Geoffrei Hugh Austen-Cartmell was born on 30 October 1895, the second of the three children of James Austen Cartmell (1862-1921) and Mary Affleck Cartmell née Peacock (1860-1906). Civil Registration Birth Indexes show his birth being registered as both Geoffrei Hugh Cartmell and Geoffrei Hugh Austen-Cartmell in the 4th quarter of 1895 in the Kensington Registration District, London.
On 7 December 1895 he was baptised as Geoffrei Hugh Austen-Cartmell at St Luke's Church, Chelsea, London, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that the family lived at 14 Onslow Gardens, Chelsea and that his father was a barrister-at-law.
In the 1901 census he is recorded as Godfrey H. A. Cartmell, aged 5 years and living at 31 Campden House Court, Kensington, London, with his parents and his two siblings: Arthur James Austen Cartmell (1893-1916) and Mary Emily Austen Cartmell (1898-1974), together with a cook, a parlourmaid, a housemaid and 2 nurses. His father was described as a barrister-at-law.
His father, James Austen Cartmell, adopted Austen as a prefix to his surname in tribute to an illustrious ancestor, becoming James Austen-Cartmell and this too was adopted by his wife and their three children. However, see our comment about this on his brother's page.
He was educated at Durnford School, Langton Matravers, Swanage, Dorset and later at Eton College, Windsor, Berkshire, from 1908 to August 1914, where his housemaster was H. Macnaghten. In September 1914 he attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and is shown in a photograph as being there in 'B' Company. He was also a student Lincoln's Inn.
He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry and entered France on 27 April 1915. Promoted to Lieutenant he was a Temporary Captain, serving in his regiment's 2nd Battalion, when he was killed in action, aged 21 years, at Beaumont Hamel, France, on 13 November 1916. As he has no known grave he is commemorated on Pier and Face15C on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of Somme, 8 Rue de l'Ancre, 80300 Thiepval, France.
Probate records show him as Geoffrie Hugh Austen Cartmell and confirm his address was 31 Campden Court House, Kensington. Administration of his estate was granted to his father on 26 February 1917 and his effects totalled £1,314-0s-6d. On 10 May 1917 his army effects totalling £17-12s-11d were sent to his father who also was sent his £58-0s-0d war gratuity on 29 November 1919.
He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent to his father at 27 Campden Court House, Kensington.
He is shown as 'G. H. Austen Cartmell' on the Lincoln's Inn war memorial at New Square, London, WC2. He is also commemorated as 'Captain G.H. Austen-Cartmell' on the Durnford School war memorial at St George's Church, High Street, Langton Matravers, Swanage, BH193HB; in the List of Etonians who fell in the Great War 1914-1914 book; on the Eton College war memorial in The Cloisters at Eton College; incorrectly as Geoffrey Hugh Austen-Cartmell on the main page of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, but correctly as AUSTEN-CARTMELL, Capt. Geoffrie Hugh on their Gravestone Registration page; on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
