William Massy

Lieutenant-General William Godfrey Dunham Massy (24 November 1838 – 20 September 1906) was a senior officer in the British Army. Early life He was born the eldest son of Major Henry William Massy (1816–1895) of Grantstown and Gonmaine, County Tipperary, Ireland and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. in 1859. In the meantime he had joined the British Army as an ensign on 27 October 1854 and been promoted to lieutenant. Posted to the Crimea, he had arrived during the latter part of the Siege of Sevastopol. He was later under fire at the Battle of the Chernaya and commanded the grenadiers of the 19th Regiment of Foot at the assault of the Redan on 8 September 1855. During the last engagement he was seriously wounded by a ball which through his left thigh, shattering the bone. Left lying on the ground, he was finally rescued, and recovered after six months' confinement to his camp stretcher. His courage was commended in a special despatch by Sir James Simpson and he became popularly known as 'Redan' Massy. In India and Afghanistan Massy was promoted captain in 1860 and awarded the 5th class of the Legion of Honour and the Turkish medal. In 1863 he was made a major and served as assistant adjutant-general in India. On his promotion as lieutenant-colonel he commanded the 5th Royal Irish Lancers in India from 1871 to 1879.