Page 48 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

2nd Lt. Arnold Bexley VANSITTART 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars
1890 - 12th May 1915

In 1911, 21-year-old Arnold Vansittart (a descendant of Lord Bexley) was working in the
London offices of a chartered Accountant. He served in the Inns of Court Officer’s training
Corps for three years and obtained his Commission in the special reserve of Officers in
August 1914, when he was gazetted to the 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars. On 15th
August 1914, just ten days following the declaration of war, the 11th Hussars sailed from
Southampton to France, commanded by Lt. Col. Pitman. As well as 26 officers and 532
non-commissioned officers, the ship carried 608 horses.

April 1915 - Ypres, South West Belgium In the month or so of fighting, the Germans
had captured around two-thirds of the ground and inflicted some 60,000 casualties on the
British, one of which was 2nd Lieutenant Vansittart. He was badly wounded on 11th May
and, despite all the medical orderlies dedicated efforts, he died the next day. He was 25-
years-of-age.The devastating news deeply shocked the people of North Cray, who looked
up to Captain Vansittart and his family with great respect. The Saturday parade of the
Sidcup Volunteer Training Corps, of which Captain Vansittart was the Commanding Officer,
held a brief Memorial Service.

In Memoriam: 2nd Lt Arnold Bexley Vansittart was buried in Brandhoek Military
Cemetery which was opened in 1915 in a field adjoining the dressing station.
_______________________

Arnold Bexley Vansittart, who was born in London in 1890 and educated at Eton and
Christ Church College, Oxford, was the second son of Captain Robert Vansittart, a
descendant of Nicholas Vansittart (later created Lord Bexley) who occupied Foots Cray
Place until his death in 1851. The impressive Mansion and adjoining land had been a
dominating influence in North Cray for almost a century and many local men and women
worked in the house and on the expansive landscaped grounds (believed to have been
originally designed by Capability Brown) which had the River Cray flowing through its
centre.

Nicholas Vansittart married the Hon. Catherine Isabella Eden, but she died in 1810 without
having had any children. The title of Lord Bexley was extinguished after his death and the
property in North Cray was inherited by other members of this Dutch Hugeonot family.

In the early part of the 19th Century Nicholas Vansittart was an MP and in 1821 after the
British Government had assumed responsibility for the East India Co. he was a member of
the Home Department alongside many illustrious names in our history.

THE EAST INDIA REGIMENT AND DIRECTORY - 1821
HOME DEPARTMENT
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE BOARD OF COMMISSION FOR
THE AFFAIRS OF INDIA
THE RT. HON. CHARLES BATHURST MP, PRESIDENT
SECRETARIES OF STATE:
RT HON LORD CASTLEREAGH
RT HON EARL BATHURST
RT HON LORD SIDMOUTH
RT HON EARL OF LIVERPOOL
RT HON NICHOLAS VANSITTART MP

48