Claude Berners Westmacott

Later that month he led the 2nd Battalion to France, commanding it until September, when he temporarily took over the battalion's parent formation, the 5th Infantry Brigade, part of the 2nd Division, leaving the battalion on the Aisne under Major E. B. Hankey.^[2] He was appointed a temporary brigadier general on 2 November and ADC to the king (extra) in February 1915.^[10] He also took over the 1st Division 's 2nd Infantry Brigade from Major General Edward Bulfin from the same date.^[11]

He was mentioned in dispatches twice, in October 1914 and again in February 1915, and in March he was promoted to substantive colonel, with seniority backdated to June 1914.^[12]

Following a breakdown of his health, he was invalided home from France and, after briefly serving on half-pay from October to November 1915,^[13] was placed in command of a brigade.^[14] He later relinquished his temporary brigadier's rank in August 1918, reverting to substantive colonel,^[15] and succeeded Colonel Henry O'Donnell in command of No. 6 District in the UK.^[16][2]

He was awarded the CBE in June 1919, by which time the war was over.^[17][2] He retired from the army, being granted the honorary rank of brigadier general, in March 1920.^[18]

Post-retirement, he actively participated in the British Legion at Lichfield and served as chairman of the Worcestershire Regiment's Old Comrades' Association from its inception until December 1945. While stationed in Plymouth with the 1st Worcesters in 1897, he married Miss Lily Taylor, who predeceased him by a few months; the couple had no children. Brigadier General Westmacott was an avid sportsman who took up archery with notable success in his later years.^[2]

Brigadier General Westmacott passed away suddenly on 15 March 1948, at the age of 82, at Wall House, Lichfield, and was buried with military honours at Wall Parish Church on 18 March 1948.^[2] The Worcestershire Regiment was represented at the funeral by the-then colonel of the regiment, Brigadier B. C. S. Clarke, who had served as his adjutant from 1912 to 1914, and Lieutenant Colonel L. G. H. Bryant, the CO at Norton; a bugler sounded the "Last Post" and "Reveille," and the regiment sent a wreath.^[2]