STANSFELD, JOHN RAYMOND EVELYN,
Lieutenant, was born 20 April 1880, the only son of John Birbeck Evelyn
Stansfeld, MA. He was educated at Uppingham and Sandhurst; gained the
Sword of Honour in 1897, and was gazetted to the Gordon Highlanders 18 April
1899; served in the South African War from 1899-1902, first as Railway Staff
Officer, being promoted to Lieutenant 25 February 1900. He took part in the
operations in Natal in 1899; Relief of Ladysmith, including the action at
Colenso; in the operations of 17 to 24 January 1900, and the action at Spion
Kop; the operations of 5 to 7 February 1900, and action at Vaal Kranz;
Tugela Heights 14-27 February 1900, and Pieter's Hill; was in the fighting
in Natal, March to June 1900, including the action at Laing's Nek 6-9 June;
in the Transvaal operations, east of Pretoria, July to 29 November 1900;
Belfast 26 and 27 August and Lydenberg 5 to 8 September; in the Transvaal,
west of Pretoria, July to November 1900; in the Transvaal operations,
November 1900 to September 1901, and November-December 1901, and in the
operations in Orange River Colony, September to November 1901. He was
mentioned in Despatches by Sir R H Buller, 3 February and 30 March 1901;
received the Queen's Medal with six clasps, the King's Medal with two
clasps, and for his conduct in attending the wounded under fire at Spion Kop
was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette,
19 April 1901]: "John Raymond Evelyn Stansfeld, Lieutenant, Gordon
Highlanders. In recognition of services during the operations in South
Africa". The Insignia were sent to the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa,
and presented by the Duke of Cornwall and York 14 August 1901. He was
heavy-weight boxing champion in the Army Boxing in 1903, at Aldershot;
became Captain 30 May 1904; was Adjutant to the 5th Gordon Highlanders
(Territorial Force) from 26 August 1904 to 1909. He served with the 2nd
Gordon Highlanders in India and Egypt, 1910-14; was at the Delhi Durbar,
1911, where he organized the Boxing Tournament. He received the Durbar
Medal. He served in the Great War, leaving England with the 2nd Gordon
Highlanders on 4 October 1914, and landed in Belgium with the 7th Division;
was wounded in the First Battle of Ypres, November 1914, and at Neuve
Chapelle on 13 March 1915. He was promoted Brevet Major, January 1915; was
appointed to command his battalion, May 1915; was gazetted Lieutenant
Colonel 23 June 1915; was thrice mentioned in Despatches. He was mortally
wounded at Loos 25 September 1915, while leading his battalion into action.
He continued to command and direct after he was wounded, until he was taken
to the dressing station some hours later. He died on 28 September at
Cheques, and his body was buried in the Military Cemetery at that place. He
was awarded the 1914 Star. In April 1904, Captain Stansfeld married
Constance Yolande, eIdest
daughter of Major General Le Marquis de Bourbel de Mompinçon, RE, and had
one son, John de Bourbel Stansfeld, born 22 February 1905.
