Denzil George Fortescue, 6th Earl Fortescue MC TD (13 June 1893 – 1 June 1977) was a British peer and farmer who served in both the First World War and Second World War.
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Early life and education
Fortescue was the third born and second surviving son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue and Hon. Emily Ormsby-Gore, daughter of William Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech. He grew up at the family estate at Castle Hill, North Devon. He was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford, where he studied under William Spooner. He received the Military Cross in 1919:
Career
He joined the Royal North Devon Yeomanry and in 1915 was sent to Gallipoli. After suffering a severe bout of dysentery, he returned home to recover. He rejoined the war in 1916 in France, where he fought at the Battle of the Somme. In four weeks, he fought in six battles.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations at Forest and Preux-au-Bois on 25 October and 4 November 1918. He rode forward amongst the attacking troops for the purpose of gaining firsthand knowledge of the situation at a critical period of the battle, and sent back information of the greatest value.
Fortescue was commanding officer of the Royal Devon Yeomanry 1935–1941, and commanding officer of the 1st Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, 1942–1944.
In 1958, he succeeded to the Earldom on the death of his older brother, Hugh Fortescue, 5th Earl Fortescue, whose only son, Hugh, Viscount Ebrington had been killed at El Alamein in 1942. He became a "regular attender and occasional speaker at the House of Lords."
He lived at the family seat, Ebrington Manor, where he became a successful fruit farmer.
Marriages and children
He married, firstly, Marjorie Ellinor Trotter, the granddaughter of John Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, on 10 June 1920 and they were divorced in 1941. They had three children:
Richard Archibald Fortescue, 7th Earl Fortescue (14 April 1922 – 7 March 1993) he married Penelope Henderson on 24 October 1949. They have two children, five grandchildren and one great-grandson. He remarried Margaret Stratton on 3 March 1961 and they were divorced in 1987. They have two daughters and two grandsons. He remarried, again, Carolyn Hill on 5 January 1989.
Charles Hugh Richard Fortescue, 8th Earl Fortescue (10 May 1951) he married Julia Sowrey on 12 December 1974. They have three daughters and one grandson:
Lady Alice Penelope Fortescue (8 June 1978)
Lady Kate Eleanor Fortescue (25 October 1979) she married Oliver Henry Bonas. They have one son:
Ossie Charles Bonas (31 October 2012)
Lady Lucy Beatrice Fortescue (29 April 1983)
Lady Celia Ann Fortescue+ (30 December 1957) she married David Adams in 1988. They have two children:
Georgina Penelope Anne Adams (1990)
Charles Michael Richard Adams (1992)
Lady Laura Margaret Fortescue+ (1 May 1962) she married Simon Jamieson on 1 July 1995. They have two sons:
Jerry Jocelyn Jamieson (1 June 1996)
Hugh Archibald Jamieson (8 September 1997)
Death
The sixth earl died 1 June 1977, just shy of his 84th birthday. A monument was erected in his honour at St Eadburgha's Church in Ebrington.