John Elkington (British Army officer)

For other people with the same name, see John Elkington.

John Elkington
John Elkington
Born	10 April 1830 Dublin, Ireland
Died	21 February 1889(1889-02-21) (aged 58) Guernsey, Bailiwick of Guernsey
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	c.1848–1889
Rank	Lieutenant General
Battles / wars	Crimean War Indian Mutiny
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath

Lieutenant General John Henry Ford Elkington CB (10 April 1830 – 21 February 1889) was a British Army officer who became Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey.

Military career

Elkington became a lieutenant with the 6th Regiment of Foot in 1849. He served with his Regiment during the 7th and 8th Xhosa Wars. He was appointed Assistant Quartermaster-General to the Ottoman Contingent during the Crimean War and then became Aide-de-Camp to Sir John Michel during the Indian Mutiny. He continued to serve as Aide-de-Camp to Michel during the Second Opium War. In 1880 he became Deputy Adjutant-General for the Auxiliary Forces at Army Headquarters.

He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in 1885 and died in office in 1889. He was also Honorary Colonel of the Fortress and Railway Forces.

His son, John Ford Elkington, was also an officer in the Royal Warwickshire regiment, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel and command of a battalion. He was cashiered in 1914 during the First World War and afterwards served in the French Foreign Legion, winning medals for bravery. In 1916 he was reinstated in his rank in the British Army.