Archibald James Fergusson Eden

During the War of the Golden Stool whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion of the West African Frontier Force Eden (promoted to Captain on 24 February 1900 after a superior was taken prisoner of war)[5] was mentioned twice in the London Gazette by then Colonel Sir James Willcocks as part of his 14 August 1900 Despatch and his conduct summed up as follows: "This officer has shown great aptitude for commanding native soldiers; under his able guidance the Yoruba has proved himself quite equal to the Hausa; he led the charge at Kumasi. I sincerely trust he will be rewarded."[6] Sir Francis Fuller‘s book A Vanished Dynasty: Ashanti references that Eden was left in command of the fort at Kumasi with two officers, a doctor, two British NCO’s and 175 men.[7] This is corroborated by Captain C. H. Armitage DSO and Lieutenant Colonel A. F. Montanaro R.A. in their collaborative work The Ashanti Campaign of 1900.[8] Eden is otherwise mentioned by name multiple times in the work, with one instance being a recollection that Eden and his men successfully took the village of Trede by means of a bayonet charge. His leading of his men in a flanking charge on a stockade is also mentioned, with various other actions being touched upon. The final mention of Eden in the book covers that it was his responsibility to march with his men to Inkawe, returning "reporting that there was no foundation for the news respecting the movement of the rebel leaders into the south". By this stage Eden has been consistently referred to as local Major, although his official rank remained Captain.

His involvement in this campaign made him eligible for the Ashanti medal with Kumassi clasp, and he is mentioned as being one of the officers involved in Letters from a Bush Campaign by David Martineau Haylings.[9]

Eden was involved in the Second Boer War, having been sent there to join his regiment immediately following his campaign in Ashanti.

On 13 September 1902 Eden embarked from South Africa for Southampton along with the rest of the 1st Battalion of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry on board the Winifredian, due back in Southampton on 5 October.[10][11]

Following the war he was eligible for the Queen’s South Africa Medal with five clasps; Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902.[12]

During the period between the Second Boer War and the First World War Eden became the last adjutant of the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of The Oxfordshire Light Infantry, finishing this service on 31 March 1908.[13] He was also serving in India for a period of time during this decade as the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum holds a photograph of him and his company dated December 1906 taken in Lucknow, with Eden captioned as being a Major.

In 1914 Eden was part of the British Expeditionary Force along with the 2nd Battalion of the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as part of C Company and on 20 October 1914 is listed as the senior officer present, heading up the four companies.[14][15][16] The diary records an attack towards Poelcappelle on the 21 October 1914 as having resulted in Eden being wounded. He was taken away by ambulance, returning on the 5 January 1915. On the 1 April 1915 he is listed as being part of the battalion headquarters and once again the commanding officer and was mentioned by Field Marshal French in his 31 May 1915 despatch,[17] which was followed by his promotion to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 3 June 1915 ,[18] with this being recorded in the battalion diary on the 25 June 1915. On the 25 October 1915 he was hospitalised once again, returning to command on the 8–10 November 1915. He was mentioned again by Field Marshal French in his 30 November 1915 despatch[19] and as of 15 December 1915 his battalion was part of the 5th Infantry Brigade with Eden in command of the battalion under Brigadier-General Corkran.[20] His rank was increased to full Lieutenant-Colonel on 9 February 1916, backdated to the 18 September 1915.[21]

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 3 June 1916[22][23] and was mentioned in despatches by General Haig on 13 June 1916.[24]

On the 23 June 1916 the battalion diary reads "In compliance with orders received Lt-Col A.J.F. Eden DSO proceeded on special duty to hdqts 4th Army", the Fourth Army being a field army formed to carry out the Battle of the Somme. He was wounded again at the Somme in October 1916.[25][26][27]

On the 11 July 1916 Eden became the General Officer Commanding of the 24th Infantry Brigade,[28][29] but was stripped of his position along with multiple other officers following a full restructuring of command circa late December 1916.[30] This does not seem to have stained his record as he is still referenced as being a Brigadier General in the battalion diary of the 2nd Oxford and Bucks dated 18 November 1917, noting a visit he made to his regiment. He appears to have been in command of the 52nd Brigade circa April 1918,[31] and on 24 May 1918 he was in command of the 57th Brigade.[32]

On 10 August 1918 Eden's HQ was hit by a bomb, wounding him with shell splinters to the head,[33][34] but he made a swift recovery as shown by his return to the command of 57th Brigade on 30 August 1918, with his brigade in reserve at the Battle of the Sambre.[35] The battalion diary of the 2nd Oxford and Bucks dated 14 November 1918, again noting a visit he made to his regiment, references his CMG award.

His medal card confirms his eligibility for the 1914 star with clasp, as he had been serving within at least artillery range of the German lines.[36] He was promoted to full colonel on 3 June 1919 and on 18 September 1919 he was put onto the half-pay list.[37] He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre.[38][39]