John Verney, 20th Baron Willoughby de Broke
Encyclopedia
John Henry Peyto Verney, 20th Baron Willoughby de Broke, MC
, AFC
(21 May 1896 (London) – 25 May 1986) was the son of Richard Greville Verney
and Marie Frances Lisette Hanbury. He was educated at Eton College
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. He succeeded his father in 1923 and on 4 October 1933 married Rachel Wrey, daughter of Sir Bourchier Wrey of Lutterworth
, Leicestershire
.
(1918). At the end of hostilities, he became aide-de-camp
to the Governor of Bombay, Sir George Lloyd, from 1919 to 1922 and adjutant of the Warwickshire Yeomanry
from 1925 to 1929. In 1939 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
, a post he held until 1967. Between the wars both Lord and Lady Willoughby were keen aviators with their own aeroplane and private aerodrome at their home in Kineton
, Warwickshire
. He was also Commanding Officer from 1936-1939 of 605 County of Warwick squadron.
During the Second World War, he was a Duty Controller in the No. 11 Group
Operations Room
at RAF Uxbridge
, responsible for the fighter protection of the south-east (when he was mentioned in despatches) and then became Deputy Director of Public Relations at the Air Ministry
(1941–44) and Director from 1945 to 1946.
Joint Master of the Warwickshire Hounds from 1929 to 1935 and chairman of the Wolverhampton Racecourse Company from 1947 to 1971, he was also President of the Hunters' Improvement Society for 1957–58.
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....
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(21 May 1896 (London) – 25 May 1986) was the son of Richard Greville Verney
Richard Verney, 19th Baron Willoughby de Broke
Richard Greville Verney, 19th Baron Willoughby de Broke was a British peer and conservative politician....
and Marie Frances Lisette Hanbury. He was educated at Eton College
Eton 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 the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. He succeeded his father in 1923 and on 4 October 1933 married Rachel Wrey, daughter of Sir Bourchier Wrey of Lutterworth
Lutterworth
Lutterworth is a market town and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, north of Rugby, in Warwickshire and south of Leicester. It had a population of 8,293 in the 2001 UK census....
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.
Military career
During the First World War, he was awarded the Military CrossMilitary 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....
(1918). At the end of hostilities, he became aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Governor of Bombay, Sir George Lloyd, from 1919 to 1922 and adjutant of the Warwickshire Yeomanry
Warwickshire Yeomanry
The Warwickshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, which served as a cavalry and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and as a cavalry and an armoured regiment in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own...
from 1925 to 1929. In 1939 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. Since 1728, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Warwickshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Warwickshire:*Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick 1569–1570*vacant...
, a post he held until 1967. Between the wars both Lord and Lady Willoughby were keen aviators with their own aeroplane and private aerodrome at their home in Kineton
Kineton
Kineton is a village and civil parish on the River Dene in south-eastern Warwickshire, England. The village is part of Stratford-on-Avon district, and in the 2001 census it had a population of 2,278....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. He was also Commanding Officer from 1936-1939 of 605 County of Warwick squadron.
During the Second World War, he was a Duty Controller in the No. 11 Group
No. 11 Group RAF
No. 11 Group was a group in the Royal Air Force for various periods in the 20th century, finally disbanding in 1996. Its most famous service was during 1940 when it defended London and the south-east against the attacks of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.-First World War:No. 11 Group was...
Operations Room
Battle of Britain Bunker
The Battle of Britain Bunker is an underground operations room at RAF Uxbridge, formerly used by No. 11 Group Fighter Command during the Second World War. Fighter aircraft operations were controlled from there throughout the War but most notably during the Battle of Britain and on D-Day...
at RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force station in Uxbridge within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its grounds covered originally belonging to the Hillingdon House estate, which was purchased by the British Government in 1915, three years before the founding of the RAF...
, responsible for the fighter protection of the south-east (when he was mentioned in despatches) and then became Deputy Director of Public Relations at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
(1941–44) and Director from 1945 to 1946.
Joint Master of the Warwickshire Hounds from 1929 to 1935 and chairman of the Wolverhampton Racecourse Company from 1947 to 1971, he was also President of the Hunters' Improvement Society for 1957–58.