Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Courtenay, DSO, MC,

1st Battalion the Bedfordshire Regiment.

Awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross.

He was the son of Charles Clibborn and Constance Helen Courtenay (nee Miles), of Manor Farm House, East Horsley, Surrey.

Educated at Hurstleigh School, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Commissioned into the Bedfordshire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on 19 Sep 1908. Promoted to Lieutenant on 1 Apr 1910, to Captain on 15 Dec 1914. He was serving with the 1st Battalion in Mullingar, Ireland when WW1 started and deployed with them as part of 15th Infantry Brigade in the 5th Division, landing in France on on 16 Aug 1914, fighting in the Battle of Mons in August, at Le Cateau, and at the battles of the Marne and the Aisne. He was wounded in the temple during the Battle of the Aisne, the resulting injury leaving him partially blind in one eye. He was then sent to be Adjutant of the Territorial Force Dec 1914 to Apr 1915. He returned as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion Apr-Nov 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC)[London Gazette: 3 Jun 1916]. He was a Staff Captain Nov 1915-Jun 1916. A DAQMG from Jun 1916 in Italy. Lieutenant Colonel Worrall, commanding the 1st Battalion, invited him to spend Christmas Day 1917 with his old battalion. After a thoroughly enjoyable day catching up with those from his old friends who remained, he requested to return as Worrall's second in command. Although his request was initially refused, he re-applied and was eventuall granted his wish during the summer of 1918. He took over command of the 1st Battalion as a Lieutenant Colonel on 18 Jun 1918. He led his battalion during their assault against Achiet Le Grand, leading and inspiring them from the front after they had been pinned down by a large number of machine guns along the ridge line they were attacking. Although the gunners missed him while he stood tall on the battlefield as he rallied his men. He was severely wounded just as the position fell to his determined battalion's bayonet charge. He was given instant first aid and rushed back into the medical system but his wounds were too severe and he died later that day at the Casualty Clearing Station in Gezaincourt. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Ortder (DSO) [Edinburgh Gazette: 4 Dec 1918]. Capt. and Bt. Maj. (A./Lt.-Col.) Hugh

Courtenay, M.C., 1st Bn., Bedf. R. "For conspicuous gallantry and resource in action. While directing the advance of his battalion one company became slightly disorganised owing to heavy fire. He rushed forward and led the men on. He then went to the left of the attack, where it was held up by wire, and encouraged short rushes, himself setting the example. Finally, he led the first wave himself until the last objective was reached. During the consolidation he was wounded.

He was buried in Bagneux British Cemetery, Gézaincourt, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

He is also commemorated on the East Horsley WW1 Memorial Cross, St. Martin's Church, Ockham Road South, East Horsley, Surrey (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/184949/) and on the Bedfordshire Regiment WW1 Memorial in the Royal Memorial Chapel, RMA Sandhurst, Camberley, Surrey Heath Borough, Surrey, England.