Lt.Talbot Fitzroy Eden Stanhope

[privatewickham]

Hi,

I was wandering if someone could help me out on this one - perhaps there is a resident expert on the Rifle Brigade who may be able to give me an insight as to the circumstances surrounding Talbot Fitzroy Eden Stanhopes death. He was the second son of 9th Earl of Harrington, and Countess of Harrington, of Elvaston, Castle, Derby.

CWGC states he was killed in action 09/05/1915. Does anyone have any info on what his batallion were involved in that night? Pehaps someone has a copy of the regimental diary they could look at?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Yours in anticipation

Simon

[Chris_Baker]

The battalion suffered very heavy casualties in the Battle of Aubers. Details at http://www.1914-1918.net/bat11.htm

[CROONAERT]

From 'Bond of sacrifice'...

[privatewickham]

That is brilliant!

Many Thanks!

Simon

[johnny_doyle]

2 family trees on Ancestry name the brother as Charles Joseph Leicester Stanhope.

Talbot Stanhope is mentioned on a memorial at Fromelles

http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/others/im...om/kennedy2.jpg

http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/others/fromelles.html

[MBrockway]

Simon,

There is a large amount of detailed information on the Battle of Aubers Ridge here on the Forum. A search on Aubers, or Fromelles will get you started.

You should definitely read this one: 2nd Rifle Brigade, Aubers Ridge, Commemoration

and this one: 3955 Rfn Fred Peters-2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, Letters

We also have a resident 2nd Rifle Brigade specialist here on the Forum - Victoria Burbidge (seen in some of Andy's photos in the Commemoration topic linked above.

With luck she will pass by soon, or you can drop her a PM.

Cheers,

Mark

[privatewickham]

Thank you all kindly for your help with this!

Jonny, you are right - Charles Joseph Leicester Stanhope, Talbots brother, became the 10th Earl of Harrington and was a Captain with the 15th Hussars.

Again many thanks!

[Victoria Burbidge]

resident 2nd Rifle Brigade specialist

Blimey! That’s an improvement on “the Catering Corps” which is how my husband refers to me …………..

Apologies for the delay in getting around to this. I’m at the tail-end of a bout of pneumonia. Not to be recommended!

Simon, if you would like to PM your e-mail address through to me, I’ll send copies of everything I have which, unfortunately, isn’t a great deal. In the meantime:

Lieutenant Talbot Fitzroy Eden Stanhope was the second son of the 9th Earl of Harrington (then the Hon. Dudley Stanhope of Bartley Close, Totton, Hampshire) and Kathleen, Countess of Harrington of Elvaston Castle, Derby. He was born on 23rd November 1896 and educated at Oakham School, Rutland and from there proceeded to Sandhurst. He joined the 5th Battalion Rifle Brigade at Minster, Sheppey in October 1914 and was one of several officers posted to the 2/RB in March 1915 following the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.

Talbot Stanhope was killed during the action at Fromelles (Battle of Aubers Ridge) on 9th May 1915 aged eighteen years. He had just gained full promotion to Lieutenant, but would not live to see it. In a letter dated 3rd May 1915, Major Talbot C/O 5th Battalion Rifle Brigade, wrote:

“In accordance with your instructions, I have the honour to report on the fitness for promotion of the under-mentioned officer.”

2nd Lieutenant T. Fitz R. E. Stanhope is a very keen and very capable officer and is much liked by officers and men. He is young, only just 19

[sic]

, and looks younger. Rides well, marches well, is a good shot and can hold his own in most things. Everything he did, he did well. Perhaps the best of all the young Officers who have been through this Battalion. Is now at the Front.”

The following is an extract of a letter written by Captain Paul Kennedy (KIA 9th May 1915) and dated 17th April 1915:

“ ……We are always huddled together in a trench or in two or three small rooms in billets, so somebody is always talking, especially as in my Company, “B”, we are a very happy family.

Eddie Leigh, son of old Chandos Leigh, is the oldest of my subalterns by a long way, being about 26. He and Hardinge, who is about 20, are killingly funny. They keep on a perpetual mad chatter and are really most comical. The other two, Rodney and Stanhope, both very young (the latter only 18) have both come out quite lately from the Special Reserve at Sheppey. They are both delightful fellows and add greatly to the general merriment, especially Stanhope whose eyes simply glitter with joie de vivre all day. He was coming into the RB in the ordinary course of events and is quite the best young fellow I have ever seen. He is keen as mustard on everything he does, and is very good at everything he turns his hand to. He is about 6 feet high and extremely good looking. In fact, he is as near perfection as anybody I know.”

Three weeks after this letter was written, the 2/Rifle Brigade with 24 officers and something in the region of 900 men went into action with the 8th Division at Fromelles, during the northern attack of the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Less then twenty-four hours later, 2 officers and approximately 195 men marched back to billets in Sailly-sur-la-Lys. 15 officers had been killed (including Paul Kennedy, Henry Hardinge, Edward Leigh and young Talbot Stanhope) and 6 wounded with more than 250 other ranks killed and over 450 wounded. Of the total killed in action on that date, only 2 officers and 10 men of that battalion have known graves, the rest, including all the officers named above, are commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing. Strangely enough, Talbot Stanhope was seen to have been killed and said to have been buried at the time (see the above extract from “Bond of Sacrifice”), but his grave subsequently became lost.

Hope this helps.

V.

[MBrockway]

Blimey! That's an improvement on "the Catering Corps" which is how my husband refers to me …………..

I'm at the tail-end of a bout of pneumonia. Not to be recommended!

V.

That sounds grim! Get well soon V.

Mark

[Moriaty]

I think the subaltern Rodney referred to in Paul Kennedy's letter is 2nd Lieut the Hon James Henry Bertie Rodney, who, like Kennedy, was at Harrow. Rodney was wounded on 9 May 1915 and was wounded again later during the war. He received the MC, latterly served with the RFC and died in 1933.

James Rodney's younger brother, William Francis Rodney died on 9 May 1915. William, although initially in the Rifles, was attached to the RFC 3rd Squadron and was the Observer for Lieutenant Charles Bennett Spence. They were killed while carrying out artillery observation over German lines during the Battle of Aubers Ridge. William, who was 18, is buried at Chocques.

The Rodney brothers were early members of the Baden Powell scouting movement.

Moriaty