Museum Highlights - Lieutenant J.S. Ainsworth (1889-1914)
By Angel Drinkwater (Museum Assistant)
Here we shall be exploring the life of Lieutenant John “Jock” Stirling Ainsworth, the first 11ᵗʰ Hussar officer to be killed in the First World War. Ainsworth’s story additionally serves to show the Cavalry’s patrol work throughout the early stages of the war. This is added to thanks to our archival collection, with which we can track Ainsworth’s last movements. The photo album of Colonel Thomas Tait Pittman is also most helpful in providing imagery to illustrate Ainsworth’s time in the regiment.
John Stirling Ainsworth was born 9ᵗʰ November 1889 to Margaret Catherine Ainsworth and Sir John Stirling Ainsworth; an industrialist, banker, and politician, serving as MP for Argyllshire (1903-1918). The younger John attended Sandhurst before being commissioned into the 11ᵗʰ Hussars in April 1909, where he joined the regiment at Shorncliffe. He was posted to ‘B’ Squadron, with whom he would serve with for the majority of his career. Before the war Ainsworth participated in several regimental sports. He was particularly adept in the equestrian department, being noted as a skilled steeple horse rider. With his sporting pursuits and gentlemanly attitude, Ainsworth was well liked and popular across the ranks.
The 11ᵗʰ Hussars sailed for France in August 1914, with Ainsworth in command of No. 3 Troop in ‘B’ Squadron. The night of 23ʳᵈ August saw his first patrol, and within the span of a few weeks he had established himself as an outstanding patrol leader; always returning with valuable intelligence. Due to this, he was later mentioned in Sir John French’s 8ᵗʰ October Despatch.
One notable patrol occurred on 11ᵗʰ September, when, accompanied by three men, Ainsworth rode to a bridge over the Vesle at Braisne to determine whether it was held by the enemy. The bridge was barricaded and well defended, and so Ainsworth and his men dismounted, crawling to the opposite bank. From here, he made a sketch of the enemy’s position, ordering his men to open fire and draw the enemy out, so that he could ascertain their strength and numbers.
‘This brought out an officer and at least twenty men with machineguns to the barricade, who returned the fire, but except from this party there was no answering fire from the town. Before leaving, Mr. Ainsworth took Private Hall’s rifle and waiting for a favourable opportunity took a shot at the German officer who appeared through a break in the barricade. The patrol then ran off through the wood, reached the horses and rode back to the Regiment with a full report and without loss. When the village was taken next day it was learned that the last shot had killed the German officer.’
On 7ᵗʰ October, the patrol reached Armancourt, where several French troops were retiring from their trenches after heavy shelling. A French officer requested that Ainsworth bring up is troop, as he believed that seeing the British Cavalry would increase his own men’s morale. Despite the danger, Ainsworth complied:
‘The approaches to the village were being shelled, but Mr. Ainsworth decided to comply with this request. He extended his troop and telling the men to show the French what a good line they could keep, brought them at a trot across the shelled area into a quarry. He then assisted the French officer to stop the retirement. While he was with the French troops a shell landed a few yards away; the French ran to cover as it approached. The shell did not explode, but rolled to Mr. Ainsworth’s feet; without interrupting his conversation he kicked it away. This method of dealing with enemy shell-fire so roused the admiration of the French that they fixed bayonets and rallying behind their officer advanced again through the village, which, it was afterwards rumoured, they cleared of the enemy.’
Lieutenant John Stirling Ainsworth’s last patrol would come on 13th October 1914. Before dawn he led ‘B’ Squadron out from Merris towards Meteren, aiming to locate the enemy’s right flank. Whilst mounted, they made their way towards the main road from Straszeele to Meteren. Upon crossing a stream they were surprised by heavy fire from further up the road, under the cover of some hedgerows. Ainsworth turned to talk to Corporal Hall, but was hit by gunfire and fell from his horse, into the roadway. Both he and his horse sustained multiple bullet wounds. Corporal Hall attempted to reach Ainsworth, but the gunfire was too heavy. The rest of ‘B’ Squadron advanced forward to provide cover, but they made no headway, losing two horses in the process, and so they were forced to withdraw.
Corporal Brownson, his horse being one of the two killed, tried mounting the horse of another man, but fell and was also left in the retreat. He was discovered a day or so later by members of the 1ˢᵗ Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment. Brownson reported that, after the enemy retired, he moved forward to find Ainsworth, who had died where he fell. With help from the North Staffordshire men, he buried Lieutenant John Stirling Ainsworth at Terte Huys Farm, close to the road where he had died. Ainsworth’s horse was found alive and returned to the 11ᵗʰ. Due to his injuries, having sustained eleven bullet wounds, he was put down shortly afterwards.
Following his death, Ainsworth’s older brother, Thomas, also joined the 11ᵗʰ Hussars, being deployed to France in January 1915. He served with the regiment throughout the month, before being appointed as aide-de-camp to Major Generals Briggs and Mullens. Thomas survived the war, becoming 2ⁿᵈ Baronet Ainsworth following the death of his father in 1923. Thomas Ainsworth passed away in 1971, aged 85.
Today Lieutenant John Stirling Ainsworth’s grave can be found at the British Cemetery in Meteren, where it was moved to shortly following his death in 1914. He is also commemorated on the Parliamentary War Memorial in Westminster Hall, as the son of a serving Member of the House of Commons.
Ainsworth was popular with the men of his regiment, and, as the first officer to be killed his loss was largely felt by his men. Below are a few examples of just how he was remembered.
One troop wrote:
“We lost a friend that day, one who looked after the old troop and for whom any one of us in the troop would have gone through fire and water if he was with us.”
A quotation about Ainsworth in the diary of Colonel Pittman:
“Since the commencement of the campaign, no officer had done finer work. no better had ever joined the Regiment and no officer, or man, who served with him will every forget him.”
A tribute to Ainsworth in the October 1915 Regimental Journal:
“As a soldier, he was quite one of the best Subalterns in the British Cavalry, and extraordinarily popular with officers and men, held the priceless gift of always being cheery and in good heart whatever happened. A finer, straighter, pluckier cavalry subaltern never breathed.”
