Charles Pelham, Lord Worsley
Encyclopedia
Charles Sackville Pelham, Lord Worsley (14 August 1887 – 30 October 1914) was a British
soldier. He was the son of Charles Pelham, 4th Earl of Yarborough
and Marcia Pelham, Countess of Yarborough
. On 31 January 1911, Lord Pelham married Alexandra Mary Freesia Vivian
, daughter of Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian
and the former Louisa Alice Duff, and sister in law of General Haig
. Pelham was killed in action during the First World War, aged 27.
Due to Charles Pelham's death at a relatively young age, the title of Earl of Yarborough
later passed directly from his father to his younger brother, Sackville George Pelham
, who also assumed the Charles's courtesy title of Lord Worsley.
in C Squadron of the Royal Horse Guards
during hostilities in Flanders
, commanding a machine gun
section. On 30 October 1914, Pelham's section was cut off at Zandvoorde
, Belgium
, by a German
attack and he was killed at the age of 27. Lord Worsley was first listed as "missing in action", but was officially recorded as dead early in 1915.
Worsley's body was buried by German soldiers, and a map of his burial location was later passed on via diplomatic channels to the British, which enabled them to relocate his grave in December 1918. It was marked with an upright wooden cross
which had been placed there by the Germans. In January 1919 a replacement wooden cross was erected, and Lord Worsley's widow subsequently purchased the plot of land.
at the Town Cemetery Military Extension. On the spot where Lord Worsley's body was originally buried by the Germans now stands the Household Cavalry Memorial in the centre of Zandvoorde. Lord Worsley's name can be seen on the memorial very near the bottom.
A memorial to Lord Worsley was erected in Britain, in All Saints Church, Brocklesby
, Lincolnshire; it is a marble relief the 17th century style (to complement the adjacent Pelham family tomb of 1629), depicting Pelham, dressed in military uniform, kneeling at prayer, and was carved by the sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger
. The memorial is inscribed with the legend:
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...
soldier. He was the son of Charles Pelham, 4th Earl of Yarborough
Charles Pelham, 4th Earl of Yarborough
Charles Alfred Worsley Pelham, 4th Earl of Yarborough KG, PC , styled Lord Worsley until 1875, was a British peer and politician...
and Marcia Pelham, Countess of Yarborough
Marcia Pelham, Countess of Yarborough
Marcia Amelia Mary Pelham, Countess of Yarborough and 13th Baroness Conyers and 7th Baroness Fauconberg, OBE was a British peeress.Marcia was the eldest daughter of the 12th Baron Conyers and his wife, Mary...
. On 31 January 1911, Lord Pelham married Alexandra Mary Freesia Vivian
Alexandra Pelham, Lady Worsley
Alexandra Mary Freesia Pelham, née Vivian, Lady Worsley was a British volunteer and courtier.Alexandra was a daughter of the 3rd Baron Vivian and a godchild of Alexandra, Princess of Wales . Among her siblings were Hon. Dorothy Maud Alexandra Mary Freesia Pelham, née Vivian, Lady Worsley (27...
, daughter of Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian
Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian
Hussey Crespigny Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian, GCMG, CB, DL, FRGS was a British diplomat.Born at Connaught Place, London, Vivian was the eldest son of Charles Vivian, 2nd Baron Vivian and was educated at Eton College...
and the former Louisa Alice Duff, and sister in law of General Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
. Pelham was killed in action during the First World War, aged 27.
Due to Charles Pelham's death at a relatively young age, the title of Earl of Yarborough
Earl of Yarborough
Earl of Yarborough is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1837 for Charles Anderson-Pelham, 2nd Baron Yarborough. The Anderson-Pelham family descends from Francis Anderson of Manby, Lincolnshire. He married Mary, daughter of Charles Pelham of Brocklesby, Lincolnshire...
later passed directly from his father to his younger brother, Sackville George Pelham
Sackville Pelham, 5th Earl of Yarborough
Sackville George Pelham, 5th Earl of Yarborough, MC was a British peer and soldier, known as Lord Worsley from 1914-1926 and Lord Conyers from 1926 until his accession to the earldom in 1936....
, who also assumed the Charles's courtesy title of Lord Worsley.
Death in Flanders
In World War I, Charles Pelham served as a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in C Squadron of the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
during hostilities in Flanders
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
, commanding a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
section. On 30 October 1914, Pelham's section was cut off at Zandvoorde
Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke)
Zandvoorde is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a part of the municipality of Zonnebeke. Zandvoorde is a rural village, in the rolling landscape of the southern part of the province.-History:...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, by a German
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
attack and he was killed at the age of 27. Lord Worsley was first listed as "missing in action", but was officially recorded as dead early in 1915.
Worsley's body was buried by German soldiers, and a map of his burial location was later passed on via diplomatic channels to the British, which enabled them to relocate his grave in December 1918. It was marked with an upright wooden cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
which had been placed there by the Germans. In January 1919 a replacement wooden cross was erected, and Lord Worsley's widow subsequently purchased the plot of land.
Memorials
Lord Worsley's body was exhumed in 1921 and reburied in YpresYpres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
at the Town Cemetery Military Extension. On the spot where Lord Worsley's body was originally buried by the Germans now stands the Household Cavalry Memorial in the centre of Zandvoorde. Lord Worsley's name can be seen on the memorial very near the bottom.
A memorial to Lord Worsley was erected in Britain, in All Saints Church, Brocklesby
Brocklesby
Brocklesby is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is 1 mile south of Habrough, 4 miles southwest of Immingham, close to the border of both North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, and near Humberside International Airport...
, Lincolnshire; it is a marble relief the 17th century style (to complement the adjacent Pelham family tomb of 1629), depicting Pelham, dressed in military uniform, kneeling at prayer, and was carved by the sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger
Charles Sargeant Jagger
Charles Sargeant Jagger MC was a British sculptor who, following active service in the First World War, sculpted many works on the theme of war...
. The memorial is inscribed with the legend: