Henry Parke Airey

"Henry Airey" redirects here. For the Anglican priest, see Henry Airay.

Henry Parke Airey
Colonel Henry Airey c. 1902
Born	3 August 1842 Yorkshire, England
Died	11 October 1911(1911-10-11) (aged 69) Transvaal, South Africa
Allegiance	United Kingdom Australia
Service / branch	British Army New South Wales Artillery
Years of service	1859–1866 1877–1902
Rank	Colonel
Battles / wars	Mahdist War Second Boer War
Awards	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in dispatches

Henry Parke Airey CMG, DSO (3 August 1842 – 9 October 1911) was an Australian colonial soldier.

Airey, the son of Captain Henry Cookson Airey of the East India Company and his wife Emily, was born in Kingthorpe, Yorkshire in 1842. He was educated at Marlborough and East India Company College in 1858–59.

Airey was of the New South Wales Artillery, was formerly in the 101st Foot; and having become attached to the New South Wales military forces, of which he became captain in March 1886, served in the Sudan Campaign with the colonial contingent, receiving a medal, with clasp, for the advance on Tamai. He served with the British army in Burma in 1886 and 1887, and having behaved with great gallantry and been severely wounded, was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in 1888—and reputedly became the first Australian soldier to be so decorated—was mentioned in dispatches, and pensioned by the Government of India. In further recognition of his brilliant services in Burma, he was, in June 1887, appointed a brevet-major in the New South Wales forces by Lord Carrington, then Governor of that colony.

Airey served as a colonel in the artillery in the Sudan, and as a lieutenant colonel during the Boer War where he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Airey married Florence Ada McCulloch, daughter of A. H. McCulloch, in 1868, in Sydney, and they had issue.