William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington
Encyclopedia
William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (10 December 1917 – 10 September 1944) was the eldest son of Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire
and Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
. He was the husband of Kathleen Agnes Kennedy
, sister of future U.S. President
John F. Kennedy
.
. He stood as the official candidate of the Wartime Coalition in the 18 February 1944 by-election for Derbyshire West. Lord Hartington was defeated by the Independent Charles White who had resigned from the Labour Party to challenge Hartington in contravention of the Wartime Coalition's truce on partisan campaigning.
Town Hall on King's Road in London
, England
to Kathleen Kennedy the daughter of former US Ambassador to Great Britain Joseph Patrick Kennedy and his wife, Rose Fitgerald Kennedy. She was "given away" by her eldest brother, U.S. Navy
Lieutenant
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
by a sniper in Belgium
while serving during World War II
as a major
in the Coldstream Guards
. His company was trying to capture the town of Heppen, which was being held by troops of the German
SS.
In the weeks before he died, Lord Hartington's battalion, the 5th, serving in the Guards Armoured Division, had engaged in heavy fighting in Northern France. In early September, they crossed the Somme
and pushed east towards Brussels
, where his unit was one of the first to liberate the city.
Of the townsfolk and villagers who turned out and cheered the Allies
, and in some cases decorated their tanks, William wrote to his wife of feeling "so unworthy of it all living as I have in reasonable safety and comfort during these years ... I have a permanent lump in my throat and long for you to be here as it is an experience which few can have and which I would love to share with you."
was taken by his younger brother, Lord Andrew Cavendish
— later 11th Duke of Devonshire
.
Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire
Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, KG, MBE, TD , known as Marquess of Hartington , was the head of the Devonshire branch of the Cavendish family...
and Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, GCVO, CBE was born Lady Mary Alice Gascoyne-Cecil, daughter of James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury...
. He was the husband of Kathleen Agnes Kennedy
Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington
Kathleen Agnes "Kick" Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington , born Kathleen Agnes Kennedy, was the fourth child and second daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Kennedy. She was a sister of future U.S. President John F. Kennedy and widow of the heir to the Dukedom of Devonshire.-Biography:When...
, sister of future U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
Politics
Lord Hartington was a member of the Conservative PartyConservative 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...
. He stood as the official candidate of the Wartime Coalition in the 18 February 1944 by-election for Derbyshire West. Lord Hartington was defeated by the Independent Charles White who had resigned from the Labour Party to challenge Hartington in contravention of the Wartime Coalition's truce on partisan campaigning.
Marriage
Lord Hartington was married on 6 May 1944 at the Register Office in ChelseaChelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
Town Hall on King's Road in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Kathleen Kennedy the daughter of former US Ambassador to Great Britain Joseph Patrick Kennedy and his wife, Rose Fitgerald Kennedy. She was "given away" by her eldest brother, U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
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...
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
Joseph Patrick "Joe" Kennedy, Jr. was an American bomber pilot during World War II. He was the eldest of nine children born to Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Sr., and Rose Elizabeth Kennedy....
Death
Four months later, on 10 September 1944, Lord Hartington was killed in actionKilled in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
by a sniper in 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...
while serving 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...
as a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
. His company was trying to capture the town of Heppen, which was being held by troops of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
SS.
In the weeks before he died, Lord Hartington's battalion, the 5th, serving in the Guards Armoured Division, had engaged in heavy fighting in Northern France. In early September, they crossed the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
and pushed east towards Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, where his unit was one of the first to liberate the city.
Of the townsfolk and villagers who turned out and cheered the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
, and in some cases decorated their tanks, William wrote to his wife of feeling "so unworthy of it all living as I have in reasonable safety and comfort during these years ... I have a permanent lump in my throat and long for you to be here as it is an experience which few can have and which I would love to share with you."
Succession
His place in the order of successionOrder of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
was taken by his younger brother, Lord Andrew Cavendish
Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire
Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire KG, MC, PC , styled Lord Andrew Cavendish until 1944 and Marquess of Hartington from 1944 to 1950, was a British Conservative politician...
— later 11th Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
.