George Chetwode (cricketer)

{{short description|English cricketer and soldier}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = George David Chetwode

| image =

| birth_date = 24 August 1914

| birth_place = Mayfair, London, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|10|4|1914|8|24|df=yes}}

| death_place = Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire, England

| father = George Chetwode

| spouse = Lady Willa Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound

| children = 6

| module = {{infobox cricketer

| embed = yes

| nickname =

| family =

| country = England

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| role =

| club1 = Europeans

| year1 = 1938/39

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 1

| runs1 = 7

| bat avg1 = 3.50

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 6

| hidedeliveries = true

| catches/stumpings1 = –/–

| date = 20 December

| year = 2023

| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/george-chetwode-27720 Cricinfo

| module = {{infobox military person

| embed = yes

| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}

| branch = {{army|United Kingdom}}

| unit = Coldstream Guards

| serviceyears = 1934-1948

| battles = World War II

| rank = Major

}}

}}

}}

George David Chetwode {{postnominal|MBE}} (24 August 1914 – 4 October 1999) was an English first-class cricketer and an officer in the British Army.

The son of Admiral Sir George Chetwode,{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19461010/096/0004|title=Lord Minto's daughter|work=The Scotsman|location=Edinburgh|page=11|date=10 October 1946|access-date=20 December 2023|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} he was born at Mayfair in August 1914. He attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, graduating from there into the Coldstream Guards as a second lieutenant in August 1934,{{London Gazette|issue=34083|date=31 August 1934|page=5523}} with promotion to lieutenant following in August 1937.{{London Gazette|issue=34431|date=31 August 1937|page=5510}} He was seconded to British India in September 1937 to be aide-de-camp to the Governor of the Bombay Presidency, the Earl of Scarbrough.{{London Gazette|issue=34454|date=12 November 1937|page=7087}} While in India, Chetwode made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the Europeans cricket team against the Parsees at Bombay in the 1938–39 Bombay Pentangular Tournament.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/13/13158/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by George Chetwode|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 December 2023|url-access=subscription}} Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed by Dadabhoy Havewala for 6 runs in the Europeans first innings, while in their second innings he was dismissed leg before wicket for a single run by S. M. Palsetia.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16840.html|title=Europeans v Parsees, Bombay Pentangular Tournament 1938/39|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 December 2023|url-access=subscription}}

Chetwode served in the Second World War, during which he was promoted to captain in August 1942,{{London Gazette|issue=35685|date=28 August 1942|page=3805|supp=y}} and later in the war he was made an MBE in December 1944.{{London Gazette|issue=36850|date=19 December 1944|page=5846|supp=y}} After the war had ended, he was promoted to major in August 1947,{{London Gazette|issue=38058|date=26 August 1947|page=4084|supp=y}} prior to retiring with a gratuity in May 1948.{{London Gazette|issue=38282|date=4 May 1948|page=2812|supp=y}} In retirement, he lived at Swiss Farm House in Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire. It was there that he died in October 1999.{{cite book|title=Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage|first=Patrick W.|last=Montague-Smith|date=2003|page=1111|publisher=Debrett's Peerage Limited|location=London|isbn=978-0-333-66093-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FnM-AQAAIAAJ|language=en}} Chetwode was married to Lady Willa Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1924–2010), the daughter of Victor Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 5th Earl of Minto. The couple had six children. Through their daughter Willa, his grandson is Alexander Elphinstone, 19th Lord Elphinstone.