William Earle (British Army officer) William Earle (British Army officer) Major General William Earle (18 May 1833 – 10 February 1885) was a British Army officer of the 19th century. He was born in Liverpool, the son of the merchant Sir Hardman Earle, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary (née Langton), and married Mary Codrington on 21 July 1864. He had a successful military career, recognised by honours including a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He fought in the Crimean War, was later part of the Nile Expedition attempting to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum. He was killed following the Battle of Kirbekan.
St. Matthew's Cathedral, Khartoum was built in 1847 to serve as the cathedral church. The Apostolic Vicariate was entrusted in 1872 to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, under Saint Daniel Comboni, who was apostolic vicar from 1872 until his death in 1881. The city was taken by the Mahdistas in 1885, who destroyed the church and all missions in the country. The war ended in 1898 with the Battle of Omdurman, and missionary work recommenced the following year. When the British built the modern city of Khartoum as capital of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, a new cathedral was constructed. It was completed in 1908