Background
He was the second son of Major Thomas Van Straubenzee Resident Advisor, of Spennithorne, Yorkshire, by his wife Maria, youngest daughter of Major Henry Bowen.
He was the second son of Major Thomas Van Straubenzee Resident Advisor, of Spennithorne, Yorkshire, by his wife Maria, youngest daughter of Major Henry Bowen.
He transferred to the 39th Regiment of Foot in 1833 and, during the Gwalior Campaign, he took part in the Battle of Maharajpore in 1843: he took temporary command of his Regiment when the Commanding Officer was wounded and brought the Regiment out of action. In 1846 he transferred to 3rd battalion the Buffs of which he became Commanding Officer in 1851 and fought in the Crimean War commanding the 1st Brigade of the Light Division and taking part in both assaults on the Redan during the Siege of Sevastopol. In 1857 he became Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong and led an attack on Canton during the Second Opium War.
In 1862 he was made General Officer Commanding a Division of the Bombay Army at Ahmedabad and subsequent took overall command of the Bombay Army.
He became Governor of Malta in 1872.He is buried at Bathwick cemetery near Bath.
A member of an old and distinguished military family, van Straubenzee was commissioned into the Ceylon Rifles in 1828.
