BETHELL, Capt Edward Walter (1891-1918)

Scope and Content

Papers relating to Bethell's life and career, [1898]-1927, and to his death in action, near Ephy, France, 21 Sep 1918, including letters and telegrams of condolence to Bethell's parents, notably from HM King George V, Brig Gen Charles Robert Graham Mayne, commanding 19 Infantry Bde, and Brevet Lt Col Percy Charles Esdaile, Commanding Officer, 1 Bn, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt), 1918; photograph of Bethell's grave, Ephy Wood Farm Cemetery, France [1920]; seven photographs of Bethell [1898-1918]; Capt Bethell's Record of Services book, 1911, and the official scroll, sent to the next of kin of servicemen killed in action [1919]; letters from the War Office, the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries, and the Imperial War Graves Commission relating to Capt Bethell's death, gravestone and location of cemetery and grave, 1918-1927; letter to Adm Hon Sir Alexander Edward Bethell from Maj George Nowers Dyer, Commanding Officer, Depot, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt), Guildford, Surrey, relating to the collection of photographs of the Regiment's officers killed in World War One, for inclusion in the Regimental Museum, Nov 1923.

Administrative / Biographical History

Born 1891; educated at Sandroyd Cobham, Winchester College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; commissioned into 1 Bn, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt), 1911; service in Gibraltar, 1911-1912; served in Bermuda, 1912-1914; Lt, 1913; service in Pretoria, South Africa, 1914; served in World War One, 1914-1918; wounded, First Battle of Ypres, Belgium, 1914; acting Capt, 1915; Capt, 1915; Assistant Instructor, Mersey School of Instruction, 1915-1916; Company Commander, No 8, Officer Cadet Bn, 1916-1917; Staff Course, Clare College, Cambridge, 1917; Assistant Instructor, No 1 School of Instruction for Infantry Officers, 1917-1918; Senior Officers Course, Aldershot, Hampshire, 1918; commanded B Company, 1 Bn, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt), 19 Infantry Bde, 33 Div, 5 Corps, 3 Army, Western Front, 1918; killed in action, near Epehy, France, 21 Sep 1918.

Arrangement

1 file

Access Information

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

Acquisition Information

Placed in the Centre by the family in 1986.

Other Finding Aids

Summary guide available on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Conditions Governing Use

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, attention of the Director of Archive Services.

Related Material

The Centre also holds the papers of Bethell's father, Adm Hon Sir Alexander Edward Bethell (1855-1932) (Ref: Bethell, A E), brother, Lt Maurice John Bethell, RN, killed in action, Battle of Jutland, 1916 (Ref: Bethell, M J), sister, Mrs Agatha [Hilda] Marsden Smedley (1895-1985) (Ref: Marsden Smedley, A H), and brother in law, Cdr John Bertram Aubrey Marsden Smedley, RN ([1893]-1959) (Ref: Marsden Smedley, J B A).

Corporate Names

Geographical Names