The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2019 11:18 am Post subject:

Named on the Bowden Parish War Memorial (near St. Boswells) in Roxburghshire as:

LT.COL. HUGH GRAY CHEAPE W.Y.
Hugh Annesley Gray-Cheape, Distinguished Service Order and Bar – age 39 – Lieutenant Colonel, Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcester Yeomanry)
Hugh was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond, Perthshire and at Mulgrave Castle School in North Yorkshire before going to Trinity Hall, Cambridge University. He was commissioned in the Worcestershire Hussars in March 1897. He served in the South African War (1899-1902) with the Imperial Yeomanry and was promoted to Lieutenant in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in March 1903 but with effect from December 1900. He resigned his commission as a Captain but joined the Army Reserve in 1913 and was for a time at Bothendene in Bowden where he was a member of St. Boswells Curling Club and Joint Master of Berwickshire Hounds.
He was appointed as Major in the Worcester Yeomanry in November 1913 and promoted to be Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Warwickshire Yeomanry in 1915. He was awarded the DSO in January 1917. He was awarded a Bar to his DSO for conspicuous gallantry when he commanded the Warwickshire and Worcester Yeomanry in the charge at Huj in Palestine on 8 November 1917.
“Maj. (T./Lt.-Col.) Hugh Annesley Gray-Cheape, D.S.O., Yeo.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led a charge against the enemy's guns with the utmost gallantry and determination. The enemy's gunners were firing at point-blank range, but the guns were captured and the gunners put out of action.”
Hugh was drowned when the troopship “Leasowe Castle” was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UB 51 while sailing from Alexandria to Marseilles.
Born 1878 in Strathmiglo, Fife. Son of the late Colonel George Clarke Cheape of Wellfield, Fife, and of Maud Mary (Hemming) Cheape of Bentley Manor, Worcestershire. Husband of Carsina Gordon (Gray) Gray-Cheape of Carse Gray, Rescobie in Angus who he married in 1906 in Forfar.
Killed by enemy action/Lost at Sea on 27 May 1918. and named on the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt.
Also named on the Aberlemno Parish and on the Rescobie Parish War Memorials in Angus, on the Strathmiglo Parish War Memorial in Fife and on the Glenalmond College memorial.

His brother Captain Leslie St. Clair Cheape, 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards attached to the Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcester Yeomanry) was killed in Palestine on 23 April 1916.
The brothers are named on the Webheath and District War Memorial at St. Phillips Church near Redditch, Worcestershire
and on the Strathmiglo Parish War Memorial in Fife.

_________________
Ken