Roll of Honour

Major Hugh Speke (1896)

24 February 1878 – 2 August 1915

Entered College in Michaelmas Term, 1896. B.A., 1901; M.A., 1903. Lieutenant, Wiltshire Yeomanry during the South African War, 1899 – 1901. Attended Wells Theological College, 1901. Took Holy Orders, (d. 1901; p. 1903): Curate at St. Michael, Bromley-by-Bow, 1902 – 1905. Vicar at Curry Rival with Weston, 1905 – 1910. Took up work in Western Canada where he was on the Mission Staff and Edmonton, 1910 – 1913. Subsequently worked at Bow Island, Alberta and was then in charge of the district of Athabasca.

Returned to England after the outbreak of war and commenced service in October 1914 as Captain of the 3rd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. Transferred to the 9th Battalion; promoted to Major; exchanged to the 10th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers in order to go to the Front in 1915. Killed on reconnaissance at Vierstaat by a sniper on 2 August 1915.

A fellow officer wrote:

your gallant husband died, not merely doing his duty, but as I judge, for another, for I feel pretty sure that he undertook a dangerous job which he would not let one of his junior officers undertake.

(‘De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, 1914-1918’. Volume 1, pg. 335)