Claude Lancaster
| Claude Granville Lancaster | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 August 1899 |
| Died | 25 July 1977 (aged 77) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 British Army
|
| Years of service | 1918-31, 1939–43 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Royal Horse Guards |
| Commands held |
9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters 112th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps |
| Battles/wars | Second World War (Battle of Dunkirk) |
| Other work |
MP for Fylde 1938–50 MP for Fylde South 1950–70 Director, Bestwood Coal & Iron Co 1924–36 Chairman B.A. Collieries 1936–47 |
Claude Granville Lancaster (30 August 1899 – 25 July 1977) was a British Army officer, coal industry director, and Conservative Party politician.
Claude Lancaster was born on 30 August 1899, the son of George Granville Lancaster, who bought Kelmarsh Hall near Market Harborough, Leicestershire, in 1902. Claude Lancaster's grandfather was John Lancaster, a coal owner and MP for Wigan in the 19th Century.
Lancaster was educated at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He passed out of Sandhurst in 1918 and was commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards ('Blues') on 21 August that year, too late to see active service in the First World War. After the war he served with the Blues, attaining the rank of Captain on 20 October 1924. He left the Army in 1931.
In 1924 Captain Lancaster inherited Kelmarsh Hall and the family mining interests, becoming a director of Bestwood Coal & Iron Co Ltd in Nottinghamshire. After he left the Army, Lancaster moved into coal industry management. In 1936 Bestwood merged with two other Nottinghamshire mining companies to form B.A. Collieries Ltd, of which Lancaster became chairman. He also farmed in Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire. In 1938 Lancaster was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Fylde in a by-election, and sat in the House of Commons for Fylde and later Fylde South until 1970.
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, Lancaster was appointed as a Reserve officer to command the 9th Battalion the Sherwood Foresters, a duplicate Territorial Army unit being formed at Bulwell near Nottingham. The battalion was assigned to 139th Infantry Brigade of 46th Division, which like several other 'Second Line' Territorial divisions went to join the British Expeditionary Force in France for training and labour duties in April 1940. However, when the Germans attacked and broke through the following month, 46th Division was sent into action in the Battle of Dunkirk. On 29 May 139 Bde joined 'Macforce' holding the canal line near Carvin. As the 'pocket' shrank towards Dunkirk, 46th Division was ordered inside the perimeter on 27 May. On 29 May, 9th Foresters were sent to reinforce the garrison at the fortified town of Bergues, 9 km south of Dunkirk. The Germans were unable to enter Bergues until 2 June, and 9th Foresters under Lancaster was one of the last units to leave Dunkirk and be evacuated from France.
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