#8292, Francis Jolliffe RAITT

Francis joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry as a 2nd Lt. in 1880. He served in Egypt in 1882 and was promoted Major in 1897. He became a recruiting officer in 1906 and was promoted temporary Lt. Col. in 1914. His medals were sold by Spink in 2008.
The Colonel was a good step father. They lived in a big house outside York called Housham and later in London. A despatch from Major-General Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley, KCMG., CB, Commanding the troops on the Gold Coast to the Secretary of State for War, on March 7th 1874 contained the following paragraph: Captain Rait has been the Officer commanding the Royal Artillery throughout both phases of this war; he organized a Houssa battery in a most able manner. The officers, English non-commissioned officers, and gunners attached to it worked indefatigably. In all the actions and skirmishes the gun and rocket fire had been most effective, notwithstanding the difficulties of the ground on which we fought. I consider Captain Raitt to be one of the best soldiers I have ever served with. (There were no children born to Col. Francis and Alice).

Francis and his second wife Gertrude are buried together in Edinburgh, Scotland.