Gervase Francis Newport Tinley

Colonel Gervase Francis Newport Tinley, CB (1909), CMG, IA. (1857–1918) was a British and Indian Army officer who ended his career as Base Commandant at Marseilles during the First World War.

Tinley was born at Grahamstown in 1857, a son of Major General Robert William Newport Tinley, Colonel commanding the 39th Foot and the Cape Mounted Rifles, by his wife Sarah Frances Sophia Taylor, herself born at Millbrook, Southampton.

He entered Victoria College, Jersey, in 1868, leaving four years later to train as an officer at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

After passing through Sandhurst, in 1875 Tilney was commissioned into the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot, and in 1876 was posted to India. When in 1881 the 83rd were posted home, he transferred to the 1st (Bombay) Light Cavalry, preferring active service in India.

He was promoted to Captain in 1887; Major in 1896; Lieutenant-Colonel in 1902; and Colonel in 1905. From 31 March 1902, he was commandant of the (Staff Corps), 1st (Duke of Connaught's Own) Bombay Lancers (Bombay Army).

His service included the North West Frontier's Zhob Valley Expedition in 1882 or 1884, and the Burmese Expedition from 1885 to 1889, in the latter of which he was wounded and his horse shot from under him. For this campaign, he was mentioned in despatches and received a campaign medal with two clasps. He was the 1st Bombay Lancers' Squadron Commandant from 23 October 1885, officiating second in command and Cantonment Magistrate at Neemuch and took part in the affair of Dawlatzai. He accompanied the Dongola Expedition of 1896; and one to Egypt later in the same year, and went on to command the 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Staff Corps), 1st Bombay Lancers.

From 1905 to 1908 he was Assistant Adjutant General (AAG) to the 7th Division in India and represented Indian Army Officers at Empress Victoria's Funeral, 1901. He also commanded the Indian Cavalry Contingent at the Coronation of Emperor Edward VII, 1902.

During the Great War, from 1914 till his death in 1918, he was Base Commandant on Lines of Communication, and for his services was three times mentioned in despatches and received the CMG and Légion d'honneur (Croix de Guerre) on 14 July 1917.

He died suddenly at Marseilles, while still on active service, 18 February 1918, and was buried in the cemetery at No. 24 Avenue General de Lattre de Tassigny. At the time of death, his address in England was Tower Hill House, Kingsclere, Hampshire.

• Queen's Sudan Medal, 1896-1898;
• Coronation Medal, 1902;
• Delhi Durbar Medal, 1903;
• Khedive's Sudan Medal, 1896-1908;
• Legion of Honour, 14.07.1917;
• India General Service Medal (1854) (I.G.S. '54), 2 clasps (Burma 1885-87 and 1887–89);
• 1914 Star which was claimed by his son Major F.B.N. Tinley in 1919;
• His WW1 pair were issued by the Indian Government;
• Thrice or four times Mentioned in Despatches.

In 1891 Tinley married firstly Elsie Benton, a daughter of William Benton Hughes, of the U.S. Army (Quartermaster Staff) (West Point Officers in the Civil War, Class of 1856). She died in 1907. Their son Francis Benton Newport Tinley M.C., (despatches), (wounded), who joined the 20th Deccan Horse in 1911, was promoted to Captain on 6 September 1915. He went on to rise to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and married Cicely Sophia and was killed in action in 1942.

A grandson, Flying Officer Gervase Francis Benton Newport-Tinley DFC, of the 138 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (NUMBER 108998), was killed in action aged 20 flying a Halifax W7775 which crashed near Meppel or De Wijk, Holland on 23 December 1942, as part of the (Special Operations Executive) SOE's Operation Marrow 12. He and another five men are buried at Staphorst (Ijhorst) General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands, Grave 6, TOUJOURS SANS TACHE. They had left from RAF Tempsford but were shot down by German Flak, victims of the German counter intelligence operation Englandspiel. The funeral took place for the six airmen on 26 September 2010.

Tinley was a member of the Junior Naval and Military Club.