie, C.B., 9th Lancers, whose death occurred after that of his son, and was born on the 24th January, 1877. He joined the 9th Lancers in August, 1897, becoming Lieutenant in May, 1890. He served with much distinction in the South African War, having taken part in the advance on and relief of Kimberley, including the actions at Belmont, Enslin, and Magersfontein; he was present at operations in the Orange Free State, and at Paardeberg, including actions at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Karee Siding. Houtnek (Thoba Mountain). Vet River and Zand River, between February and May, 1900: at operations in the Transvaal, East of Pretoria; and in the Cape Colony between November, 1900, and May, 1902. He was mentioned in Despatches, “London Gazette,” 10th September, 1901, was awarded the D.S.O., and received the Queen’s medal with eight clasps, and the King’s medal with two clasps. It is believed that not other officer received more than eight clasps with the Queen’s medal, in that campaign.
Major Abadie, who was a Staff College Graduate, was promoted Captain in March, 1904; from February, 1906, to August, 1907, he was Adjutant of his Regiment, and he received his Majority in March, 1912. For his services in the Great War he was mentioned in Sir John French’s Despatch of the 14th January. 1915.
It is an interesting fact, illustrating how the name of the same family recurs in military history, that the first name in “The Last Post,” a work containing biographies of officers who lost their lives in the South African War, which commenced fifteen years before the present war, was also that of a cavalry officer named Abadie, viz., Lieutenant H. B. Abadie, 11th Hussars. That officer was Major E. H. A. Abadie’s eldest brother; and another brother, Captain G. H. F. Abadie, late 18th Lancers, died of fever in February, 1904, at Kam, West Africa, where he was serving as Resident, after having been awarded the C.M.G. for his services in the Kam-Sohoto Campaign.
Major-General Abadie, the late officer’s father, also had a most distinguished military career of 40 years.
Source : The Bond Of Sacrifice Vol 1