Horatio Herbert Kitchener Biography

Birth of Horatio Herbert Kitchener

Receives a commission in the Royal Engineers after returning from volunteer service in France.

Joins the Survey of Western Palestine and works on detailed military and geographical mapping.

Conducts survey work in Galilee as part of the wider mapping programme in Palestine.

Completes major stages of field survey work that improve British geographical knowledge of Palestine.

Undertakes survey and administrative work in Cyprus after Britain assumes control of the island.

Transfers to Egyptian service and begins the phase of his career that leads to command in the Sudan.

Serves on intelligence and reconnaissance duties during the expedition attempting to relieve Gordon at Khartoum.

Supports the Nile expedition with local knowledge, reconnaissance and staff work during the advance south.

Takes command at Suakin and becomes responsible for defending the Red Sea base against Mahdist pressure.

Is wounded during fighting near Handub while commanding forces based around Suakin.

Takes command of an Egyptian brigade as his responsibilities within the reorganised Egyptian Army expand.

Becomes Sirdar, placing him in overall command of the Egyptian Army.

Strengthens training, discipline and staff organisation within the Egyptian Army.

Improves frontier garrisons and communications in preparation for possible operations farther into the Sudan.

Establishes Akasha as a forward logistical base for the opening phase of the reconquest.

Makes railway construction central to supplying troops, guns and stores during the Sudan advance.

Strengthens rail, river and depot arrangements before pushing the campaign farther south.

Uses river steamers alongside the railway to sustain the Anglo-Egyptian army moving south.

Begins the Anglo-Egyptian advance designed to recover the Sudan from Mahdist control.

Defeats a Mahdist force at Firket and clears the way for the advance toward Dongola.

Leads an Angloian force which begins to reconquer the Sudan

Consolidates British and Egyptian control of the Dongola region after the campaign's first major advance.

Captures Dongola

Pushes railway construction across the desert to shorten the route toward the Mahdist heartland.

Extends the military railway to support troops operating deeper inside the Sudan.

Supports the operation that captures Abu Hamed and opens the next stage of the Nile advance.

Consolidates control of Berber and prepares the army for operations against the Atbara position.

Concentrates against Emir Mahmud's army after intelligence identifies its fortified position near the Atbara.

Uses the Atbara victory to prepare the final advance against the Khalifa's main army.

Completes preparations for a dawn assault against the strongly defended Mahdist camp on the Atbara.

Horatio Kitchener defeats the Khalifa, leader of the dervishes in Sudan, at the Battle of Atbara. Angloian forces crush 6,000 Sudanese

Takes Emir Mahmud prisoner after the Anglo-Egyptian victory at Atbara.

Leads the reinforced Anglo-Egyptian army south for the decisive campaign against Omdurman.

Coordinates river gunboats with the army to bombard positions and protect the advance toward Omdurman.

Ordered to Fashoda to oppose French claims

Ordered to Fashoda to oppose French claims

Begins arrangements for military and civil administration after the reconquest of Khartoum and Omdurman.

Conducts formal discussions with Marchand while both sides avoid an armed confrontation at Fashoda.

Reports effective Anglo-Egyptian control of the Nile valley after the Omdurman victory.

Forms a defensive position near Kerreri before the Khalifa's army launches its main attack.

Results in British control of the Upper Nile. Counter-attacks the Dervishes & marches into Omdurman. Attacked by Abdullah at Egeiga 4 miles from Omdurman

Results in British control of the Upper Nile

Orders pursuit after the Mahdist army collapses during the Battle of Omdurman.

Occupies the Mahdist capital after defeating the Khalifa's main army outside the city.

Directs concentrated rifle, machine-gun and artillery fire that breaks the principal Mahdist assault.

Participates in a memorial ceremony for General Gordon after the capture of Khartoum.

Enters Khartoum

A flotilla of British gunboats arrives at the isolated Fashoda fort, led by Lord Kitchener

Reaches Fashoda where Colonel Marchand is claiming the region for France

The Fashoda incident passes off peacefully when the French recall Marchand

Joins Lord Roberts in South Africa as chief of staff after the early British defeats.

Uses concentration camps to restrict Boer commando support.

Strengthens protection and use of railways as the British campaign moves into the Transvaal.

Helps reorganise transport, supply and staff arrangements for Roberts's renewed British offensive.

Serves as Roberts's chief of staff.

Helps tighten the British encirclement of Piet Cronje's force during the Paardeberg operations.

Coordinates staff work during Roberts's advance from the Modder River into the Orange Free State.

Directs costly assaults before Roberts resumes command.

Supports Roberts's advance and occupation of Bloemfontein as British momentum improves.

Coordinates staff and logistical arrangements during the British advance toward Pretoria.

Kitchener arrives with a large relief column after the Elands River garrison has resisted nearly two weeks of siege.

Succeeds Roberts as commander in chief in South Africa.

Succeeds Roberts as commander in chief in South Africa.

Directs the later counter-guerrilla phase of the war.

Adapts British operations after Boer commandos shift from conventional battle to dispersed guerrilla warfare.

Links fortified positions with extensive wire barriers intended to restrict commando movement.

Builds blockhouses to restrict Boer commando movement.

Expands removal of captured Boer fighters to overseas prisoner camps to prevent their return to the field.

Reviews camp administration as disease and mortality create growing criticism of British policy.

Expands camps for Boer civilians and African refugees.

Intensifies clearance of farms and supplies intended to deny support to Boer commandos.

Uses sweeping columns to push Boer commandos toward fortified lines and defended railways.

Expands mobile mounted columns to pursue Boer commandos across large areas of the Transvaal.

Maintains intermittent contact with Boer leaders while military pressure continues against remaining commandos.

Extends fortified lines along railways to secure communications and divide guerrilla operating areas.

Uses farm burning and camps to undermine Boer commandos.

Boer leaders sign the Pretoria Convention restoring Transvaal self-government.

Offers terms that Boer leaders reject.

Takes command of the army in India and begins a major programme of military reorganisation.

Launches major offensives against the Boers

Launches final drives against remaining commandos.

Meets Boer representatives as serious negotiations begin over possible peace terms.

Supports comparatively conciliatory postwar terms intended to help secure a durable settlement.

Supports negotiations that move Boer delegates toward acceptance of British peace terms.

Accepts Boer surrender terms ending the South African War.

The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Second Boer War.

Signs the final peace agreement at Melrose House.

Concludes his South African command after the peace settlement ends organised Boer resistance.

Begins completing the unification of former Presidency forces into a single Indian Army structure.

Develops a peacetime structure built around fighting divisions and cavalry brigades with permanent staffs.

Clashes with Viceroy Lord Curzon over control and administration of the Indian Army.

Receives promotion to field marshal after completing his long period of senior imperial command.

Returns to Egypt as Britain's senior representative and begins a broad programme of administrative reform.

Appointed Military Governor of Egypt

Secures government support for expanding Britain's small professional army through successive volunteer formations.

Begins organising the first six New Army divisions from the initial mass of volunteers.

Warns ministers that the conflict will require mass armies and may last for years.

Plans for a continental army large enough to sustain a prolonged industrial war.

Expands recruiting machinery through towns, workplaces and local organisations across Britain.

Authorises further volunteer formations as enlistment quickly exceeds the first recruiting target.

Joins the government's central strategic discussions immediately after becoming Secretary of State for War.

Appointed Minister of War

The BEF lands at Ostend, Calais & Dunkirk

Calls for the first one hundred thousand volunteers needed to begin building the New Armies.

The BEF lands at Ostend, Calais & Dunkirk

Supports deployment of Indian Army formations to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force in France.

Expands training camps to accommodate the huge influx of inexperienced wartime volunteers.

Expands officer recruitment and training to provide leadership for rapidly forming New Army battalions.

War Office arrangements improvise clothing and equipment while uniform production struggles to match recruitment.

Integrates the arriving Canadian contingent into Britain's expanding imperial war effort.

Expands ammunition requirements as Britain builds forces far larger than the prewar army.

Orders increased provision of guns and artillery units for the growing volunteer formations.

Supports wider overseas employment of Territorial Force units as regular army demands increase.

Continues raising additional divisions as recruiting remains strong through the autumn.

Kitchener judges that troops cannot yet be spared for a large Gallipoli landing.

Accelerates procurement of rifles, uniforms, artillery and transport for newly raised formations.

Visits the Peninsular in November & recommends evacuation

Kitcheners slogan, "Your Country Needs You!", helps gain 1.7 million volunteers

Kitchener supports evacuation from ANZAC and Suvla after inspecting conditions on the peninsula.

Pushes training and equipment programmes so New Army divisions can begin joining the Western Front.

Continues sending divisions and replacements to sustain British forces on the Western Front.

Reviews ammunition expenditure after Neuve Chapelle highlights the enormous shell demands of modern offensives.

Kitchener releases the 29th Division for Hamilton's Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

Presses industry and the War Office to increase shell output as battlefield consumption rises sharply.

Remains at the War Office when Asquith forms a coalition government during the shell crisis.

Faces intense political criticism as shortages of artillery ammunition become a national controversy.

Faces mounting criticism over ammunition shortages during British offensives on the Western Front.

Loses direct control of munitions production when responsibility moves to the new Ministry of Munitions.

Calls for more men, materials and money as voluntary recruiting begins to slow.

New Army formations begin reaching the Western Front in growing numbers after months of training.

Supports the Derby Scheme as the government tests whether voluntary enlistment can meet remaining manpower needs.

Kitchener inspects the remaining Allied positions while considering whether Cape Helles should also be abandoned.

Kitchener visits ANZAC to inspect the front and assess the arguments for abandoning the campaign.

Participates in Allied deliberations over maintaining British forces at Salonika after Serbia's defeat.

It is agreed to withdraw from Salonika although this decision is reversed at Chantilly. Attends the Calais Conference with the French

The first day of troop withdrawal from Gallipolli

Supports compulsory service for eligible unmarried men after voluntary recruiting proves insufficient.

Reports that the volunteer system has created forces far larger than Britain possessed before the war.

The final day of troop withdrawal from Gallipolli

Supports extending compulsory military service to married men as manpower demands continue.

Accepts a mission to Russia intended to discuss military cooperation and assess the Eastern Front.

Death of Horatio Herbert Kitchener

Leaves Scapa Flow aboard HMS Hampshire for the wartime mission to Russia.

Killed on his visit to Nicholas II when the Hampshire hits a mine

HMS Hampshire struck a mine west of Orkney and sank rapidly while carrying Kitchener to Russia; only twelve men survived.