Middlesex Duke of Cambridge’s Hussars, Yeomanry Cavalry

Captain Seymour Jacob Van den Bergh

Seymour Jacob Van den Bergh was born in Hampstead on 28 July 1890. He was the son of Dutch-born parents of Sephardi Jewish descent, Henri and Henriette Van den Bergh. His father was a well-known art collector and chairman of the family business which manufactured margarine. It later merged with Lever Brothers to form Unilever. His mother was Henriette Charlotte Spanjaard. They had six children. Seymour was educated at Clifton College and Balliol, Oxford. He was commissioned into the Middlesex Hussars in 1915, fighting at first on the Western Front where his brother James was also serving, as an artillery officer. James was sadly killed there. The Middlesex Hussars were then posted to Palestine and fought at the Battle of El Buqqar Ridge. Seymour’s detachment was holding Hill 720 which came under sustained Turkish attack for several hours before being overwhelmed. In this action another Middlesex officer Major Alexander Lafone won the VC. Only four men escaped but Captain Van den Bergh was killed. The date of his death was 27 Oct 1917. He is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery.

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