Acworth D H Major MC Indian Army
MAJOR DOUGLAS HARRY ACWORTH, M.C.
COKE’S RIFLES
MAJOR DOUGLAS HARRY ACWORTH, M.C. (D, 1899-1908) was born on October 27th, 1885. He was the son of H. A. Acworth Esq. C.I.E. of Great Malvern, and elder brother of Second Lieutenant J. A. Acworth (o, 1911-1916), Worcester Regiment, who died of wounds on October 18th, 1917. He entered Culver House from Mr. Douglas school at Malvem Link and his last year was a House Prefeet and ninth man on Wimbledon Roll. He passed into Sandhurst in 1904, where he again distinguished himself as a rifle-shot, and in the following year went out to India to join the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, In 1900 he was transferred to Coke’s Rifles, Frontier Force, and served with them through the Mohmand campaign of 1908, latterly as Adjutant.
In August 1914 he was home on leave and was detained in England to take part in the training of the New Army. A few months later he joined the Indian Corps in France and in November 1914 received the M.C. for a successful bombing exploit: his name appeared in Despatches about the same time. In 1915 he was promoted to the staff, and was severely wounded in April of that year while leading a column into action near Neuve Chapelle. On his recovery he joined the staff at Canterbury and subsequently went to Egypt. When the Armistice was concluded he was serving with great credit on the Headquarters Staff of General Sir Edmund (now Lord) Allenby in Palestine.
He died of influenza at Port Said on January 21st, 1919, a few days after returning from leave.
Major Acworth married in 1015 Miss Edith Knowles and left one son. He was a fine horseman and shot, and in 1914 won a silver cup as “the best man-at-arms in the Bannu Brigade.” The Order of the Nile was awarded him after his death.
Source : Wykehamists Who Died In The War 1914-1918 Vol 2