Capt. Sir Walter Randolph Fitzroy FARQUHAR

[robertb]

I am seeking information on this gentleman. I know he was killed in action in Octeber 1918, Age 40. Buried in Fosse No. 10 Communal Cemetery Extension, Sains-en-Gohelle. I am particularly interested in what Division & Corps he was attached to at his death. The CWGC states the 59th Div., but I'm unsure about this.

Regards,

Rob

[Bob Coulson]

Rob,

Cross of Sacrifice also gives 59th Division.

Bob.

[rflory]

Captain Sir Walter Randolph Fitzroy Farquhar, Fifth Baronet

Born in London on 31 May 1878, the son of Walter Randolph Farquhar and the Hon. Kathleen Mary, younger daughter of Sir Thomas Bateson, second baronet, afterwards Baron Deramore.

Married Violet, eldest daughter of Colonel Charles Seymour Corkran on 17 Dec 03 and they had four children.

Educated at Eton from 1892 to 1896.

Honorary attache to the British Embassy at St. Petersburg in 1898

Aide-de-Camp to the Govenor of Queensland, Australia from 1899 to 1901

Served at Gallipoli and Egypt with the RASC in 1915-16

Transferred to the RFA in 1917 and posted as Aide-de-Camp to the General Officer Commanding, 58th Division

Mentioned in Despatches in 1918

Killed in action near Arras, 15 October 1918

Sources: Old Public School Boys, Who's Who, Eton; List of Etonians Who Fought in the Great War, MCMXIV-MCMXIX.

[robertb]

rflory,

That is magnificant! How do you do it?

The period I am interested in is his time in the RASC, this is where I am getting confused. Would you know if he served with the 29th Divisional Train during his time with the RASC in Gallipoli and Egypt? If so this would make my pursuit almost complete.

I have information on his batman, who is a grandfather of a friend of mine, who served in the RASC with the 29th Div in Gallipoli and Egypt. What was confounding the story was CWGC relating his death whilst serving with the RFA (59th Div.).

Thankyou,

Rob

[rflory]

Rob: I don't have much on the RASC but I will see what I can find. I am not totally convinced that he was serving with the 58th Division when he was killed - he might possibly have been serving with the 59th Division. Let me see if I can explain:

The "Old Public School-Boys Who's Who, Eton" indicates that he was "aide-de-camp to the general officer commanding the 58th division, Major-General Albemarle Bertie Edward Cator, CB, DSO, January-May 1918." The question is what did he do after May 1918. I can suggest one scenario:

MGen Cator became sick and was relieved as GOC, 58 Division on 10 May 1918. He was replaced by BGen CG Higgins, who is listed as an Acting Commander from 10 May to 21 May 1918. On 21 May 1918 MGen N M Smyth, VC became GOC of the 58th Division and remained in that position until 10 Jun 1918 when he took sick and was replaced by BGen Higgins. My guess is that Captain Farquhar remained as ADC with both Higgins and Smyth. Smyth recovered from his sickness and on 29 Aug 18 was appointed as GOC 59th Division and served in that position for the rest of the war. I think it is quite possible that he took Farquhar with him as ADC in his new divisional command and that he was serving in that position when he was KIA. It would certainly explain the 59th Division listing on the CWGC listing and in the "Cross of Sacrifice."

Regards. Dick

[robertb]

Dick,

It certainly is a fascinating trail. Was it a frequent occurence for officers to move about, what seems to be, disperate elements of the Army (i.e. RASC and RFA)?

It was the ASC until the Armistice, I understand.

Cheers once again,

Rob