Charles Duncombe, 2nd Earl of Feversham

Lieutenant-Colonel Charles William Reginald Duncombe, 2nd Earl of Feversham (8 May 1879 – 15 September 1916), known as Viscount Helmsley from 1881 to 1915, was a British Conservative Party politician and soldier.

Feversham was the son of William Duncombe, Viscount Helmsley, elder son of William Duncombe, 1st Earl of Feversham. His mother was Lady Muriel Frances Louisa, daughter of Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury.

He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, gaining a blue in polo with OUPC.

Lord Helmsley was appointed an assistant private secretary (unpaid) to Lord Selborne, First Lord of the Admiralty, in June 1902. He was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Thirsk and Malton in 1906 and held the seat until he inherited his title on the death of his grandfather in 1915.

Lord Helmsley joined the Yorkshire Hussars, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 21 May 1902. He later commanded the regiment.

He enlisted for active service in the First World War. Feversham was killed in action on 15 September 1916 at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, while commanding 21st Bn (Yeoman Rifles) King's Royal Rifle Corps. The battalion was formed in 1915 at Helmsley. "Dogs were frequent visitors to the trenches and he had taken his deerhound to war: it too was killed and was buried with him" (Tommy by Richard Holmes). He lies in the AIF Burial Ground at Flers, Somme.

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