Francis Howard (British Army officer, born 1848)

Howard was born in Berlin, a younger son of the diplomat Sir Henry Francis Howard (1809–1898) by his second wife, Baroness Marie Ernestine von der Schulenburg. His elder brother was another diplomat, Sir Henry Howard (1843–1921). Howard was a male-line descendant of the Dukes of Norfolk through Lord William Howard, younger son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, by his second wife. ==Military career==

Howard was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1866. He took part in the Jowaki Expedition in India in 1877 and then, during the Afghan War, in the Bazaar Valley and Lughman Expeditions of 1878 and 1879, During the Second Boer War, he was Commander of 8th Brigade and took part in the Defence of Ladysmith in 1900. In early 1903 he took part in the special mission (headed by Lord Downe) deputized by the King to travel to Iran to present the Shah with the insignia of the Order of the Garter. He was made Inspector General of Auxiliary Forces and Recruiting at the War Office in 1903 and then Commander of North Western District in 1904. Howard held a number of honorary military appointments, including aide-de-camp to the Queen (1895); Colonel of the Gloucestershire Regiment (1912–13) and Colonel-Commandant of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade (until June 1921). ==Marriage and issue==

In 1895, Howard married Gertrude Jane Boyd, daughter of Hugh Conyngham Boyd. They had one son and one daughter. • Francis "Frank" Howard (2 February 1896 – 16 June 1903), died young at Thornbury Castle • Marjorie Howard (9 August 1903 – 3 August 1982), married in 1931 Hon. George John Theodore Hyde Villiers (1891–1942), grandson of George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon and brother of 5th Earl ==Decorations==

• Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania 1892 • Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) 1899, following service in Crete • Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) 29 November 1900, in recognition of services in connection with the Campaign in South Africa 1899–1900 • Commander of the Order of Saint Michael (Bavaria) 1902 • Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) 1917 ==References==