Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham was born in Dublin. He was a son of Sir William and Lady Lenox-Conyngham of Springhill House, Moneymore, and the brother of John Staples Molesworth Lenox-Conyngham. He joined the Army Veterinary Service Corps in 1897 and served in East Africa (Somaliland Campaign) in 1902-03. During the First World War, he attained the rank Major and was ‘Mentioned in Despatches’ and awarded the D.S.O. (Distinguished Service Order). He died of illness on Friday the 15th March 1918 at Chester and was buried in Dublin.
Further Information
Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham was born in Dublin on 18 October 1869
He was a son of Sir William and Lady Laura Calvert Arbuthnot Lenox-Conyngham of Springhill House, Moneymore. They had thirteen children; William Arbuthnot Lenox-Conyngham, Rev. George Hugh Lenox-Conyngham, Elizabeth Mary Clark, John Staples Molesworth Lenox-Conyngham, Charlotte Melosina Lenox-Conyngham, Arthur Beresford Lenox-Conyngham, Sir Gerald Ponsonby Lenox-Conyngham, Ernest Lenox-Conyngham, Edward Fraser Lenox-Conyngham, Hubert Lenox-Conyngham, Alwyn Lenox-Conyngham, Laura Eleanor Duff and Harriet Alice Katherine Lenox-Conyngham (a passenger on the RMS Titanic).
Hubert joined the Army Veterinary Service Corps in 1896/1897.
Hubert served in the East Africa Somaliland Campaign from 1902 to 1904 with the late General John E Gough, V.C., and was twice mentioned in despatches.
He also served in the Argentines for a short period, between 1904 and 1905.
Hubert was married to Eva Darley of The Paddocks, Kilsby, Rugby and lived at Fern Hill, Dublin.
Hubert Lenox-Conyngham lived in India for many years, where he acted at one time as remount officer in Calcutta.
1914
When the war began he was at the Curragh with the 2nd Cavalry Brigade under General Sir Hubert Gough, and went to the front as Assistant Director of Army Veterinary Service (A.D.V.S.) with the 6th Division in September 1914.
1915
As the war progressed, Hubert attained the rank of major and held various appointments.
He was twice mentioned in despatches by Lord French.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 10th April 1915: Moneymore Officer Honoured
Major H M Lenox-Conyngham, Army Veterinary Corps, son of the late Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., of Springhill, Moneymore, and brother of Major W A Lenox-Conyngham, D.L., has been recommended for ‘gallant and distinguished service in the field’, by Sir John French. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and has been serving at the front as assistant director of veterinary services.
1916
Hubert was selected as Deputy Director of Army Veterinary Service (D.D.V.S.) with the 5th Army under Sir Hubert Gough in 1916, with temporary colonel’s rank.
In this capacity he served all through the fighting at the Somme and the Ancre and for his services was mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 12th August 1916: Appointments
Major Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham has been promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel whilst holding the appointment of deputy director of veterinary services of the army (4th July). This officer, who was mentioned in despatches last year by Field Marshall Viscount French, is the youngest son of the late Colonel Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., D.L., Of Spring Hill, Moneymore.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 17th November 1916:
Lieutenant Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham, F.R.C.V.S. (Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons), a member of the well-known County Derry family, has been promoted to the rank of temporary colonel while holding an appointment as Deputy Director of Veterinary Services.
He was awarded the D.S.O.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 1st January 1917:
Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham, F.R.C.V.S. (Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons), Army Veterinary Corps, awarded the D.S.O., is a son of the late Sir William F Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., and Lady Lenox-Conyngham, Springhill, Moneymore, and a brother of Lieutenant Colonel John S M Lenox-Conyngham, Connaught Rangers, who fell at the head of his battalion some months ago.
1917
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 14th May 1917: Decorated by the King
The following officers had the honour of being received by the King at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, when his majesty invested them with the insignia of Companions of the Orders into which they had been admitted :- D.S.O. Colonel Hubert Lenox-Conyngham, A.V.C. (Moneymore).
He gained the honorary rank of Brevet-Lieutenant Colonel in June 1917.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 24th July 1917:
Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham, D.S.O., F.R.C.V.S. (Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons), Army Veterinary Corps, son of the late Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., of Springhill, Moneymore. Colonel Lenox-Conyngham has seen a good deal of service in France, having been recently mentioned in despatches by Lord French and Sir Douglas Haig, in addition to winning the D.S.O.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 9th August 1917:
Major H M Lenox-Conyngham, D.S.O., F.R.C.V.S., Army Veterinary Corps, is to be brevet lieutenant colonel for distinguished service in the field, is a son of the late Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., Springhill, Moneymore. This officer, who recently relinquished the rank of temporary colonel, has been thrice mentioned in despatches – once by Viscount French and twice by Sir Douglas Haig – and was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order at the beginning of the present year. One of his brothers, Lieutenant Colonel John Lenox-Conyngham, Connaught Rangers, fell at the head of his battalion last year.
Hubert held the position of Deputy Director of Army Veterinary Service with the 5th Army when he was invalided in mid-1917.
He returned temporarily to comparatively light administrative duty at depots in the south of England.
1918
Major Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham died of illness on Friday 15th March 1918 in Chester, England. He died suddenly from cerebral haemorrhage. This was, it was reported, due to the effects of strain during three years’ strenuous work at the front.
He had just been appointed Assistant Director of Army Veterinary Service, Western Command, in England.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 18th March 1918: Death of Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham
Lieutenant Colonel Hubert M Lenox-Conyngham, D.S.O., Major Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham, youngest son of the late Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., of Springhill, Moneymore, died at Chester on 15th March. This officer went to the front with the original Expeditionary Force, and was mentioned in despatches by Field Marshall Viscount French. He was subsequently awarded the D.S.O. and the brevet of Lieutenant Colonel in recognition of his services, and was twice mentioned by Sir Douglas Haig. Of his brothers, the late Lieutenant Colonel John Lenox-Conyngham, Connaught Rangers, fell at the head of his men in September 1916. Major W A Lenox-Conyngham, general list, is serving in a record office, and Colonel G P Lenox-Conyngham, late Royal Engineers, is still on the active list.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 23rd March 1918: Deaths
LENOX-CONYNGHAM – 15th March at Chester, Lieutenant Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham, D.S.O., Army Veterinary Corps, youngest son of the late Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, of Springhill, Moneymore.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 23rd March 1918: Lieutenant Colonel Lenox-Conyngham
Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham, D.S.O., of the Army Veterinary Corps, youngest son of the late Sir William Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., Springhill, Moneymore, died at Chester on Friday. The deceased was the second of the family who had passed away during the present war, his third brother, Lieutenant Colonel J S M Lenox-Conyngham, having died at the head of the Connaught Rangers at the taking of Guillemont in September 1916. Entering the Army Veterinary Corps in 1897, the deceased served in the in the East Africa campaign 1902-1903, including the Somaliland operations, being mentioned in despatches and awarded the medal with clasp. In the present war he had a splendid record, having gained a brevit lieutenant Colonelcy in June 1917, and the Distinguished Service Order. Two of his brothers are serving at the present time, Major W A Lenox-Conyngham (late Worcestershire Regiment), who is in the Royal Defence Corps; and Colonel G P Lenox-Conyngham, who is in the Royal Engineers. One of the deceased’s sisters is married to Colonel J Jackson Clark, D.L., Largantogher, Maghera. His wife, who survives him, is a daughter of Mr Edwin Sanders Darley, Fern Hill, Dublin.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 2nd April 1918: A Distinguished County Derry Officer
Lieutenant Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham, D.S.O., of the Army Veterinary Corps, whose sudden death from cerebral haemorrhage was recently reported, had suffered from the effects of strain during three years’ strenuous work at the front, and towards the middle of 1917, it became necessary for him to give up, first temporarily, and subsequently altogether, the position he held as Deputy Director of Army Veterinary Service with the 5th Army. He joined the Army Veterinary Corps in 1896, and served in the Somaliland Campaign (1902-1904), with the late General John E Gough, V.C., and was twice mentioned in despatches. He also served in the Argentines (1904-1905) and in India for many years, where he acted at one time as remount officer in Calcutta. When the war began he was at the Curragh with the 2nd Cavalry Brigade under General Sir Hubert Gough, and went to the front as Assistant Director of Army Veterinary Service (A.D.V.S.) with the 6th Division in September 1914. During the war he held various appointments, and was twice mentioned in despatches by Lord French, being selected as Deputy Director of Army Veterinary Service (D.D.V.S.) with the 5th Army under Sir Hubert Gough in 1916, with temporary colonel’s rank. In this capacity he served all through the fighting at the Somme and the Ancre and for his services was mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig and was awarded the D.S.O. and honorary rank of brevet lieutenant colonel. He was invalided in May 1917, and later was able to return to comparatively light administrative duty at depots in the south of England, but died almost immediately on his appointment as A.D.V.S., Western Command. Lieutenant Colonel H M Lenox-Conyngham was the youngest of seven sons of the late Sir W F Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B., of Spring Hill, Moneymore, County Derry. He leaves a widow and a son and a daughter.
Major Hubert Lenox-Conyngham’s remains were brought home to Dublin, where he was buried in the north-west part of Kilgobbin Old Church Cemetery.
He is commemorated on Coagh War Memorial and on Moneymore War Memorial.
The CWGC record Major Lenox-Conyngham as follows: D.D.V.S. Born in Dublin. Son of Col. Sir William and Lady Lenox-Conyngham; husband of Eva Lenox-Conyngham (nee Darley), of The Paddocks, Kilsby, Rugby. Served in Somaliland Campaign (Mentioned in Despatches).
