George Crespigny Brabazon Vivian, 4th Baron Vivian (21 January 1878 – 28 December 1940) was a British soldier from the

Vivian family Vivian may refer to: *Vivian (name), a given name and also a surname Toponyms * Vivian, Louisiana, U.S. * Vivian, South Dakota, U.S. * Vivian, West Virginia, U.S. * Vivian Island, Nunavut, Canada * Ballantrae, Ontario, a hamlet in Stouffville, ...

who served with distinction in both the

Second Anglo-Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

and

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life

He was born at

Connaught Place, London Connaught Place is an area in the Bayswater area of the City of Westminster (a London Borough). The nearest London Underground station to Connaught Place is Marble Arch which is a few minutes to the East near Marble Arch walking past the site ...

, on 21 January 1878 to

Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian Hussey Crespigny Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian, (19 June 1834 – 21 October 1893) was a British diplomat from the Vivian family. Background Born at Connaught Place, London, Vivian was the eldest son of Charles Vivian, 2nd Baron Vivian, and was ed ...

and Louisa Duff. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

where he rowed in the VIII and was elected into Pop. Succeeding to the title in October 1893, at the age of 15, he took his seat 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 ...

in February 1900. He subsequently joined the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

and was commissioned a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

officer as

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the

17th Lancers The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1759 and notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The regiment was amalgamated with the 21st Lanc ...

on 14 March 1900.

Military career

Lord Vivian served with considerable distinction in the

Battle of Elands River

On 17 September 1901, Smuts' commando encountered the

in the vicinity of

Tarkastad Tarkastad is a Karoo semi-urban settlement situated on the banks Tarka River in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Tarkastad is on a plain to the north of the Winterberg mountain range on the R61 between Cradock and Queenstown and only ...

. Smuts realised that the Lancers' camp was their one opportunity to re-equip themselves with horses, food and clothing. A fierce fight, subsequently to be known as the Battle of Elands River took place with the Lancers being caught in a cross-fire and suffering heavy casualties. Stunned by the onslaught, the remaining Lancers put up a white flag.

Deneys Reitz Deneys Reitz (1882—1944), son of Francis William Reitz, was a Boer warrior who fought in the Second Boer War for the South African Republic against the British Empire. After a period of exile in French Madagascar he returned to South Af ...

, a younger commando member, encountered Captain Victor Sandeman, the Lancers' commander, and Vivian, who was his

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 ...

, among the wounded. In his book ''Commando'',

, one of the Boers, recounts how Vivian pointed out his bivouac tent and told him it would be worth his while to take a look at it. Soon, Reitz, who had been wearing a grain-bag and using an old

Mauser Mauser, originally Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik ("Royal Württemberg Rifle Factory"), was a German arms manufacturer. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols has been produced since the 1870s for the German arme ...

rifle with only two rounds of ammunition left, was dressed in a

tunic and riding

breeches Breeches ( ) are an article of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each human leg, leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. Formerly a standard item of Weste ...

and armed with a Lee-Metford sporting rifle.Commando. Deneys Reitz. London 1929. No ISBN Reitz reports that he met Lord Vivian again in London in 1935, on excellent terms.No Outspan. Deneys Reitz. Faber and Faber, London, 1943. No ISBN. Thomas Pakenham, in his introduction to the 1983 Jonathan Ball edition of ''Commando'', reports a more elaborate story. In this touching account, Vivian overcomes Reitz's reluctance to take Vivian's possessions, and presents Reitz's original rifle to him in London in 1943. As Vivian died in 1940 this is impossible.

Later military service

Recovering from wounds received in the battle, Vivian returned to the United Kingdom in December 1901. He later served in the First World War, being appointed to the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

in 1918. Among his medals were the

, the Legion of Honour, and the

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

. He was appointed aide-de-camp to King

Albert I of Belgium Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934. Born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-S ...

. He was also awarded the ''Ordre de Leopold avec Palme, Officier''.

Marriages and children

On 1 August 1903 Vivian married Barbara Cicely Fanning. They had two children: *

Hon Hon or HON may refer to: People * Han (surname) (Chinese: 韩/韓), also romanized Hon * Louis Hon (1924–2008), French footballer * Priscilla Hon (born 1998), Australian tennis player Other uses * Hon (Baltimore), a cultural stereotype of ...

Daphne Winifred Louise Vivian (11 July 1904 - 5 December 1997) * Anthony Crespigny Claude Vivian, 5th Baron Vivian (4 March 1906 - 24 June 1991) They divorced in 1907. The co-respondent was Alfred Curphey. Lord Vivian was married secondly on 5 January 1911 to Nancy Lycett Green (died 6 May 1970), daughter of Sir Edward Lycett Green, 2nd Baronet. They also had two children:Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 3, page 3393 * Hon Ursula Vanda Maud Vivian (16 June 1912 - 11 November 1984) * Hon Douglas David Edward Vivian (16 January 1915 - 27 July 1973) He died on 28 December 1940, aged 62.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vivian, George 4th Baron Vivian Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom People educated at Eton College 1878 births 1940 deaths People from Westminster British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Army personnel of World War I 17th Lancers officers Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Deputy Lieutenants of Cornwall British Yeomanry officers

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

Eldest sons of British hereditary barons