Anthony Stransham

General Sir Anthony Blaxland Stransham GCB (22 December 1805 – 6 October 1900) was a senior British officer in the Royal Marines.^[1] He was one of the navy generals of the attack in The Battle of Canton,^[2] which was a British victory.^[3]

Sir Anthony Blaxland Stransham
Sir Anthony Stransham in June 1896
Birth name	Anthony Blaxland Stransham
Born	(1805-12-22)22 December 1805 Antingham, Norfolk, England
Died	6 October 1900 (aged 94) Ealing, London, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Marines
Years of service	1823–1875
Rank	General
Battles / wars	Greek War of Independence Battle of Navarino First Opium War Crimean War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Background

Stransham was the son of Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Stransham of the Royal Marines, and grandson of Major Samuel Stransham, also of the Royal Marines.^[4]

Military career

Stransham entered the Royal Marines on 1 January 1823. Four years after entering the service, he was present as a subaltern at the Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827. Stransham led the Royal Marines during the First Battle of Canton in the First Opium War on 18 March 1841.^[5] He was wounded and promoted to captain.^[6] He was awarded the Baltic Medal, having been with Charles John Napier in 1854. From 1862 to 1867, General Stransham was Inspector-General of the Royal Marines.^[7]

Later in his career, as a general, the "Grand Old Man of the Army" became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.^[8]

He saw active service for over 53 years, retiring with the rank of general on 24 December 1875.^[9]