15 Facts About Whitworth Porter

Whitworth Porter was an English Major General of the Royal Engineers, known as a historical writer.

Whitworth Porter entered the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich on 14 November 1842, obtained a commission as second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 18 December 1845, and was promoted first lieutenant on 1 April 1846.

Whitworth Porter returned home from Dominica in March 1850, and was stationed at Limerick.

Whitworth Porter was promoted second captain on 3 January 1855.

On 2 April 1859 Whitworth Porter was promoted first captain in the Royal Engineers, and returned to England.

Whitworth Porter was employed at the War Office under the inspector-general of fortifications from April 1859 until September 1862 in connection with the defence of the United Kingdom.

Whitworth Porter served on the jury for the military division of the 1862 International Exhibition in London, was instructor in fortification at the Royal Military College at Sandhurst from 1862 to 1868, was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel on 23 August 1866, and promoted regimental lieutenant-colonel on 14 December 1868.

In March 1870 Whitworth Porter was again sent to Malta, where, as executive officer under the commanding Royal Engineer, he supervised the construction of the defences of the new dockyard.

In February 1874 Whitworth Porter was appointed commanding Royal Engineer at Barbados; he remained there for two years, returning to England in April 1876, and was stationed for a time at Chatham.

Whitworth Porter was commanding Royal Engineer of the western district, and stationed at Plymouth from 1877 till 1 October 1881, when he retired from the service on a pension, with the honorary rank of major-general.

Whitworth Porter died on 27 May 1892, and was buried at St Michael's Church, York Town, now in Camberley, Surrey, of which he had been churchwarden for many years.

Whitworth Porter had contributed towards its enlargement, and had carved the ornamental foliage on the chancel screen.

Whitworth Porter published Life in the Trenches before Sebastopol, London, 1856.

Whitworth Porter married in London, on 25 October 1847, Annie Shirley da Costa, by whom he had two children:.

Whitworth Porter erected a reredos at St Michael's Church, York Town, to the memory of Reginald.