MACARTNEY [M.C.], Hugh Revell Sutherland


Aged 33
No.219916, Major, Hugh Revell Sutherland MACARTNEY M.C.


1st King's Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps.
Accidentally killed on Sunday, 14th January 1945


Hugh Revell Sutherland Macartney was born in Lewes on 12th March 1911 (Lewes Q2-1911 2B:149), son of James Hugh and Cecily Revell MACARTNEY (née REYNOLDS).

1911 census...Aged under one month, he was at "Ivors", The Avenue, Lewes with his father James MACARTNEY [37] a bank cashier, born Durham and his mother Cecily [25] born Blackburn.

He married Eleanor Caroline PENTON in 1937 in Berkhampstead, and they lived later at Clopton Green, Wickhambrook. His widow was later in Blackheath,London.

In the 1939 register he was a dairy/fruit and pig farm manager, at Clopton Green Farm, Wickhambrook, with his wife Eleanor C [24-12-1916] (Women's Land Army). There are two closed records.


Citation for his Military Cross. London Gazette 17 June 1943. "In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East". 'Lieutenant (219916), 1st King's Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps (Radley, Berks.)'.
Recommendation states: 'On 27 Mar 43 Lt. Macartney was on patrol in the area of Pt 209 (Y,9000). This point was strongly held by German infantry. Lt Macartney led his patrol into the hills behind the German posn. and although under heavy shell fire he engaged the enemy with MG fire throughout the day. In the evening he assisted a Bn. of NZ infantry in the attack on this post, killing at least 12 of the enemy and inflicting severe casualties. He captured 2 x 75mm. guns which had been firing at him earlier in the day. Again on the 29 Mar 43, Lt Macartney was doing advance guard to the Sqn. which was advancing on GABES. He led his patrol with great determination, capturing 14 prisoners and attacked and destroyed an enemy self-propelled 75mm. gun. He was the first man to enter GABES and he quickly pursued the enemy through this town and assisted some NZ 6-pdrs, who were following him, to destroy two Italian armd. cars. By dark he had led his patrol up to METOUIA. This officer has always shown the greatest courage and determination and all his patrolling is of the highest order '.

The 1st King's Dragoon Guards were a cavalry unit which became a part of the Royal Armed Corps, using armoured cars for reconnaisance He was killed during the "Dekemvrianà", the 33 days battle that was a pre-cursor to the Greek civil war. On the 14th he was returning from Athens, failed to hear the challenge of a sentry and was shot, dying from his wound. more details here .

Another report, from the war diary reads:-
He was accidentally killed on 14 January 1945. The King's Dragoon Guards War Diary entry for 14 January 1945 :
Place: Greece. Weather: fine. Locns. unchanged (Kifissia). .... They are searching houses and putting up the perimeter wire round Athens; there is not much for us to do. We may have to make a trip to Patras in four days time. Otherwise, as the truce with ELAS comes into force at midnight tonight, ops may nearly be over. There is still much furtive ELAS activity in the area: a KRRC patrol was attacked 2 kms North of us today, and we have been warned by civs that we are to be attacked tonight. A disastrous accident occurred tonight. Major Macartney was driving back from Athens in his Jeep (it was dark & raining) and failed to stop when challenged by a sentry at an RA post on the rd. The sentry shot at him, and he died of wounds before reaching hospital. Whose fault it was a Court of Inquiry may discover. But it is a very great loss to the Regt., as he had shown himself a first class Sqn. Ldr. during the short time he had commanded "B" Squadron.

His medals sold for £200 in 2007

Hugh was buried first in the British Military Cemetery in Kalamaki, but the decision was taken to concentrate all the British graves from all over Greece into Phaleron, near Athens.



photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Hugh Macartney is buried in Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece grave 18:D:2

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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