Launcelot Edward Seth Ward (7 August 1875 – 27 August 1929) was a career soldier who commanded the First Battalion of the King's African Rifles in the First World War in East Africa. He also played first-class cricket for

Somerset County Cricket Club Somerset County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Somerset. Founded in 1875, Somerset was initially regarded as a minor ...

between 1913 and 1920. He was born at Apsley,

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

and died at

Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...

, London. In cricket databases he is referred to as "Lancelot"; the death notice placed by his family and the obituary in '' The Times'' in 1929 both give his name as "Launcelot".

Background and education

Ward was the fourth son of the Reverend Percival Seth Ward who, at the time of Launcelot's birth, was vicar of

Apsley End Shillington is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. In the south of the parish the hamlet of Pegsdon includes the Pegsdon hills nature reserve and is a salient of the county into Hertfordshire. Since 1985 its administration h ...

, Hertfordshire, and was later a vicar in Worcestershire. He was educated at Felsted School.

Military career

Ward joined the

Oxfordshire Light Infantry The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was a light infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1958, serving in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. The regiment was formed as a consequence of th ...

from school and was commissioned a

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 ...

on 1 December 1897. He saw active service in India, where he took part in the Tirah Campaign under Sir

William Lockhart William Lockhart may refer to: * William Lockhart of Lee (1621–1675), Oliver Cromwell's ambassador at Paris * William Lockhart (surgeon) (1811–1896), medical missionary and fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons * William Lockhart (priest) (18 ...

1897–98, and was promoted a lieutenant on 28 October 1898 . In April 1902 he was seconded for service under Foreign office, and joined the King's East African Rifles in Uganda. He later transferred to this regiment, eventually commanding the regiment and, at the start of the First World War, being in charge of all forces in East Africa. He held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel but was made an acting

brigadier-general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in operations in Western Europe later in the War, being twice wounded and twice mentioned in dispatches. He retired from the Army at the end of the war and from 1924 to 1929 was

ADC ADC may refer to: Science and medicine * ADC (gene), a human gene * AIDS dementia complex, neurological disorder associated with HIV and AIDS * Allyl diglycol carbonate or CR-39, a polymer * Antibody-drug conjugate, a type of anticancer treatment ...

to the Governor-General of Nyasaland, Sir Charles Calvert Bowring; his obituary states that he had bought property in what is now Malawi and was intending to retire there, but he died after an operation in London.

Cricket career

Ward was stated to be "a keen cricketer, and played for All-India, M. C. C. and the Free Foresters". He played three times in first-class cricket for Somerset: once as a middle-order batsman in a single County Championship match in 1913, and then twice as a lower-order batsman in back-to-back games against the first-class universities in 1920. He reached double figures just once in five first-class innings.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Launcelot 1875 births 1929 deaths English cricketers Somerset cricketers British Army personnel of World War I Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry officers Companions of the Distinguished Service Order King's African Rifles officers People from Dacorum (district) Cricketers from Hertfordshire