b. 1829-12-12
d. 1890-03-08
Capt. Howard Crawfurd Elphinstone was born on 12 December 1829. He was educated at
the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and received a commission as second lieutenant
in the Royal Engineers on 18 December 1847. In 1854, he was ordered to the Crimea;
he was wounded there on 8 September 1855, losing an eye in battle. He returned to
England at the end of the Crimean War, becoming executive officer of the Royal Engineers
Topographical Depot in
London.
In 1858, he held the rank of second captain; he was promoted to captain on 1 April
1862. In 1858,
Queen Victoria appointed Elphinstone as tutor to her son, H. R. H. Prince Arthur. After the prince
was grown, Elphinstone was appointed Treasurer and Comptroller of H. R. H.'s Household,
remaining in that office until his death. Elphinstone remained involved with the Royal
Engineers, commanding the troops from August 1873 to December 1881 and again from
1882 to 1886.
On 23 August 1865, he was appointed a Civil CB; on 28 July 1870 he was appointed CMG.,
on 3 July 1871, a Civil KCB., and on 31 October 1877, an aide-de-camp to the Queen
March 1877.He died on 8 March 1890.
See obituary in The Royal Engineers Journal (1 May 1890): 109-11; see also the London Times, 26 March 1890, p. 4.Imperial Calendar, 1859, p. 186. Army List 1858-59 and January-March 1871. BCPO 137.1.