Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart, Loos, 1915 - Marietta Crichton-Stuart
06 Dec

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN VENUE FOR THIS EVENT

Mariettas talk this evening will tell the story of her Grandfather, Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart, and his leadership of the 6th (Glamorgan) Battalion, The Welch Regiment (who were the first Welch Territorials to land in France in WW1) during the Battle of Loos in 1915.  Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart was the second son of the 3rd Marquis of Butte, and lived at Dumfries House, in Ayrshire, Scotland, until moving to Cardiff, with his wife, following his election as Unionist MP for Cardiff in December 1910 (the Crichton-Stuarts had a history of serving as MP fir Cardiff).  He is famous for his love of sport, and stood guarantor for Cardiff City Football Clubs new ground, named Ninian Park in his honour, where he ceremoniously kicked off the first match wearing a top hat between Cardiff City and Aston Villa.  

On the night of 1st October 1915, he led the 6th Welch into battle at the Hohenzollern Redoubt, capturing a section of trench, which they were later forced to evacuate following heavy casualties and a strong German counter attack.  During the start of the evacuation he was shot in the head by a German sniper, and died at the age of 32, becoming the only Welsh MP to be killed during the conflict.  The original Ninian Park Ground is now the site of a housing estate named Ninian Park, and when Cardiff City moved to their new stadium, The Ninian Stand was named in his honour.  There is a statue of him in Gorsedd Gardens, Cardiff, and the nearby Ninian Park Railway Station and Ninian Park Primary School are named after him.  

Western Front Association Members and non-members are equally welcome. We ask for a modest £4 donation on the door. Any new visitors will be assured of an welcoming and friendly atmosphere among a group of like-minded enthusiasts.

International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln, LN4 2HQ
06 Dec 2021 19:00