Bowen van Straubenzee (1829-1898)
Colonel Bowen van Straubenzee, C.M.G., of "Kirkleatham" Kingston, Upper Canada
He was born at Spennithorne, Yorkshire. He was educated at St. Peter's, York; Richmond Grammar School; and, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In 1846, he entered the army as an Ensign with the 32nd Regiment and went with them to India. During the Punjab Campaign, he saw action at the Siege of Multan and Soorjkoond (1848) where he was severely wounded. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1848 and on the Peshawar Frontier under Sir Colin Campbell from 1851, he saw further action at Nowadund, Pranghur and Shaskoti. Promoted to Captain in 1855, he served in the Crimea on the staff of his brother, Sir Charles Van Straubenzee who commanded the 1st Brigade of the Light Division. From 1858 to 1861, he served in China and Mauritius as Brigade Major of Staff, again under his brother who was Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong. In 1867, he was promoted by purchase to Major of the 100th Foot and was stationed in Kingston, Upper Canada, where he was Deputy Adjutant-General. In 1885, he commanded the 100th at the Battle of Batoche in the North West Rebellion and retired in 1893. He lived at "Kirkleatham" in Kingston, named for his great-grandmother's estate in Yorkshire. In 1857, he married Anne Macaulay Cartwright and had 7-children.
