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.There is a bronze statue of him outside St George's Hall, Liverpool, by sculptor Charles Bell Birch.
There is also a stone bust of General Earle at St Mark's Anglican Church in Alexandria, Egypt.
This bust is mentioned by E M Forster in his Alexandria: A History and a Guide, and by Lawrence Durrell in his novel Justine, the first volume of The Alexandria Quartet.