Lieutenant-Colonel John Stuart-Wortley
2/6th Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment

John Stuart-Wortley was born in 1880, the only son of the Archibald Stuart Wortley. His family home was at Down Hall, near Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex, but his father also lived at a number of addresses in London. He was educated at Mr. Vaughan’s house at Eton. At seventeen he was apprenticed to the Merchant Service. He volunteered for service in South Africa during the Boer War, serving initially as a Private in the 42nd (Hertfordshire) Company of the 12th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry. While on active service he obtained a commission in the Scottish Horse, was wounded at Moedwill, and was twice mentioned in despatches. Stuart-Wortley was granted an honorary Captaincy for his service in South Africa. In July 1902, he was appointed as a Captain in the 4th (Militia) Battalion of The Highland Light Infantry. He transferred to the regular army in January 1903, joining The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), reverting to the rank of Second-Lieutenant. Stuart-Wortley’s father died on 11th October 1905. John Stuart-Wortley was seconded to The North Nigeria Regiment, and was in charge of the transport in the Anglo-French Boundary Expedition to Lake Chad in 1903. He was later posted to the 11th Sudanese Regiment, and served in the Sudan, latterly as a civil administrator, until 1912. He was conferred with the Order of the Medjidieh by the Khedive of Egypt in December 1910. In April 1912, Stuart-Wortley retired on half-pay. On his return to England he married.
On 1st September 1914, he was appointed to command the 21st (Service) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (4th Public Schools). He went on to serve in France with the battalion from in November 1915 but the unit’s career was short-lived. In February 1916 the 21st Battalion was placed under the direct control of General Headquarters as GHQ Troops. The social backgrounds of the rank-and-file of the four Public Schools battalions of The Royal Fusiliers made them suitable as a source of potential officers, therefore in 24th April 1916 the 21st Battalion was broken up. Stuart-Wortley was temporarily unemployed and returned to England. On 21st June 1916 he was appointed as a Temporary Major in The South Staffordshire Regiment and was posted to the 2/5th Battalion as the Second-in-Command. He returned to France with the 2/5th South Staffords in February 1917. He was later wounded and was also mentioned in despatches. On his return to France he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and given command of the 2/6th South Staffords, whom he led during the fierce fighting at Bourlon Wood during the Battle of Cambrai. Lieutenant-Colonel John Stuart-Wortley was killed at Bullecourt on 21st March 1918. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Information supplied by Andrew Thornton

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