Malcolm Orme Little was born in London, at Sussex Square, Hyde Park Gardens, Paddington, on 29 Nov 1857. His father was General Sir Archibald Little GCB who had commanded the 9th Lancers during the Indian Mutiny, and was Colonel of the Regiment from March 1875 to June 1891. His mother was Jane Little (née Orme). He was commissioned into the 17th Lancers as a 2nd Lieutenant on 11 May 1878 but transferred to the 9th Lancers on 19 Oct 1878. He went to Afghanistan with the regiment in 1879 and was on the expedition to Maidan and the fighting in and around Kabul in December 1879. He was on the memorable 300-mile march from Kabul to Kandahar and served as orderly officer to Brigadier-General Hugh Gough at the battle of Kandahar for which he was mentioned in despatches.
He was promoted to major on 5 Sep 1894 and went with the regiment to South Africa in 1896 (see Officer Group, Undress 1896) In the Boer War he commanded the regiment at Modder River, Magersfontein, Relief of Kimberley, and Paardeberg. In July 1900 he was put in charge of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade and mentioned in despatches. He retired on 15 Mar 1904 and was appointed CB. From 1905 to 1908 he was a staff officer for the Yeomanry and when war broke out in 1914 he was appointed Inspector of Remounts. He was given command of the Welsh Border Yeomanry Brigade on 20 Jan 1915. He retired with the rank of brigadier-general in August 1917 at the age of 60.
He was a champion polo player, playing for England in the International Polo matches against America at Newport in 1886. He was married to Iris Hermione Brassey in 1903. They lived at Dunsmore, Rugby, Warwickshire and had two sons; Malcolm Archibald Albert Little (b.1904) also an officer in the 9th Lancers, and Ian Malcolm David Little (b.1918) a test pilot and Oxford Professor. Brigadier-General Malcolm Orme Little was Deputy Lieutenant of Warwickshire in January 1923. He died on 1 February 1831. The photo shows him in full dress as colonel commandant of the 9th Lancers shortly before retirement in 1904.
