Colonel Gervase Francis Newport Tinley, CB, CMG, IA. was a British and Indian Army officer who ended his career as Base Commandant at Marseilles during the First World War. , 1883.
After passing through Sandhurst, in 1875 Tilney was commissioned into the 83rd Regiment of Foot, and in 1876 was posted to India. When in 1881 the 83rd were posted home, he transferred to the 1st Light Cavalry, preferring active service in India. He was promoted to Captain in 1887; Major in 1896; Lieutenant-Colonel in 1902; and Colonel in 1905. From 31 March 1902, he was commandant of the, 1st Bombay Lancers. His service included the North West Frontier's Zhob Valley Expedition in 1882 or 1884, and the Burmese Expedition from 1885 to 1889, in the latter of which he was wounded and his horse shot from under him. For this campaign, he was mentioned in despatches and received a campaign medal with two clasps. He was the 1st Bombay Lancers' Squadron Commandant from 23 October 1885, officiating second in command and Cantonment Magistrate at Neemuch and took part in the affair of Dawlatzai. He accompanied the Dongola Expedition of 1896; and one to Egypt later in the same year, and went on to command the 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, 1st Bombay Lancers. From 1905 to 1908 he was Assistant Adjutant General to the 7th Division in India and represented Indian Army Officers at Empress Victoria's Funeral, 1901. He also commanded the Indian Cavalry Contingent at the Coronation of Emperor Edward VII, 1902. During the Great War, from 1914 till his death in 1918, he was Base Commandant on Lines of Communication, and for his services was three times mentioned in despatches and received the CMG and Légion d'honneur on 14 July 1917. He died suddenly at Marseilles, while still on active service, 18 February 1918, and was buried in the cemetery at No. 24 Avenue General de Lattre de Tassigny. At the time of death, his address in England was Tower Hill House, Kingsclere, Hampshire.
In 1891 Tinley married firstly Elsie Benton, a daughter of William Benton Hughes, of the U.S. Army . She died in 1907. Their son Francis Benton Newport Tinley M.C.,,, who joined the 20th Deccan Horse in 1911, was promoted to Captain on 6 September 1915. He went on to rise to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and married Cicely Sophia and was killed in action in 1942. A grandson, Flying Officer Gervase Francis Benton Newport-Tinley DFC, of the 138 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, was killed in action aged 20 flying a Halifax W7775 which crashed near IJhorst, Holland on 23 December 1942, as part of the SOE's Operation Marrow 12. He and another five men are buried at IJhorst Protestant Church Yard, Staphorst Overijssel, Netherlands, Grave 6, TOUJOURS SANS TACHE. They had left from RAF Tempsford but were shot down by German Flak, victims of the German counter intelligence operation Englandspiel. The funeral took place for the six airmen on 26 September 1942. A yearly service is held around Christmas in the PKN Church IJhorst for the six British airmen that fell. A monument was erected at the site of the crash on 22 april 2020, the initiative of local Henk Smit
