William Eyre (British Army officer)

Major General Sir William Eyre KCB (21 October 1805 – 18 September 1859) was an officer in the  British Army.

Biography
Eyre was the younger son of Vice-Admiral Sir George Eyre. He was educated at Rugby School; commissioned as an ensign in 1823. He received a company in the 73rd Regiment in 1829. Ten years later he was a major.

He served in Cape Frontier War of 1847 and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel the same year. In the Cape Frontier War of 1851 he defeated the Xhosha at the battle of Quibigui River and the battle of Committees Hill. The next year he was appointed Companion of the Bath, served as aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, and was promoted to colonel. In 1854 he fought in Crimean War and was promoted to major-general. In 1855 he was made Knight Commander of the Bath and the following year, 1856 was decorated by France and Turkey. Later that year he was appointed to command the forces in Canada. His health had been broken during the Crimean War and he resigned due to ill health in June 1859. He died on 18 September of that year.