Commissioned as an
Ensign in the
31st Regiment of Foot in August 1828, Lugard fought in the
Battle of Kabul in 1842 during the
First Anglo-Afghan War. He then served in the
First Sikh War (1845–46), taking part in the battles of
Moodkee,
Aliwal and
Sobraon, later also serving in the
Second Sikh War (1848–49). He became Adjutant General for the Punjab District in 1848, then Deputy Adjutant General in Bombay in 1854, before acting as Chief of Staff during the
Persian campaign (1856–57), He commanded the 2nd Division at the
Capture of Lucknow in 1858 during the
Indian Rebellion, After nearly three decades in India, Lugard returned to the United Kingdom in 1859 where he served as Permanent
Under-Secretary of State for War at the
War Office from 1861 to 1871. he became a
Privy Councillor in November 1871 and was promoted to the rank of
General in November 1872. In 1862 he was appointed
Colonel of the
31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, which amalgamated in 1881 with the 70th Foot to form the
East Surrey Regiment, after which he was Colonel of the 1st Battalion of the new regiment until his death in 1898, aged 88. There is a memorial plaque to Lugard in
All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. ==Personal life==