Francis Whitmore DSO

Francis Henry Douglas Charlton Whitmore was born at Gumley Hall, Leicestershire, on 20 April 1872, son of Captain Thomas Charles Douglas Whitmore late of the Royal Horse Guards. Francis was educated at Eton and started his military career in the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers, in 1892. He transferred to the Essex Yeomanry and served with them in the Boer War. He reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1915 and fought with the Yeomanry in WW1, wounded twice, until, in April 1918 he was appointed commanding officer of the 10th Hussars. He remained with them until 1919.
He wroteThe 10th Royal Hussars and Essex Yeomanry during the European War 1914 - 1918 (1920). He was made a JP and High Sheriff of Essex in 1922. He was Lord Lieutenant of Essex from 1936 to 1958, and created a baronet; Sir Francis Whitmore of Orsett in the County of Essex. His father had acquired the derelict Orsett Hall in 1890 as a result of a gambling debt from a fellow Blues officer, and Sir Francis, having devoted much time and energy in restoring the house and estate, finally inherited it in 1907. He was married twice, firstly to Violet Houldsworth who died in 1927, and secondly to Ellis Johnsen. He had a son and daughter by his second marriage. He was a keen amateur painter of portraits and had the good fortune to have his own three quarter length portrait painted by Sir Frank Dicksee wearing the post-war service dress uniform of the Essex Yeomanry. Another fine portrait, by Sir Herbert James Gunn depicts Colonel Sir Francis H D C Whitmore Bt KCB CMG DSO TD JP in the scarlet dress uniform of Lord Lieutenant. The photo seen here, shows him in 10th Hussars service dress. He was a brave, efficient and well-loved CO, although a stickler for spit and polish. He was nick-named Colonel Brasso. He died on 12 June 1962.

Regimental Details | Commanding Officers