1904 COMMISSION PRESENTED TO THE MUSEUM
29th July 2008

Hugh Cumberbatch's Framed Commission, with Watercolours and a Fragment of a Regimental Colour.

A framed Commission, three watercolours and fragments from a Green Howards Regimental Colour have been donated to the Green Howards Museum. The 1904 Commission belonged to 2nd Lt. Hugh Carlton Cumberbatch who later became a Major during the First World War. It is signed in the top left corner by King Edward VII. The Commission is accompanied by three postcard sized original watercolours and fragments of an unidentified Green Howards Regimental Colour. We know that Lt. Cumberbatch was in either the First or Second Battalion but we have no idea which Battalion’s Colours these fragments belonged to. They are only tiny pieces of cloth with no dates or battle honours visible but we have several of the Regiment's historians looking into it” says Dave Tetlow, the Museum’s Curator. The items were donated by Mr J Drake of Oxford who said “I have had them in my possession for many years and have wanted to return them to the Regiment for some time”. H C Cumberbatch, O.B.E., M.C., was born at Winchfield, Hants on the 19th May, 1884. In the Great War he served on the staff in France, and was present at the 2nd battle Ypres and Loos in 1915, and 3rd battle of Ypres, 1917. He also took part in the Palestine campaign for nine months up to the Armistice. Major Cumberbatch died in 1936.

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