Brig.-General Claude Berners WESTMACOTT, C.B.E.
Commanded the Depot Worcestershire Regiment from 1906 to 1909.
Commanded the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment from March 1913 to September 1914.
Claude Berners Westmacott was born in 1865 at Wickham, Durham, son of Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott and Annette Beatrice (nee Berners). Claude was educated at Eton College. Claude Berners Westmacott was gazetted to The Worcestershire Regiment from the 3rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Militia on 5th May 1888, and joined the 1st Battalion in India. He was promoted Lieutenant in December 1889; appointed Adjutant 1st Battalion in November 1892; and held that appointment for four years. In December 1896, he was promoted Captain and remained with 1st Battalion in India until August 1898, when he came home to take up the appointment as Adjutant to 4th (Militia) Battalion (which later became 6th Battalion on formation of 3rd and 4th Regular Battalions in February, 1900). He held this appointment for five years, during which time he proceeded to South Africa on service with the 6th Battalion (Medal with 2 clasps. Mentioned in Despatches July, 1902.) He then re-joined the 1st Battalion in Templemore and was promoted Major on 14th February 1904, remaining with 1st Battalion until appointed to Command the Regimental Depot in 1906. In 1909 he became 2nd-in-Command 1st Battalion and remained as such until March 1911, when he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel to command the 2nd Battalion at Jhansi in succession to Lieut.-Colonel H. de B. Hovell, D.S.O. In March 1913, he brought the 2nd Battalion home to Aldershot. After a strenuous eighteen months at that hot-bed of Military Training, we found ourselves at war with Germany, and in August, 1914, he took the 2nd Battalion to France, and was in command until September, when he took over the 5th Infantry Brigade—leaving the Battalion on the Aisne under Major E. B. Hankey. |
Brig.-Gen. C. B. Westmacott |
He was appointed Brigadier-General 2nd November 1914, and A.D.C. to the King (extra) February 1915. He was twice Mentioned in Despatches, in October 1914, and February 1915.
He had a breakdown in health and was invalided home from France and was later appointed to Command No. 6 District, U.K., in August 1918. He was awarded the C.B.E. in June 1919, and retired in 1920.
After his retirement he took an active part with the British Legion at Lichfield. He was Chairman of the Worcestershire Regiment's Old Comrades' Association from its inception to December 1945.
When stationed in Plymouth with the 1st Battalion in 1897, he married Miss Lily Taylor, whom he survived by a few months. There were no children of the marriage.
Brigadier-General Westmacott was a keen sportsman, and in later years took up Archery with great success.
Brigadier General C. B. Westmacott, C.B.E., died suddenly on 15th March 1948 (age 82), at Wall House, Lichfield. He was buried with military honours at Wall Parish Church, close to his own home, on 18th March 1948. The Colonel of the Regiment, Brigadier B. C. S. Clarke, D.S.O., who was his Adjutant 1912-1914, together with Lieut.-Colonel L. G. H. Bryant, Commanding at Norton, represented the Regiment at the funeral. A bugler of the Regiment sounded the "Last Post" and "Reveille," and a beautiful wreath was sent by the Regiment.
Brigadier General C. B. Westmacott, C.B.E., grave at Wall Parish Church near Lichfield
(photos by Peter Rose)