Background
Neville Bowles Chamberlain was the third son of Sir Henry Chamberlain, first baronet, consul-general and charge d'affaires in Brazil, and was born at Rio on January 10, 1820.
Neville Bowles Chamberlain was the third son of Sir Henry Chamberlain, first baronet, consul-general and charge d'affaires in Brazil, and was born at Rio on January 10, 1820.
Neville Bowles Chamberlain initially entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich but was withdrawn after a year and was commissioned as an ensign in the Bengal Native Infantry on 24 February 1837.
Neville Bowles Chamberlain entered the Indian army in 1837, served as a subaltern in the first Afghan War (1839 - 42), and was wounded on six occasions.
He served on the staff throughout the Punjab campaign of 1848- 49, and was given a brevet majority.
In the Indian Mutiny he succeeded Colonel Chester as adjutant-general of the Indian army, and distinguished himself at the siege of Delhi, where he was severely wounded.
He was reappointed to the command of the Punjab Frontier Force in 1858, and commanded in the Umbeyla campaign (1863), in which he was severely wounded.
He was made K. C. S. I. in 1866, lieut. -general in 1872, G. C. S. I. in 1873, G. C. B in 1875, and general in 1877.
An excellent biography by G. W. Forrest appeared in 1909.
In 1873 Chamberlain married Charlotte Cuyler Reid, daughter of Major-General Sir William Reid, who died in 1896; there were no children.
