Captain Sir Evelyn Andros De La Rue, Bt
Evelyn De La Rue was born on 5 October 1879 at Marylebone, London, eldest son of Thomas Andros De La Rue and his wife Emily Maria De La Rue (nee Speed). He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Oxford.
In 1911 he succeeded to the De La Rue Baronetcy on the death of his father, the first Baronet. He was Chairman of De La Rue (Thomas) & Co Ltd printers from 1911 to 1914.
De La Rue was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Royal East Kent Imperial Yeomanry on 21 December 1901, serving with the regiment and its successor the Royal East Kent (Duke of Connaught's Own) Yeomanry until he resigned his commission on 25 March 1914. By that time he had reached the rank of captain (promoted on 10 July 1908).
On the outbreak of war he rejoined the regiment with the rank of captain.
Captain De La Rue was Mentioned in Despatches on 9 April 1917.
The war diary of the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment notes on 23 May 1917:
Captain Sir E. De La Rue reported for regimental duty this day from 39th Division, he is posted to 'C' Squadron.
His period with the North Irish Horse was short-lived. In September 1917 the 2nd NIH was dismounted and most of its officers and men absorbed into the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. De La Rue returned to the Yeomanry, being appointed a captain in the Territorial Forces Reserve, Royal East Kent Regiment on 25 November 1917. He was attached to the Ministry of Munitions.
In April 1918 he transferred to the Royal Air Force. His RAF service file gives some indication of his wartime activities:
Specialised knowledge & experience of factory management control also of design & the organization of new processes of manufacture. Expert knowledge of factory knowledge & accountancy. Since joining R.F.C. specialised work in calculating national requirements in material for aeroplane building.
Chairman John Howard & Son, Chartham Mills, Canterbury 1910-18
Director Roughway Paper Mills, nr Tonbridge, Kent, 1918 –
Chairman, Taunton Cars Ltd, 52 Haymarket, 1913-18
A much later record states that he was "seriously wounded" during the war, but I have not been able to confirm this.
Captain De La Rue was transferred to unemployed list on 8 January 1919.
He died at Taplow, Eton, Buckinghamshire, on 30 November 1950.
Image sourced from Imperial War Museum Bond of Sacrifice - First World War portraits collection (catlogue number HU 121151).