Raymond Asquith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raymond Asquith
Born	6 November 1878 Hampstead, London, England
Died	15 September 1916(1916-09-15) (aged 37) near Ginchy, France
Cause of death	Killed in action
Resting place	CWGC Guillemont Road Cemetery
Nationality	British
Education	Winchester College Balliol College, Oxford
Occupation	Lawyer
Spouse(s)	Katharine Frances Horner
Children	3, including: Julian Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith
Parent(s)	H. H. Asquith Helen Melland
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1915-16
Unit	3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards
Battles/wars	First World War Battle of the Somme Battle of Flers-Courcelette   †

Raymond Herbert Asquith (born 6 November 1878 – died 15 September 1916) was an English barrister (a type of lawyer). He was the oldest son of H. H. Asquith, who was the British Prime Minister at the time.

Raymond was a very smart student at Oxford University. He was also part of a group of fashionable and clever friends called the Coterie. This group included people like Lady Diana Manners and Julian Grenfell. Like many of his friends, Raymond Asquith was killed in action during the First World War. This happened while his father was still the Prime Minister.

Raymond Asquith's Life and Achievements

Raymond Asquith was the first son of British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. His mother was Helen Kelsall Melland.

His Education and Early Career

Raymond went to Winchester College, a famous school. From there, he won a scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford in 1896. He was known for being very brilliant. He won several important scholarships and graduated with top honors.

In 1902, he became a fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. He also received a special scholarship for law and became a lawyer in 1904. Raymond was a tall and handsome man. He was part of the Coterie, a group of smart and social people from the Edwardian era (the early 1900s).

His Work as a Lawyer

As a lawyer, Raymond Asquith helped with important cases. He was a junior counsel (a lawyer who gives advice) in the North Atlantic Fisheries Arbitration. He also worked on the British inquiry into the sinking of the RMS Titanic. People thought he might become a politician for the Liberal Party in Derby.

Joining the Army

However, the First World War started, and his plans changed. On 17 December 1914, he joined the army as a second lieutenant. He was part of the 16th Battalion, London Regiment. Later, on 14 August 1915, he moved to the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. He was given a job as a staff officer, which meant he worked behind the lines. But Raymond asked to go back to active duty with his battalion (a large group of soldiers). His request was granted just before the Battle of the Somme.

His Death in Battle

On 15 September 1916, Raymond Asquith was leading his soldiers in an attack. This happened near Ginchy during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. He was shot in the chest. Even though he was badly hurt, he famously lit a cigarette. He did this to hide how serious his injuries were, so his men would keep fighting. He died while being carried back to the British lines.

Raymond Asquith was buried at Guillemont in the CWGC Guillemont Road Cemetery. His gravestone has a special message from Shakespeare's play Henry V: 'Small time but in that small most greatly lived this star of England'.

Winston Churchill, who later became Prime Minister, wrote about Raymond Asquith in 1928. He said that Raymond faced death easily and bravely. Churchill felt that the war, which tested so many people, never fully understood Raymond's strength. He described Raymond as cool, calm, and determined when he went into battle.

The writer John Buchan was a friend of Raymond Asquith. He wrote about their friendship in his book Memory Hold-the-Door. Buchan said that Raymond was greatly admired but not always popular. He was very smart but could be a bit distant. However, to his friends, Raymond was incredibly thoughtful, kind, and loyal.

Memorials for Raymond Asquith

Many memorials were created to remember Raymond Asquith.

Amiens Cathedral Memorial

A special memorial tablet was placed in Amiens Cathedral in France. The words on it are in French and Latin. They say: "Pray for the soul of RAYMOND ASQUITH Lieutenant of the Grenadiers of the Royal Guard. Eldest son of Herbert Henry Asquith, prime minister of the United Kingdom. Born Nov. 6 1878. Fell on the field of honour near Guinchy Sept. 15 1916."

It also includes a Latin phrase that means: "O dawn of the east, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice: come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death."

Mells Church Memorial

There is also a memorial for Raymond in St Andrew's Church near his family's home in Mells, Somerset. This memorial, and the one on the Mells War Memorial, were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a friend of the Asquith family.

The words on the Mells Church memorial are in Latin, but they translate to: "In loving memory of Raymond Asquith Scholar of Winchester College and Balliol College Fellow of All Souls College Who was destined by the hopes and desires of his contemporaries To win all the rewards of intellectual talent and virtue. In the middle of the flower of his life He took up arms for his native-land and died fighting bravely. A distant and friendly land holds him now he is dead. His family and friends mourn him with unrequited longing. Born on 6 November 1878, died on 15 September 1916."

Raymond Asquith and his wife, Katharine, are also shown in a painting by Phoebe Traquair in All Saints Church at Thorney Hill. He also appears in an unfinished painting called "War Cartoon" by William Rothenstein at the University of Southampton.

Raymond Asquith's Family

Raymond Asquith married Katharine Frances Horner on 25 July 1907. She was the younger daughter of Sir John Francis Fortescue Horner. Her family was said to be related to the "Little Jack Horner" nursery rhyme.

Katharine's mother, Lady Horner, was a well-known hostess and supported many artists, including the Pre-Raphaelites.

Raymond and Katharine had three children:

• Lady Helen Frances Asquith OBE (1908–2000), who became a school teacher.
• Perdita Rose Mary Jolliffe, Baroness Hylton (1910–1996). She married the 4th Baron Hylton.
• Julian Edward George Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1916–2011). He was born just a few months before his father died in the war. His nickname was "Trim."

Raymond Asquith died almost ten years before his father became an Earl in 1925. Katharine later inherited Mells Manor because her younger brother, Edward Horner, also died in the war. After Raymond's death, Katharine became a Roman Catholic. She became friends with other famous converts like Siegfried Sassoon and Evelyn Waugh. All three of her children were raised as Roman Catholics.

Images for kids

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  Raymond Asquith's grave in Guillemont Road Cemetery

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  Memorial tablet in Amiens Cathedral

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  Memorial in St Andrew's Church in Mells

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  Battlefield cross for Asquith, in St Andrew's Church in Mells

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  Raymond Asquith and his wife in 1913