Years of service 1880–1924 | Name Harry Lassetter Rank Brigadier general | |
Born 19 March 1860Edgecliff, New South Wales ( 1860-03-19 ) Allegiance Commonwealth of Australia Commands held New South Wales Mounted Rifles (1901–1915)Territorial brigade (1915–1924) Battles and wars Second Boer War, World War I | ||
Battles/wars Boer WarWorld War I | ||
Brigadier-General Henry Beauchamp "Harry" Lassetter, CB, CMG (19 March 1860 – 17 February 1926) was an Australian military officer.
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Early life
Lassetter, the son of Frederic Lassetter, a prominent merchant, was born at Edgecliff, a suburb of Sydney. Educated in England, he attended Cheltenham College, Eton, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Military career
In 1880 Lassetter was a second lieutenant in the 38th Regiment, becoming lieutenant in the 80th Regiment in 1881. He was involved in an expedition to the Nile in 1884 and was promoted captain in 1887 and major in 1888, when he trained the New South Wales Mounted Rifle Brigade. He commanded the Permanent NSW Mounted Infantry Company from 1888 until 1892 when it was disbanded. He then raised the NSW Mounted Infantry as a part time unit spread across NSW and commanded it until 1896. It was retitled the NSW Mounted Rifles in 1893. Lassetter was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1895, and led the Australian detachment at Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. He was on the Reserve of Officers in NSW in 1898 and 1899, reactivating at the time of the Boer War. He was involved in training of the early NSW Contingents and was offered command of the NSW Citizens Bushmen in 1900 but declined due to business commitments. He later commanded the 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles in the Boer War (1901–02). During the war, he was mentioned in despatches and created Companion of the Order of the Bath. Following the regiment´s return to Sydney in July 1902, he received a sword of honour from the troopers of his regiment in recognition of his services, presented in a ceremony by the Premier Sir John See. In 1911 he became managing director of his father's firm, but he remained primarily involved in the military and took command of a territorial brigade in England in 1915, where he was promoted brigadier-general and created Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (1917).
Later life
In 1924 Lassetter returned to Sydney where he died two years later. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, whom he had married in 1891, and a son.