Captain Lord Hugh William Grosvenor (6 April 1884 – 30 October 1914) was a son of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster, and his second wife, formerly The Hon. Katherine Cavendish.
WWI service and death
Grosvenor was the commander of C Squadron, 1st Life Guards, and was killed in action, aged thirty, during World War I.
Lord Hugh's unit deployed at Zandvoorde and participated in the First Battle of Ypres. In an exposed position for six days they held the shallow trench in front of Zandvoorde on the forward slope. Grosvenor sent a message back to his headquarters -
The British trenches were attacked and the cavalry fighting as infantry was overwhelmed in hand-to-hand fighting. By 08.30 on the morning of 30 October 1914 news reached HQ that the 7th Cavalry Brigade had been forced off the Zandvoorde Ridge. With no survivors there was initially some confusion as to Lord Grosvenor's fate.
The 1st Life Guard's war diary noted the action at Zandvoorde -
He was initially reported as being made a prisoner of war. The Times reported a comrade stating that Lord Grosvenor was wounded and his horse killed following a 'gallant charge to draw the fire of the German field batteries'. After the withdrawal of the Life Guards he was believed captured after failing to mount a second horse. However, he was later believed to have been killed in action on 30 October 1914 rather than captured as initially thought.
Having no known grave, he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Marriage and children
Grosvenor married Lady Mabel Crichton, daughter of John Crichton, 4th Earl Erne and his wife Lady Florence Cole, daughter of William Cole, 3rd Earl of Enniskillen, on 21 April 1906. They had two sons:
Gerald Hugh Grosvenor, 4th Duke of Westminster (13 February 1907 - 25 February 1967) Robert George Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster (24 April 1910 - 19 February 1979)
Polo
He was one of a number of British polo players who died in World War I.