Major Frederick William Lumsden, DSO
Royal Marines Artillery

15th Highland Light Infantry, Western Front

On 3rd April 1917 Major Lumsden was placed in charge of a party of the 15th Highland Light Infantry at Francilly in France.
Six enemy field guns having been captured, it was necessary to leave them in dug-in positions, 300 yards in advance of the position held by our troops. The enemy kept the captured guns under heavy fire.
Major Lumsden undertook the duty of bringing the guns into our lines. In order to effect this, he personally led four artillery teams and a party of infantry through the hostile barrage. As one of these teams sustained casualties, he left the remaining teams in a covered position, and, through very heavy rifle, machine gun and shrapnel fire, led the infantry to the guns.
By force of example and inspiring energy he succeeded in sending back two teams with guns, going through the barrage with the teams of the third gun. He then returned to the guns to await further teams, and these he succeeded in attaching to two of the three remaining guns, despite rifle fire, which had become intense at short range, and removed the guns to safety.
By this the the enemy, in considerable strength, had driven through the infantry covering points, and blown up the breech of the remaining gun. Major Lumsden then returned, drove off the enemy, attached the gun to a team and got it away.
London Gazette _ 8th June 1917
Whilst Brigade Commander of the 14th Brigade he was further gazetted on 11th May 1917 for two bars to his DSO. In the temporary rank of Brigadier-General he was wounded on 2nd August 1917 and on return to duty promoted to Lt.Colonel Royal Marines Artillery for distinguished service. On 19th April 1918 he was awarded a third bar for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the field. He was awarded the Companion of the Bath in the King's Birthday honours list for 1918 but was killed in a forward trench on the night of the 3rd June 1918. He held the 1914 Star, British War Medal, Belgium's Croix de Guerre and was mentioned in dispatches four times. He is buried in Berles New Military Cemetery in France.
His memorial, unveiled on 25th July 1920, stands outside the Royal Marines Museum at Eastney.