George Pomeroy Colley
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Sir George Pomeroy Colley KCSI CB CMG |
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General Sir George Colley in South Africa
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| Born | 1 November 1835 |
| Died | 27 February 1881 (aged 45) |
| Buried at | Mount Prospect Cemetery, Natal |
| Years of service | 1852–1881 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Battles/wars | |
 Grave of Sir George Pomeroy Colley at Mount Prospect military cemetery, South Africa. (Genealogical Society of South Africa) |
Major-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley KCSI CB CMG (1 November 1835 – 27 February 1881) was a British Army officer who became Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Natal and High Commissioner for South Eastern Africa.
He was third and youngest son of the Hon. George Francis Pomeroy (George Francis Colley from 1830) of Ferney, co. Dublin, by his wife, Frances, third daughter of Thomas Trench, dean of Kildare, and was grandson of John Pomeroy, 4th Viscount Harberton.
He was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he was first in general merit and good conduct at the examinations in May 1852, and was appointed at the age of sixteen to an ensigncy without purchase in the 2nd or Queen's foot. After two years' service with the depot, he was promoted to a lieutenancy without purchase, and joined the headquarters of his regiment, then on the eastern frontier of Cape Colony.
In 1857-8 he held a border magistracy at the Cape, and showed great energy. On one occasion he received notice from the governor, Sir George Grey, of an insurrection which he had already suppressed. He was also employed to execute a survey of the Trans-kei country, a dangerous service in the then disturbed state of Kaffirland. When the Queen's were ordered to China, Colley rejoined his regiment, in which he obtained his company on 12 June 1860, and was present with it at the capture of the Taku forts, the actions of 12–14 August and 18–21 September 1860, and the advance on Peking.
His regiment went home, and he returned for a brief period to the Cape to complete his work there, and then entered the Staff College, Sandhurst. He came out at the head of the list the same year, having passed with great distinction in ten months instead of the ordinary two years.
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