William Vincent Legge
| William Vincent Legge | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 2, 1841 Cullenswood, Tasmania |
| Died | March 25, 1918 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Military Officer |
| Known for | Author of History of the Birds of Ceylon |
Colonel William Vincent Legge (2 September 1841 – 25 March 1918) was an Australian soldier and an ornithologist who documented the birds of Sri Lanka. Legge's hawk-eagle is named after him as is Legges Tor, the second highest peak in Tasmania.
Legge was born at Cullenswood, Tasmania (then Van Diemen's Land). His father, Robert Vincent Legge had moved from Ireland to Tasmania in 1827 along with his sisters and was married to Eliza Graves (née de Lapenotierre). He obtained 1200 acres (486 ha) which he named as Cullenswood after his home in Ireland. William was sent to study at Bath after which he continued studies in France and Germany, picking up several languages before joining the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In 1862 he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery, serving first in Bath, England, and then in Melbourne for several years. From Melbourne his battery was transferred to Colombo, Ceylon, where he was stationed 1869-1877. He then took a staff appointment at Aberystwith, Cardiganshire, for five years. Subsequently he moved back to Tasmania. He was involved in the defence of the River Derwent and setting up batteries to defend Hobart with new guns. With a recommendation from Sir Peter Scratchley he served for eleven years as Commandant of the Tasmanian Defence Forces, retiring as Lieutenant-Colonel from the Imperial service in 1883. He trained Tasmanian forces for the Second Boer War and organized in 1900, the reception for the Duke of Cornwall. He continued in service until 1904, when the forces were taken over by the Commonwealth. Legge was married to Frances Anne Talbot in 1867 and after her death in 1914, he married Kathleen Lousia in 1916. He died at Cullenswood on 25 March 1918 at the age of 76, survived by his wife and two sons from his first marriage.
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