Wentworth Beaumont, 3rd Viscount Allendale

Wentworth Hubert Charles Beaumont, 3rd Viscount Allendale (12 September 1922–27 December 2002) was a British peer, Royal Air Force officer and race horse breeder.^[1][2]

Early life

Allendale was born on 12 September 1922 to the 2nd Viscount Allendale, a courtier, and his wife Violet Seely. His father's father was the 1st Viscount Allendale, a politician, and his mother's father was Sir Charles Seely, 2nd Baronet, also a politician.^[1] He spent his earlier years living at the family seat of Bretton Hall, near Wakefield, Yorkshire.^[2] He was an accident prone child and had a number of near-death experiences: he was rescued from a house fire in 1927, was electrocuted and left temporarily paralysed when a lamp fell in his bath when aged 14, and at 15 shot himself while pigeon shooting with friends.^[1] He was educated at Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire.^[2]

Career

Military service

Allendale joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in 1940 after he had completed his schooling.^[2] He had flown 71 missions in a Spitfire until he became a prisoner of war in 1942. On 31 May, he had been attacking a ship off the coast of the Netherlands, before being shot down by flak.^[1][3] Having injured his leg in the crash, he was taken captive and transported to Stalag Luft III, a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany.^[1] He was promoted to flying officer (war substantive) on 16 July 1942 and to flight lieutenant (war substantive) on 16 July 1943.^[4][5] In March 1944, the Great Escape occurred from Stalag Luft III. He was not involved in the escape itself on account of his leg injury, but was part of the map-making team.^[1] Having spent three years as a prisoner of war, he was released following the end of World War II in 1945.^[2]

References