BRIGADIER-GENERAL
LORD CHESHAM, Charles William Compton Cavendish, Baron Chesham, of
Chesham, in the County of Buckinghamshire, was born 13th December
1850. He received his first commission in the Coldstream Guards on
30th March 1870, but was transferred immediately afterwards to the
10th Hussars, of which regiment he became Adjutant 17th May 1876.
Obtaining his troop 13th October 1877, he exchanged to the 16th Lancers,
and shortly afterwards retired from the Regular Army, and was appointed
2nd July 1897, to a troop in the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry. He was
promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the regiment on 24th April
1889. He raised the corps to such a high standard of efficiency, that
it is was arguably unequalled in the whole Yeomanry Service. It was
only, therefore, in the nature of things that he should have been
offered the command of the 10th Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry
when it came into existence in the January. His command consisted
of two Companies drawn from his own County and one each from Berkshire
and Oxfordshire. This battalion was one of the first to land in South
Africa, and was at once pushed on to the front. Thus it came about
that the 10th Battalion was the first Yeomanry unit to receive its
baptism of fire, its behaviour in Lord Methuen's action at Boshof
having been highly commended by Methuen, who pronounced the gallantry
of the yeoman troopers as worthy the best traditions of the British
Cavalry.
His
son Charles William Hugh Cavendish, 2nd Lieutenant. The Honourable,
17th Lancers was killed in action at Diamond Hill, near Pretoria.
11th June 1900. Aged 21. Born September 1878. He was the only son
of Lord Chesham. Educated at Eton (Mr Ainger's). Entered 17th Lancer's
from Royal Military College August 1898. Sent to South Africa February
1900. Served with is regiment in Orange River County and the Transvaal
before being killed at Diamond Hill. There is a memorial to him in
Northampton Cathedral - "To the Glory of God and in memory of
Brave Men, inhabitants of this County and neighbourhood, who gave
their lives for their Sovereign and Country during the War in South
Africa 1899-1902, the Western Window of this Cathedral was filled
with stained glass, AD 1903........ 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
Lancers, 2nd Lieut. The Hon. C.W.H. Cavendish ........"
