militarycross

Major George Henry Anson lived at Catton Hall, Burton On Trent, Staffordshire. He first served overseas in Egypt, arriving there on the 30th November 1915. He was promoted to Captain on the 8th March 1916 and served his entire career with the Staffordshire Yeomanry.

It looks like George was a pre-war soldier - the London Gazette for 14th May 1912 lists the promotion of Second Lieutenant George H. Anson to Lieutenant in the Staffordshire (Queens Own Royal Regiment) Yeomany with effect from the 23rd April 1912.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28607/pages/3480/page.pdf

There is a medal index card for him at the National Archive
WO 372/1/100409
which charts his rise from Lieutenant to Captain to Major.

There doesn't appear to be an obvious candidate on the Commonweallth War Graves Commission database, so it is to be hoped he survived the war.

Extracts from the Battalion War Diary

26 October 1915
11 officers detailed to embark at Devonport, leaving next day of Hired Transort ‘Northland’. Lt-Col. H.A. Clowes, Major Viscount W. Lewisham, Captain R.A. Ratcliffe, Captain R. Vaughan-Williams, Lt G.H. Anson, Lt S.G. Loveridge, Lt R. Sidebottom, 2/Lts G.D. Paul, A.V. Negus, J. Radford-Norcop, A. Bromley Davenport. (This group moved via Mudros, and rejoined the regiment on 22 November). 11 men and 11 mules embarked Hired Transport ‘Victorian’, with the East Riding Yeomanry. The rest of the regiment marched to Norwich, where it entrained for Southampton. The regiment embarked the Hired Transport ‘Nessian’, and at 5.45pm next day sailed for Malta. The main body consisted of 16 officers, 501 other ranks, 512 horses and 39 mules.

Their subsequent involvement in the campaign in Palestine is documented here
www.1914-1918.net/staffsyeo.htm

There is only one George Henry Anson on the 1911 census - a 22 year old Law student, born Christchurch, New Zealand, who was recorded as a visitor at 46 Eaton Square, St George Hanover Square, London. I'm not sure how that squares with him being an officer in the Yeomanry a year later. Early appearances on the 1891 census links him to the Staffordshire area but otherwise no reason to believe he is the individual pictured here.

The Yeomanry was territorial component of the Home Defence forces. As a part time soldier George Anson would probably have joined to supplement his income and serve the Crown whilst practising Law. There is therefore no conflict between his military service and residence in London, as already identified above.//

Makes sense that he would be be part-time - I just had nothing to go on at that point to make anything more than a surmise of a possible link. My posting also crossed with Paul Johnson's , so wasn't aware of the Catton Hall connection.

Following that up, it looks like a Colonel George Henry Anson, MC, TD, of Catton Hall, Burton, was High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1941.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Sheriff_of_Derbyshire

There certainly seems to be a New Zealand connection - the Catton Hall page on the Internet has this in the history of the building:-

After Anne Beatrix's death in 1871, Catton was looked after briefly by her two surviving sons and then by a grand-daughter, Augusta Theresa, married to the Reverend Arthur Henry Anson who built the present Chapel. It was their son, Henry Anson-Horton, who inherited Catton at the end of the 19th century. He returned from serving in the Colonial Office with his wife, Katie, and their family, and lived at Catton until 1925 when their eldest son, George. the first son to inherit directly from his father for some 200 years, took over. George looked after Catton from 1925 until 1957. In 1956,having no son and due to ill-health, he sent for his nephew, David Neilson, who returned with his family from New Zealand to take on the estate.
www.catton-hall.com/uploads/Catton History.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catton_Hall

On the 1891 census the 2 year old George Henry, born Christchurch, New Zealand, was recorded at an unnamed building near St Giles Church in the civil parish of Marston Montgomery, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marston_Montgomery

Head of the household is Henry Anson, aged 37, who gives his occupation as Colonial Civil Service.. He was born Potter Hanworth, Lincolnshire. His wife, Katherine Clara, was then aged 35 and was originally from Trinidad in the West Indies.As well as George Henry, they have a daughter, Theresa Maud, (aged 4 and born Cavendish Square, London), and another son, Eustace Arthur, (aged 1 and born Catton, Derbyshire). Making up the household is a cook, a nurse, a nursemaid and a parlour maid.

George, Theresa and his parents don't appear to be on the 1901 census for England and Wales under the surname Anson. They don't appear on the census for Scotland either. His brother Eustace, then aged 11, and recorded as born Croxall, Staffordshire, was listed at a Boarding School, Tower House, Tower Hill, Dorking in Surrey. I must admit I was expecting to find George in a similar establishment.

However a search under the surname Horton, finds the family living at East Close, Christchurch, nr Southampton. Father Henry Anson Horton, (aged 47), is still recorded as a Colonial Civil Servant. Along with wife Katherine, there are three children and 10 servants. The three children are all new arrivals from the 1891 census:-
Maud F A..............aged 10...............born London
Joan.....................aged 6.................born Bonehill, Tamworth, Staffs
Nigel....................aged 3.................born Bonehill, Tamworth, Staffs

George's location as a visitor on the 1911 census has already been mentioned. His parents don't appear to be on the census under either name.

Younger brother Nigel was to fall in the Great War. His name appears on the Eaton Roll of Honour.
wakefieldfhs.org.uk/genealogyjunction/Eton/Eton%20School%...
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1640507/ANSON,%20N%20...

George Henry Anson was awarded his Military Cross in the New Year Honours of 1st January 1918. No Citation is available.

On 7 February 1919 he was an Acting Major serving at Headquarters Yeomanry Regiment. [London Gazette 28 July 1919].//

A public family tree on Ancestry.com shows that he was Rupert Wilfred Bartlett born 15 Nov 1891 in Brigus, Conception Bay, Newfoundland, Canada, son of William James Bartlett and Mary Jemima Leamon. He was the 9th of their 11 children.

Members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment World War I ngb.chebucto.org/NFREG/WWI/ww1-rnr-500-chapter07.shtml#RB... shows RUBERT [sic] WILFRED BARTLETT Reg. No. 166 Enlisted Sept. 2, 1914; Lance Corporal, Sept. 21, 1914; Corporal, April 21, 1915; 2nd Lieutenant, April 22, 1915; Lieutenant, Oct. 16, 1915; British Mediterranean British Expeditionary Force, Nov 14, 1915; British Expeditionary Force, March 14, 1916; Wounded, Gueudecourt, Oct. 12, 1916; Evacuated to England, sick, Oct. 15, 1916; Returned to B.E.F., March 12, 1917; Awarded Military Cross, June 18, 1917; Awarded Bar to Military Cross, Sept. 26, 1917; Killed in action, Marcoing, Nov. 30, 1917; Foreign Decoration, Order of the Crown of Italy, Cavalier, Nov. 29, 1918 From the Canadian Great War Project website www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.as... Military Cross London Gazette, June 18th, 1917. Action Date, April 23rd, 1917 - Les Fosses Farm, Monchy-le-Preux. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He took command of the company and occupied the forming up trench under heavy fire. When the Division on his right had been repulsed he organized a party and repulsed a counterattack. He set a fine example throughout. Bar to Military Cross London Gazette, October 26th, 1917 and September 26th, 1917. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on August 16th, 1917 at Steenbeek. Though suffering from the effects of gas he led his company to their objective in the attack. Though the ground appeared quite impassible he got his company forward and attacked a strong point, personally leading the bombing attack, put the garrison out of action and captured a machine gun. He then selected a good position beyond the strong point and carried out a rapid piece of consolidation. He showed great courage, leadership and determination.

The action of 30 Nov 1917 during which Capt Bartlett was killed. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Battle Honour Cambrai 1917 - details here www.rnfldr.ca/history.aspx?item=149

Here is a commemorative headstone to Capt. Bartlett in his family cemetery in Brigus, Newfoundland. He was the younger brother of famed arctic explorer Captain Bob Bartlett.

I thought this is a great photo and decided to colorize being as historically accurate as possible. See it at pbs.twimg.com/media/BuZsEFYCUAAoaTC.jpg

Some information on Captain Andrews, mostly extracted from local newspapers (Lichfield and Bristol), can be found on the Clifton RFC website: www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/memorial/WW1/andrews.htm Parents: Alderman and Mrs T. Andrews, Old College House, Lichfield Profession: Second brewer at Messrs. W. J. Rogers of Bristol Member of Clifton RFC, 1911-12 Married: Miss Gladys Abrahal, eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs A. J. Abrahal of Sutton Coldfield, September 1916

CWGC database entry: ANDREWS, FREDERICK DUDLEY Rank: Captain Date of Death: 14/08/1917 Regiment/Service: Gloucestershire Regiment 1st/4th Bn. Awards: M C Cemetery: Track X Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium Grave Reference: D. 21. Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Edith Andrews, of Old College House, Lichfield, Staffs; husband of Gladys Ethel Andrews, of Shustoke, Warwickshire. Link: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/157486/ANDREWS,%20FRE...

There are some mentions in the London Gazette: London Gazette, 8 December 1916: "Gloucestershire Regt. -- The undermentioned officers to be temp. Capts.: -- Lt. H. Trapnell. 18th Jan. 1916. 2nd Lt. (temp. Lt.) W. E. Fisher. 25th Apr. 1916. 2nd Lt. (temp. Lt.) F. D. Andrews. 13th Sept. 1916." www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29855/pages/12070 London Gazette, 1 January 1917: [Military Cross award notification] "Lt. (temp. Capt.) Frederick Dudley Andrews, Glouc. R." www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29886/supplements/30 London Gazette. 10 March 1917: "Gloucestershire Regt. -- 2nd Lt. (temp. Lt.) F. D. Andrews (now temp. Capt.) to be acting Capt. whilst comdg. a Co. 5th Sept. 1916." www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29979/supplements/2460 London Gazette, 21 June 1917: "Lt. (temp.) C. M. J. Coote to be Lt., with precedence) as from 1st June 1916, next below Lt. F. D. Andrews, M.C. 22nd June 1917." www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30143/supplements/6167 London Gazette, 8 February 1818: "Gloucestershire Regt. -- Lt. F. D. Andrews, M.C. (since deceased), to be actg. Capt. whilst comdg. a Co. 14th Aug. 1917." www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30517/supplements/1886