William Arthur Bampfylde Onslow, 6th Earl of Onslow, (11 June 1913 – 3 June 1971), known as Viscount Cranley until 1945, was a British peer, politician and

army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

officer. Onslow was the eldest son of

Richard William Alan Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow Richard William Alan Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow (23 August 1876 – 9 June 1945), styled Viscount Cranley until 1911, was a British peer, diplomat, parliamentary secretary and government minister. Background and education Viscount Cranle ...

and Violet Marcia Catherine Warwick Bampfylde, daughter of Coplestone Bampfylde, 3rd Baron Poltimore, and was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

and the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC), founded in 1801 and established in 1802 at Great Marlow and High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, but moved in October 1812 to Sandhurst, Berkshire, was a British Army military academy for training infantry a ...

Military career

From Sandhurst Onslow was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Life Guards in 1934, and promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in 1938. During the Second World War he transferred to 4th County of London Yeomanry, winning the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and temporary

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

for his actions on 19 and 23 November during

Operation Crusader Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during the Second World War by the British Eighth Army (United Kingdom), Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) ...

in the Western Desert. The citation describes how on 19 November he continued fighting his tank after it had been immobilised, and on 23 November, led two

troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...

s of tanks into battle standing on his

scout car A scout car is a light wheeled armored military vehicle, purpose-built and used for passive reconnaissance. Scout cars are either unarmed or lightly armed for self-defense, and do not carry large caliber weapons systems. This differentiates them ...

waving the tanks on with his handkerchief; the award was gazetted on 12 February 1942. As an acting

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

, he commanded the regiment in the

Battle of Villers-Bocage The Battle of Villers-Bocage took place during the Second World War on 13 June 1944, one week after the Normandy Landings, which had begun the Western Allies' conquest of German-occupied France. The battle was the result of a British attempt to ...

during the Normandy Campaign in 1944. His unit was attacked by

Michael Wittmann Michael Wittmann (22 April 19148 August 1944) was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. He is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armored Division during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. Whil ...

of the

Waffen SS The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands. The grew from th ...

who attacked with six tanks. He was subsequently captured by the Germans and was a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

until the end of the war. In 1961 he published an account of his war service, ''Men and Sand''.

Politics

Politically, Onslow was a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

and was co-opted to the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

to represent

Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...

in 1940. He held the seat at the council election in 1946, remaining a member of the body until 1949. From 1949 to 1952 he was a member of

Surrey County Council Surrey County Council is the county council administering certain services in the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 81 elected councillors, and in all but one election since 1965 the Conservative Party has ...

. In 1945 he succeeded to his father's titles, and a place in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

, and was Assistant Chief Conservative

Whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

in the house from 1951 to 1960. He subsequently left the party, joining the Liberals in 1965. Lord Onslow was appointed a Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John on 8 July 1947, and

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

on 31 October 1960. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey, resigning on 13 April 1962.

Territorial Army

Onslow continued in part-time service with the Territorial Army after the war, now with 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), and was promoted to substantive lieutenant-colonel on 1 May 1947. He was promoted

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

on 21 March 1950, awarded the

Territorial Efficiency Decoration __NOTOC__ The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army. This award superseded the Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the Te ...

on 21 April 1950, and transferred to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers on 4 July 1951. He was appointed

Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK Government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The present Captain is The 9th Earl of Courtown, who was appointed to the position in ...

on 5 November 1951, and Honorary Colonel of 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) on 21 June 1956. As Captain of the

Yeomen of the Guard The King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a Sovereign's Bodyguard, bodyguard of the British monarch. The List of oldest military units and formations in continuous operation, oldest British military corps still in existence, it was ...

he took part in the funeral of

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

, and the coronation of

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

Family

On 4 August 1936, Onslow married Pamela Louisa Eleanor Dillon, only daughter of

Eric Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon Brigadier Eric FitzGerald Dillon, 19th Viscount Dillon, Order of St Michael and St George, CMG, Distinguished Service Order, DSO (1881–1946) was an Peerage of Ireland, Irish Peerage, peer and British Army officer who served in World War I. He w ...

. They had two children: * Michael William Coplestone Dillon Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow (born 28 February 1938, died 14 May 2011) * Lady Teresa Lorraine Onslow (born 26 February 1940), who married the author

Auberon Waugh Auberon Alexander Waugh (17 November 1939 – 16 January 2001) was an English journalist and novelist, and eldest son of the novelist Evelyn Waugh. He was widely known by his nickname "Bron". After a traditional classical education at Downside ...

, eldest son of

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...

, on 1 July 1961. Onslow divorced his wife in 1962 and remarried, to Nina Edith Jo Sturdee (who died in 2006), later that year. He died in 1971 aged 57 and was succeeded by his only son. His grandchildren include Daisy and

Alexander Waugh Alexander Evelyn Michael Waugh (born 1963) is an English writer, critic, and journalist. Among other books, he has written ''Fathers and Sons: The Autobiography of a Family'' (2004), about five generations of his own family, and ''The House of Wi ...

The Peerage, entry for Auberon Waugh
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References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Onslow, William Onslow, 6th Earl Of 1913 births 1971 deaths Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire British Life Guards officers British Army personnel of World War II Commanders of the Order of St John Members of Surrey County Council Deputy Lieutenants of Surrey Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Members of London County Council People educated at Winchester College Recipients of the Military Cross 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) officers 6 Ministers in the third Churchill government, 1951–1955 Ministers in the Eden government, 1955–1957 Ministers in the Macmillan and Douglas-Home governments, 1957–1964