Richard Thomas Glyn | |
|---|---|
 A caricature of Glyn by staff officer Lieutenant-Colonel John North Crealock. Made during the Zulu War, 1879. | |
| Born | 23 December 1831 |
| Died | 21 November 1900 (aged 68) Stratfield Saye, Hampshire, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1850–1887 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-general (honorary)
Major-general (substantive) |
| Unit | 24th Regiment/South Wales Borderers |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | |
Lieutenant-General Richard Thomas Glyn CB CMG (23 December 1831 – 21 November 1900) was a British Army officer. He joined the 82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) by purchasing an ensign's commission in 1850. Glyn served with the regiment in the Crimean War and rose in rank to captain before transferring to the 24th (The 2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot in 1856. He served with that regiment in the Indian Mutiny and was appointed to command it in 1872. In 1875 he accompanied the 1st battalion of the regiment on service in the Cape Colony and fought with them in the 9th Cape Frontier War of 1877–78. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath after the war.
Glyn commanded No. 3 Column, including men from both battalions of his regiment, during the first British invasion of Zululand in 1879. Whilst Glyn was accompanying Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford on a reconnaissance, the column's camp was attacked and overrun in the Battle of Isandlwana, with almost 600 men of the 24th Regiment killed. Glyn assumed command of the post at Rorke's Drift in the aftermath of the battle. Though suffering from depression and a mental breakdown he made orders to recover the missing Queen's Colour of the 1st Battalion and to bury the bodies of his men. He was excluded from a court of enquiry held by Chelmsford into the defeat at Isandlwana and survived an attempt by Chelmsford's staff to blame him for the disaster.
Glyn commanded a brigade in the second invasion of Zululand that brought the war to an end with a British victory, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. He returned to the United Kingdom after the war to command the regimental depot at Brecon, Wales, and superintended the transformation of the 24th Regiment into the South Wales Borderers. Glyn was promoted to general rank before his retirement, after which he served in the ceremonial role of colonel of the regiment of the South Wales Borderers until his death.