Benjamin d'Urban

Sir Benjamin D'Urban
Sir Benjamin D'Urban
Born	1777 Halesworth, Suffolk
Died	25 May 1849 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1793–1849
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	British troops in Canada
Battles/wars	Napoleonic Wars
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order

Lieutenant General Sir Benjamin D'Urban GCB KCH FRS (1777 – 25 May 1849) was a British general and colonial administrator, who is best known for his frontier policy when he was the Governor in the Cape Colony (now in South Africa).

D'Urban was born in Halesworth, and joined the British Army in 1793, enlisting as a cornet in the Queen's Bays at the age of sixteen. He made rapid progress in the Army and distinguished himself in the Peninsular War. Assigned to the Portuguese army, he was quartermaster general and chief-of-staff to William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford. He served in all the principal sieges and battles, never asked to go on leave, and was laden with honours, being appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order, and Commander of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword. He received the Army Gold Cross and five clasps for the battles of Busaco, Albuera, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vitoria, the Pyrenees, Nivelle, the Nive, and Toulouse.