Scroll To Top
australian rowers profiles and history

Home > Rowing Profiles > Umphelby, LTCOL Charles E E

LTCOL Charles E E Umphelby

Melbourne Rowing Club (VIC)

Lt Colonel Charles Edward Ernest Umphelby 1854 - 1900

Charles Umphelby was the son of Melbourne pioneer and colonialist C Washington Umphelby. 

Charles was the sponsor of a long running challenge pairs race for Melbourne Rowing Club, the Umphelby Challenge Pairs. This commenced in 1876 and this "Challenge Pairs" trophy would be awarded to a crew that won it in three successive years. 

Whilst Charles E E Umphelby was a rower of some distinction, he best known for his work in the local militia and for his service in the Boar War. Sadly he died in that war and was Australia's highest serving officer to lose his life. By way of background, Australia's contribution to the 1899-1902 Anglo Boer War remains a significant milestone in our military and national history. Over 16,000 Australian troops were engaged and another 7,000 fought in other colonial and irregular units. As many as 1,000 Australians may have lost their lives. Umphelby, Australia's most senior officer killed in South Africa, died on 12 March 1900, two days after he was wounded during the Driefontein battle in the former Orange Free State Republic.

The Weekly Times reported in 1894 Umphelby's progress through the local militia as follows:

Major Umphelby, winner of the Queen's Prize, and at present commanding the Victorian Permanent Artillery, is the son of Mr C. W. Umphelby, an old colonist, and was born in Richmond in 1854. He first joined the St. Kilda Battery of Artillery and was appointed to the Permanent Artillery in 1885. He has for several years been a capable rifle shot, and his big victory in gaining the Queen's prize is regarded by his friends as a fitting distinction for a rifleman so enthusiastic as the major.

A long and interesting article on Charles Umphelby appeared in Table Talk in 1893 and provides a detailed history of his life until 1893. It is reproduced in full below.

COMING MEN

No. 2.—Major Charles UMPHELBY

For many a long year it is pretty certain that the dream of a millenium, when the sword shall be beaten into the ploughshare, and the lion and the lamb lie down in peace together, will not be realised, but that either for actuals warfare, or as a menace to declared enemies, a standing army will be a necessity to every nation. Human nature seems to be constituted for the various roles that make up the body politic. In the tram or train one occasionally sees an individual absorbed in a volume of poems, perhaps Wordsworth or Browning, and as he smiles at some brilliant fantasy, with the hubbub of the streets around him, you ejaculate, " a born poet," perhaps " some mute inglorious Milton," condemned to do duty behind a counter. On the Stock Exchange, the keen, eager faces of the brokers indicate that finance is a science all to itself, and now and then you meet a man who is every inch a soldier, born to be a defender of his country.

All this crosses the mind as the "coming men" in the various professions are reviewed, and Major Charles Umphelby, Officer Commanding the Victorian Permanent Artillery, stands out as one of those distinct individualities, apparently destined for the position they eventually fill. Every prominent citizen, whether full-blown or in embryo, is a great worker. That may be taken for granted. Less fortunate individuals, inclined to envy those in higher positions, may rest assured that save for the accident of inherited wealth, a Brummagem distinction after all, that celebrity is gained by sheer hard work; that " infinite painstaking" which Michel Angelo describes as genius.

At a glance you can see that Major Umphelby has all the characteristics of a soldier. The short stature that the warriors of the century. Wellington, Napoleon and Lord Wolsely, have accustomed us to, allied with the size and depth of chest and rigidity of muscle peculiar to an athlete. As popular, too, as these commanders with the men under command, whom the Major treats with firmness and the utmost consideration. A martinet on duty, while off parade the confidant of his men, their sweethearts and wives, Major Umphelby has been so successful as a commanding officer that "crime," that is military crime, drunkenness and the like, has become unknown in the Victorian Artillery. Among his own particular chums he is known as " The Little Corporal," in reference to his Napoleonic size and appearance, and his courteous affable manner has won him hosts of friends amongst military men and the general public. It will be found that the men who are to lead Victoria on the upward grade are perforce natives of Australia. No one born in other lands can sufficiently shake himself free from the old world groove and prejudice as to regard the future of Australia from that purely patriotic standpoint that has been the keynote of the advance of every other nation.

It is satisfactory, therefore, to find that Major Umphelby is a Victorian born and bred, having first seen the light at Richmond in 1854. His father, Mr. C. Washington Umphelby, was a very old colonist, having arrived in 1842, and married ten years later a daughter of T. Marzetti, of Cawood, Tasmania. In conjunction with the late John Goodman, the Major's father acted as agent for Messrs. Baring Brothers and Company, bankers, of London, and afterwards entered into business on his own account as a wine merchant. Young Umphelby began his education at St. Stephen's school, Richmond,the principal being Mr. Armstrong, now of the Education Department. Later on he was sent as a boarder to Mr. Bonwick's, " Cureton House " St. Kilda, and finally to the Rev. Mr. Ewing's college at South Yarra.

At even an early age he looked as though made for a soldier or a sailor, and his father decided that he should enter the Royal Navy, Sir Henry Barkly having offered him a nomination. This plan was, however, frustrated, and the youth was accordinglytrained for mercantile pursuits, and entered his father's office in 1871, when he was seventeen years old.

Five years afterwards, when he was just past his majority, he married Miss Anna Austin, daughter of the late Thomas Austin, of Barwon Park, in the Geelong district. The young couple went for a twelvemonths' trip to the old country, and on their return Mr. Umphelby settled down as a Melbourne citizen, joining his father in business.

From the time he left school in 1871 to 1880 he took great interest in rowing, and in conjunction with Messrs. Raleigh, Ryan, Fairbairn, J. H. Young, and others, brought the Melbourne Rowing Club to the "head" of the river. Major Umphelby is one of those fortunate individuals who are bound to take the lead in anything they undertake, and we find him scoring many wins both in the rowing club and annual regatta races at Melbourne and Geelong. With Mr. Tunbridge he also won the Challenge Pairs,finally holding them from 1878 to 1880.

It was like chaining the eagle to condemn a man of Major Umphelby's physique and aspirations to ledgers and mercantile pursuits, and, in 1880, he determined to relinquish his city business and go into the country. He selected a property near Warrnambool, and approached more nearly to his proper vocation by going in for horse breeding, and when the lease of his estate expired in 1883, made a move to Sherwood, a property four miles out of; Warrnambool, belonging to the late R. Hood, of Hexham.

Always a keen lover of sport, and active to a degree, taking part in racing, polo, pigeon shooting, golf and all out-door exercises, the first step in his military career was an easy one, and formed, as the sequel shows, the turning point in his life. Soon after taking possession of his new property at Sherwood,the old volunteer system was given up and a militia corps formed. Mr. Umphelby joined the Warrnambool Battery as a Lieutenant in May, 1884, and worked hard at his new duties until he had mastered the elementary part of a gunner's work. Presently, when a Soudan contingent was talked of to proceed to Africa with the New South Wales force, Lieutenant Umphelby, as well as many other officers, volunteered their services, and although these were not put into requisition, the Russian war scare in 1886 brought the young officer again to the front, and he volunteered for service with the Victorian Permanent Artillery at Queenscliff.

Just about this time a vacancy for a lieutenant in this force had taken place by the sad deaths of Lieutenant Hamilton and Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, and the young recruit was persuaded to go in for the vacancy. After undergoing the necessary examination, he obtained the position, broke up his home at Sherwood and removed with his family to Queenscliff.Fully launched in the military career his tastes and inclinations had been leading up to. Lieutenant Umphelby advanced rapidly and steadily, coming out eventually, as befits a born leader of men at the head of his division as officer commanding the Victorian Permanent Artillery. One of Mr. Umphelby's first military experiences was the historic "mutiny" at Queenscliff, brought about by the late Major Ind, who commanded, swearingat the men when on parade. Of the twelve gunners arrested for disobedience of orders, half were sentenced to six months' imprisonment and the remainder to three months.

It was fortunate for Lieutenant Umphelby that the war scare had produced unwonted activity in the permanent defence force. All the forts were re-armed, and officers and men were kept hard at work. Captain Ind, R.A., was commandant of the Victorian Permanent Artilleryat this time, while his other fellow officers were Lieutenant Otter, now Lieutenant-Colonel Otter, commanding the Victorian Rangers, and LieutenantHoward. The experience Lieutenant Umphelby then gained of overhauling the defences, seeing heavy ordnance moved and mounted, was most useful to him later on, and his unflagging energy was already preparing the way for future promotion. 

In December, 1888, the Minister of Defence decided to send an officer of the Victorian Permanent Artillery to England for a course of study in military matters, and Lieutenant Umphelby's zeal and activity doubtless secured him the appointment. Before starting for his new work he was promoted to a captaincy in the regiment, and left for England with his wife and two children in the P. and O. s.s. Oceana on January 20, 1880, the naval and military officers of the colony entertaining him at a farewell banquet on the eve of his departure. Civilians have but little idea of the arduous work required of a soldier before he is declared qualified by British experts to load an army into the field. It is the same, however, in every profession. There is no royal road to distinction, and it will be well for the British army when the full stage of proferment up to Field Marshal is, in Napoleon's words, "a career open to talent without distinction of birth."

There is plenty of hard training in the British army, however, and Lieutenant Umphelby was at once ushered into the midst of it, at Shoeburyness, Essex, where he joined the " Long Course," which is taken up by officers from the regiment of Royal Artillery. The class numbered twenty, and the work consisted in acquiring theoretical and practical knowledge of all the duties of a gunner. As a part of this year's instruction Captain Umphelby went to Lydd for a course of siege work; also visiting Chatham, one of the great arsenals of the world. This first twelve-months' training ended most brilliantly by the young Australian gaining a first-class certificate with honours, and finishing fifth on the list, an astounding feat when it is remembered his competitors had the advantage of being trained in English methods. Captain Umphelby's second year's work in England commenced with a course at the Artillery College, Woolwich, where he passed with credit through the Royal gun factory, laboratory, and carriage departments and gained first-class certificates for his studies in electricity, steam and chemistry, along with the practical work of position and range finding. This successfully gone through, he passed on to active duty, going through a course of Field Artillery practice at Oakhampton, in Devonshire, and proceeding thence to Aldershot, where he was attached to the staff of Major-General Mansfield Clarke, C.B., commanding Brigade III.

During his stay at Aldershot, which lasted a quarter of a year, Majors Burston and Hoad, of the Victorian forces, were also present on active-duty.One could almost wish that this ardent soldier had had a taste of war's alarms, for he speaks with a kind of longing enthusiasm of the Flying Column, composed of all arms, "equipped as if for active service," and of the aforesaid column having to fight its way, of course figuratively, nearly all the fortnight it was out. Good experience it all was, he assures us, as "the manoeuvres " were carried out as nearly representing, actual warfare as possible." About 5,000 troops of fill classes took part in this brilliant field practice, and as Major Umphelby's description of their prowess is listened to, you feel certain it would have been bad for any real enemy that crossed their path. Besides being present at all the inspections of the regiment under Major-General Clarke at Aldershot, now Assistant-Adjutant General at the War Office, Pall Mall. Major Umphelby went to Golden Hill, Isle of Wight, to undergo a course of Garrison Artillery duty. The most interesting gathering appears, however, to have been in Germany, in September, 1890, when about 300 officers from all nations were present at Magdeburg to witness experiments made by the Grusenwerk Company, now amalgamated with the celebrated firm of Krupp and Company, in heavy guns mounted on turrets, and also quick-firing guns.

The two years' probation was now rapidly drawing to a close, but, before the end of the term, Captain Umphelby passed for promotion to Major, Royal Artillery, and returned to Australia with flying colours. Major Umphelby speaks most enthusiastically of the kindness and attention he received from the military officers in England with whom he came in contact. The three months that he passed at Aldershot were chiefly in company with the 93rd Highlanders, whose officers gave him a dinner before leaving.

On the completion of his term of service he took steamer for Victoria, arriving in Melbourne February, 1891, and at once resumed duty at Queenscliff with the Artillery. Whatever adverse criticism may have been bestowed on the Defence Department or its Ministers, at different times, there have never been two opinions as to the wisdom of the course pursued in sending our colonial officers to receive training in England with the regular army. The visit in this instance was an unmistakable vindication of the policy of the department, and Major Umphelby's success in England is mentioned in the latest book of Australian biography, where he is stated to have "acquitted himself with remarkable credit" in these military studies. Since Mr. Umphelby's return to the colony he was promoted to the position of major in August, 1891, and took command of the Victorian Permanent Artillery on account of Major Daniel, R.A., resigning the position through ill-health.

Major Umphelby still keeps up his old tradition of carrying off prizes whenever he enters into competition. Only last November, at the Victorian Rifle Association meeting, he succeeded in winning two events—the Sargood Match, 800 yards, and the Freeman Grand Aggregate; a team from his regiment also sharing the honours of the meeting by winning the Representative Challenge Cup. A foreign war is a calamity that Australians trust may be long averted, but it is gratifying to know that, should occasion arise, we have not only trained men fit for active service, but skilled commanders ready to take the field and defend our shores from hostile" attack however sudden and unexpected.


Known rowing victories

1874 - Melbourne Rowing Club Trial Fours, stroke

1877 - Melbourne Regatta, Junior Four, bow - First

1877 - Melbourne Regatta Senior Pair, bow - First (row over)

1877 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Junior Four, bow - First

1878 - Melbourne Regatta Senior Pair, bow - First (row over)

1878 - Melbourne Regatta Senior Pair, bow - First (row over)

Despite winning the Melbourne Regatta senior pair three times as row overs, they were awarded the "Challenge Oars” having met the requirements for that trophy. 

Andrew and Sally Guerin
July 2024

Sources:


Website by Hope Stewart—Website Design & Management