Stewart Symes


Sir George Stewart Symes, was a British Army officer and colonial governor.

Career

Symes was born in Kent, the son of Lieutenant Colonel William Alexander Symes of the 71st Highland Light Infantry, and Emily Catherine, daughter of Charles Shore, 2nd Baron Teignmouth.
Symes was commissioned a second lieutenant in The Hampshire Regiment in August 1900, and served in South Africa during the end of the Second Boer War in 1902, receiving the rank of lieutenant on 21 April 1902. Later that year he was posted in the Aden Hinterland, where he served 1903-1904. He is said to have been the only British army officer to be awarded a Distinguished Service Order for services in the hinterland.
He was Governor of the Palestine North District from 1920 to 1925, Chief Secretary to the Government of Palestine from 1925 to 1928, Resident of Aden from 1928 to 1931, Governor of Tanganyika from 1931 to 1934 and Governor-General of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan from 1934 to 1940.