Killed in action aged 31
Buried near Richebourg
Francis Hugh was born in Camberley, the son of Major Francis Beaufort (Royal Artillery) and Adela Hastings, daughter of Edward Divett, MP for Exeter 1832-64. He was descended from Francis de Beaufort, Chevalier de la Cour, a Lippe-Detmold who migrated from France on the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
His great great uncle, Colonel H S Davis, served in 52nd from 1826 to 1851.
He was educated at St David’s Reigate, Stone House Broadstairs, and Wellington College. While up at Christ Church 1902-05 he was attached to the Devonshire Regiment for military training. Nominated by the university for a commission, he was gazetted on 16 August 1905 as 2nd Lieutenant to the 1st Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Francis Hugh served in India and Burma, where he played polo for the Regiment in many tournaments. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1907, and stationed with his regiment in Nilgiris, India in 1911. On 31 December 1913 he married Charlotte Gwendoline Frances Hope, daughter of Charles and Leonara Hope, at Bamburgh, Northumberland.
He was promoted Captain 2nd Battalion on 18 April 1914, went to France on 1 December 1914, and was present at the action near Richebourg on 15/16 May 1915 when the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Enniskillen’s captured some German earthworks.
He came unharmed out of the terrific fighting during the nights but was shot by a sniper whilst trying to reach his commanding officer on the following morning.
He was buried 16 May 1915 in an orchard near Richebourg at Festubert, Pas de Calais and his name is on Panel 26 of the Le Touret Memorial.
His Estate amounted to £3155.9s.0d. Probate, granted to a solicitor, states that he was “recently stationed at Ahmednagar, India“.