Arms: Azure a cross-crosslet Or, on a chief Argent a maunch Sable between two pairs of cavalry swords in saltire Proper.
SOURCE/NOTES & CREDITS: Illustration for background from Burke’s Peerage 1959,
Background for text, the Wikipedia article on Lord Ismay and the book ,“The Splendid and the Vile” by Erik Larson, Crown NY 2020.
Sir Hastings (Pug) Lionel Ismay, KG 1957, PC 1951, GCB, CH 1945, DSO 1920
( Dispatches twice, DSO with Clasp ), DL Gloucester 1950, CB 1931, KCB 1940, GCB 1946, Cmdr L of Merit (US). Grand Officer L of Honor (France)
Created Baron Ismay of Wormington Co., Co. Gloucester, 14 Jan 1947
A Career Army Officer 1905 – 31 Dec 1946
Promoted Major Gen 1939, Lt. Gen 1942 and General 1944
Born 21 June 1887 died 17 Sep 1965 in Nainital, Kumaon, India to Sir Stanley Ismay,
on the Staff of the Viceroy, and Beatrice Ellen daughter of an Army colonel.
Educated at the Charterhouse School in England, then Sandhurst before joining the Army in 1905 as a 2nd Lt. in the Indian Army, attached to the Gloucestershire Regiment of the British army in Ambala.
Married 4 Aug 1921 Laura Kathleen, only daughter of Henry Gordon Clegg of Wormington. They had five daughters.
His most interesting assignment was serving as chief of staff to Prime Minister Winston Church from April 1940 – until 1945 and continuing as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Clement Attlee until his retirement from the Army on 31 Dec 1946. He served as liaison between the PM and the Military chiefs and as personal military advisor to the PM, very much like his counterpart in the US, Adm of the Fleet William Leahy, did for FDR.
Lord Ismay died on 17 Sep 1965, as he had no male heir, his title became extinct.
The artwork is an interpretation by John Hamilton Gaylor
2021 0411
dqw266@gmail.com
