Wentworth Beaumont, 3rd Viscount Allendale

Allendale was born on 12 September 1922 to the 2nd Viscount Allendale, a courtier, and his wife Violet Seely. His father's father was the 1st Viscount Allendale, a politician, and his mother's father was Sir Charles Seely, 2nd Baronet, also a politician. He spent his earlier years living at the family seat of Bretton Hall, near Wakefield, Yorkshire. He was an accident prone child and had a number of near-death experiences: he was rescued from a house fire in 1927, was electrocuted and left temporarily paralysed when a lamp fell in his bath when aged 14, and at 15 shot himself while pigeon shooting with friends. He was educated at Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire.

Allendale joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in 1940 after he had completed his schooling. He had flown 71 missions in a Spitfire until he became a prisoner of war in 1942. On 31 May, he had been attacking a ship off the coast of the Netherlands, before being shot down by flak.{{cite web|title=Beaumont, Wentworth Hubert Charles|url=http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RAFVR_officers_B01.html|website=Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) (RAF(VR)) Officers 1939-1945|publisher=UnitHistories.com|accessdate=28 December 2014}} Having injured his leg in the crash, he was taken captive and transported to Stalag Luft III, a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany. He was promoted to flying officer (war substantive) on 16 July 1942 and to flight lieutenant (war substantive) on 16 July 1943.{{London Gazette |issue=35736 |date=6 October 1942 |page=4385 |supp=y }}{{London Gazette |issue=36094 |date=13 July 1943 |pages=3219–3220 }} In March 1944, the Great Escape occurred from Stalag Luft III. He was not involved in the escape itself on account of his leg injury, but was part of the map-making team. Having spent three years as a prisoner of war, he was released following the end of World War II in 1945.

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Category:1922 births

Category:2002 deaths

Wentworth

3

Category:People educated at Eton College

Category:British World War II prisoners of war

Category:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II

Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany

Category:Shot-down aviators

Category:Royal Air Force officers

Category:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II

Category:British World War II fighter pilots

Allendale