Allen Bathurst, Lord Apsley
Encyclopedia
Allen Algernon Bathurst, Lord Apsley, DSO
, MC
, TD
, DL
(3 August 1895 – 17 December 1942) was a British
Conservative Party
politician.
and his wife Lilias Margaret Frances née Borthwick, daughter of Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk
.
and Christ Church, Oxford
. During World War I
, he served overseas with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant in April 1916, acting captain
in June 1917, receiving a substantive promotion to lieutenant from the same date, and to substantive captain in 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) for his actions in Egypt:
He was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Southampton
in 1922 and for Bristol Central
in 1931, seats he held until 1929 and 1942 respectively. In 1923 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
for the "County of Gloucester
, and of the City and County of the City of Gloucester
, and the City and County of the City of Bristol
."
During this time, he was Parliamentary Private Secretary
to: the Under-Secretary of State for the Overseas Trade Department 1922-24, the Minister of Transport
1925-29 and the Minister for Co-ordination Defence 1936. He had also been President of the UK Pilot's Association in 1925 and sometime chairman of Western Airways, Western Air Transport Company and a director of Morning Post
.
He remained a member of the Territorial Army between the wars, and was awarded the Territorial Decoration
(TD) in 1929, promoted to brevet
major in 1930, and promoted to substantive major in 1938. During World War II
, he served overseas again and died on active service, commanding the Arab Legion
in Malta
, in 1942.
(1927-2011) and George Bertram (1929–2010). As Lord Apsley predeceased his father, the latter's earldom later passed to Lord Apsley's eldest son, Henry.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(3 August 1895 – 17 December 1942) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Family
Apsley was the eldest son of Seymour Bathurst, 7th Earl BathurstSeymour Bathurst, 7th Earl Bathurst
Seymour Henry Bathurst, 7th Earl Bathurst, CMG, TD was a British nobleman, soldier and newspaper owner.-Family:He was a son of Allen Bathurst, 6th Earl Bathurst and Meriel Leicester Warren...
and his wife Lilias Margaret Frances née Borthwick, daughter of Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk
Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk
Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk JP , known as Sir Algernon Borthwick, Bt, between 1887 and 1895, was a British journalist and Conservative politician...
.
Career
He was educated at EtonEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served overseas with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1795 following William Pitt's 1794 order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain, through various re-organisations, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars remain today on the establishment of the Territorial...
. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant in April 1916, acting captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in June 1917, receiving a substantive promotion to lieutenant from the same date, and to substantive captain in 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) for his actions in Egypt:
He was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Southampton
Southampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Southampton was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. Centred on the town of Southampton, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1295 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election....
in 1922 and for Bristol Central
Bristol Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Bristol Central was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Bristol. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1931, seats he held until 1929 and 1942 respectively. In 1923 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the "County of Gloucester
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, and of the City and County of the City of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, and the City and County of the City of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
."
During this time, he was Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to: the Under-Secretary of State for the Overseas Trade Department 1922-24, the Minister of Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
1925-29 and the Minister for Co-ordination Defence 1936. He had also been President of the UK Pilot's Association in 1925 and sometime chairman of Western Airways, Western Air Transport Company and a director of Morning Post
Morning Post
The Morning Post, as the paper was named on its masthead, was a conservative daily newspaper published in London from 1772 to 1937, when it was acquired by The Daily Telegraph.- History :...
.
He remained a member of the Territorial Army between the wars, and was awarded the Territorial Decoration
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
(TD) in 1929, promoted to brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
major in 1930, and promoted to substantive major in 1938. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served overseas again and died on active service, commanding the Arab Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, in 1942.
Marriage
On 27 February 1924, Lord Apsley had married Viola Meeking (who succeeded him as MP for Bristol Central) and they had two sons: Henry Allen JohnHenry Bathurst, 8th Earl Bathurst
Henry Allen John, 8th Earl Bathurst DL , known as Lord Apsley from 1942 to 1943, was a British Peer, soldier and Conservative politician. He was most recently known for an altercation with Prince William....
(1927-2011) and George Bertram (1929–2010). As Lord Apsley predeceased his father, the latter's earldom later passed to Lord Apsley's eldest son, Henry.