Sirdar

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Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Egyptian Army
Sirdar
ReginaldWingate.jpg
Longest serving
Sir Reginald Wingate

1899 – 1916
Residence Sirdaria
Formation21 December 1882
First holder Sir Evelyn Wood
Final holder Sir Charlton Spinks
Abolished12 January 1937
Superseded by Chief of the General Staff

The rank of Sirdar (Arabic : سردار) – a variant of Sardar – was assigned to the British Commander-in-Chief of the British-controlled Egyptian Army in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [1] The Sirdar resided at the Sirdaria, a three-block-long property in Zamalek which was also the home of British military intelligence in Egypt. [2]

List of officeholders

No.PortraitSirdarTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Sir Evelyn Wood.jpg
Wood, EvelynSir Evelyn Wood
(1838–1919)
21 December 1882 [3] 31 March 1885 [4] 2 years
2
Francis Wallace Grenfell.jpg
Grenfell, Francis Lord Grenfell
(1841–1925)
19 April 1886 [5] 12 April 1892 [6] 6 years
3
Horatio Herbert Kitchener (cropped).jpg
Kitchener, Herbert Lord Kitchener
(1850–1916)
13 April 1892 [7] 18997 years
4
ReginaldWingate.jpg
Wingate, ReginaldSir Reginald Wingate
(1861–1953)
1899191616–17 years
5
Major General Sir Lee Stack 1924.jpg
Stack, LeeSir Lee Stack
(1868–1924)
191620 November 1924 7–8 years
6
No image.png
Spinks, CharltonSir Charlton Spinks
(1877–1959)
November 192412 January 193712 years, 2 months

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References

  1. "Sirdar". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
  2. Raafat, Samir (2001-02-15). "The Sirdaria". Cairo Times. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
  3. Sir Evelyn Wood, From Midshipman to Field Marshal p.xii.
  4. Sir Evelyn Wood, From Midshipman to Field Marshal pp. xii, 500.
  5. Lord Grenfell, Memoirs of Field-Marshal Lord Grenfell PC, GCB, GCMG p.90.
  6. "Mirador Viewer".
  7. "Mirador Viewer".