William Kingsmill
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel William Henry Kingsmill DSO
MC
(1 December 1905 – 3 June 1971) was a British
politician and businessman. He served as a Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Yeovil from 1945 to 1951.
After an education at Eton
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, he joined the Grenadier Guards
, his father's regiment, in 1920, serving for nine years before transferring to the reserves in 1929 and returning to civilian life. The same year, he married Aileen Smith; the marriage did not last, and the couple divorced. He remarried in 1939, to Diana Smith, the widow of an Army officer. There were no children from either marriage.
He worked as a businessman and company director until August 1939, when he rejoined the Grenadiers. He served in the Battle of France
, where he was awarded the Military Cross
, and then with the Eighth Army
in North Africa and the Italian Campaign
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. During 1943-44 he commanded the 6th Battalion Grenadier Guards in Italy.
for Yeovil in the 1945 general election
, with a very narrow majority of 174 votes, and held the seat in the 1950 general election
. He retired the following year, and did not contest the seat in 1951.
From 1946 onwards, he worked as a company director and chairman. He was the chairman and managing director of Taylor Walker & Co, a brewery, and a director of Slough Estates (now Segro).
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....
(1 December 1905 – 3 June 1971) 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...
politician and businessman. He served as a Conservative
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...
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,...
for Yeovil from 1945 to 1951.
Early career
William Henry Kingsmill was born on 1 December 1905, the son of Andrew de Portal Kingsmill, an Army officer, and his wife Gladys Johnston. His parents divorced in 1920.After an education at Eton
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 College, Sandhurst, he joined the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, his father's regiment, in 1920, serving for nine years before transferring to the reserves in 1929 and returning to civilian life. The same year, he married Aileen Smith; the marriage did not last, and the couple divorced. He remarried in 1939, to Diana Smith, the widow of an Army officer. There were no children from either marriage.
He worked as a businessman and company director until August 1939, when he rejoined the Grenadiers. He served in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, where he was awarded the Military Cross
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....
, and then with the Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
in North Africa and the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
, where 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...
. During 1943-44 he commanded the 6th Battalion Grenadier Guards in Italy.
Parliament
Kingsmill was elected the Member of ParliamentMember 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,...
for Yeovil in the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, with a very narrow majority of 174 votes, and held the seat in the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
. He retired the following year, and did not contest the seat in 1951.
From 1946 onwards, he worked as a company director and chairman. He was the chairman and managing director of Taylor Walker & Co, a brewery, and a director of Slough Estates (now Segro).