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232729   Lieutenant David Andrew Noel Stuart
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 18/10/2020
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 11th Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 07/10/1921
Died: 10/11/1942 (Killed in Action)
Age: 21
Summary      
David Andrew Noel Stuart was the son of Arthur Stuart, 7th Earl Castle Stewart, He was born on 7th October 1921 in England. He was the eldest of four sons and as such held the title of Viscount and heir to the title of Earl of Castle Stewart. He went to Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. He joined the squadron of 11th Hussars in July 1942. In November he was killed in action on North Africa.
Lieutenant David Andrew Noel Stuart
Further Information
David Andrew Noel Stuart was the son of Arthur Stuart, M.C., 7th Earl Castle Stewart, and Eleanor the Countess of Castle Stewart, of Nutley, Sussex, and Stewartstown, County Tyrone.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 15th December 1945: 25 Years Ago (12th December 1920)
Miss Guggenheim, on her engagement to Viscount Stewart, of Stuart Hall. Stewartstown, received a gift of 25,000 dollars from her father, which she gave to several hospitals, including Tyrone County Hospital, which received £1,000. (Exchange rate in 1920 was approx. $3=£1)
David Stuart was born on 7th October 1921 in Rowfant, England. He was the eldest of four sons and as such held the title of Viscount and heir to the title of Earl of Castle Stewart
Family: Arthur Stuart, M.C., 7th Earl of Castle Stewart, Eleanor Stuart, David Andrew Noel Stuart (born 7th October 1921, England), Robert John Ochiltrie Stuart (born 12 December 1923, England), Arthur Patrick Avondale Stuart, (born 18th Aug 1928), Simon Walter Erskine Stuart (born 22nd Aug 1930).
Viscount David A N Stuart received his education at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge where he studied languages prior to joining the services.
The following report does not mention David by name, but he was the Viscount at that time. He did not marry Mary Veronica Perpetua Pigott.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 2nd May 1942:
The engagement is announced of Viscount Stewart (eldest son of the Earl and Countess of Castlestewart) and Miss Mary Veronica Perpetua Pigott (youngest daughter of Sir Berkeley and Lady Pigott, of Lowes, Sussex). Each of the young people is 20 years old, and he is a second lieutenant in the Army.
The Earl of Castlestewart served in the Great War, winning the Military Cross. He succeeded to the title on the deaths of his two elder brothers, both of whom were killed on active service. The family seat is Stewart Hall, Stewartstown, which was lent, with the gardens and home farm, by his Lordship to the Ministry of Home Affairs as an evacuee colony. Before joining the Army, the Earl was a master at Rugby; he was educated at Charterhouse, Cambridge University and Paris University. He was president of the Board of Cookstown College, now Cookstown High School. The Earl of Castlestewart served in the Great War, winning the Military Cross. He succeeded to the title on the deaths of his two elder brothers, both of whom were killed on active service. The family seat is Stewart Hall, Stewartstown, which was lent, with the gardens and home farm, by his Lordship to the Ministry of Home Affairs as an evacuee colony. Before joining the Army, the Earl was a master at Rugby; he was educated at Charterhouse, Cambridge University and Paris University. He was president of the Board of Cookstown College, now Cookstown High School.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 9th May 1942: Viscount Stuart’s Engagement
The Northern Whig London correspondent writes:-
‘News of the forthcoming marriage which, I am told, will take place shortly between Viscount Stewart, eldest son of the Earl and Countess of Castlestewart. Of Stuart Hall, to Miss Mary Veronica Perpetua Pigott will naturally interest many readers.
Lord Stewart, who is a subaltern in the Royal Army Corps, came of age only a few months ago, and Miss Pigott, who is a daughter of Major Sir Berkeley of the Lancers, and Lady Pigott, of Lewes, Sussex, is a year younger, so that they will be a very young couple even in these days of early war marriages.
Lord Stewart has been in the Army practically ever since he left Eton and has known his future wife for a long time, since the two families are near neighbours.
Lord and Lady Castlestewart now spend a lot of their time at Old Lodge, Nutley, which is also in Sussex. There Lady Castlestewart, who by the way is a daughter of Mr S R Guggenheim, of New York, one of the American copper kings, engages in good works, and even before the war she adopted a number of refugee children from Germany, undertaking to provide for their education and keep until they were old enough to emigrate overseas.’
He joined the squadron of 11th Hussars on 15th July 1942 and was described as a fine and extremely promising troop leader, much liked by his men.
The war diaries for the 11th Hussars state that: Enemy Aircraft, including ME-109s and CR-42s, attacked them at 1300 hours on the 10th November 1942. They came under a further attack at 1500 hrs, by seven ME 109’s. The attack lasted for twenty-five minutes, the enemy bombing with bouncing bombs and machine gunning from low-level. Lieutenant D A N Stuart was killed in this action and his driver – operator, Trooper Cahill was severely wounded. Three lorries were also destroyed in the attack.
Lieutenant David Andrew Noel Stuart was serving with the 11th Hussars, part of the Royal Armoured Corps, when he was killed in action on 10th November 1942. He was 21 years old.
The diaries go on to say that Lieutenant Stuart will be greatly missed by his squadron and that he was buried near Bir Bibni 376354 by Major Wainman and Captain Wright (Doctor).
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 28th November 1942: Roll of Honour
STUART – Killed in action on 10th November 1942 in the Middle East, 2nd Lieutenant David Andrew Noel Viscount (11th Hussars), eldest son of the Earl and Countess Castle Stewart.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 28th November 1942:
David Andrew Noel, Viscount Stuart (eldest of the four sons of the Earl of Castle Stewart (M.C.), who was 2nd lieutenant in the 11th Hussars, is reported to have been killed in action in the Middle East. He came of age only last month, and his engagement was announced last April to Miss Mary Veronica Perpetua Pigott, younger daughter of Major Sir Berkeley Pigott of Lewes, Sussex. His father, the present Earl, served in the Great War and won the Military Cross, while the young Viscount’s two uncles were killed in action. We respectfully tender the sympathy of our readers, especially in the Stewartstown area, to the Earl and Countess of Castle Stewart in their bereavement.
Lieutenant David Andrew Noel Stuart has no known grave and is commemorated on Column 19 of the Alamein Memorial in Egypt.
His brother, Robert John Ochiltrie Stuart, became Viscount after David’s death. He also served with the Royal Armoured Corps. In 1944, he too was killed in action.
Viscount David Stewart is commemorated locally on Stewartstown Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaque in Donaghendry Church of Ireland, Stewartstown.
The CWGC record Lieutenant Viscount David Andrew Noel Stuart as the son of Arthur Stuart, M.C., 7th Earl of Castle Stewart, and Eleanor, the Countess of Castle Stewart, of Nutley, Sussex. The CWGC also records that his brother, Viscount Robert John Ochiltrie, also died in service.
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References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 Geneanet - Family tree Date of birth and family
2 Guggenheim Current Earl of Castle Stewart
3 Lieut Robert John Ochiltrie Stuart Brother of David Stuart, killed in action
4 Nutley at War 1939-45 Details of David Stuart (page 42)
5 Peerage - Family tree Date of birth and family
6 Soldiering In Egypt Details of David Andrew Noel Stuart including photo
7 The Peerage - Stuart family Four sons of Eleanor Stuart
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023