William Onslow , 6th Earl of Onslow William Arthur Bampfylde Onslow , 6th Earl of Onslow KBE MC TD , DL ( 11 June 1913 – 3 June 1971 ) , known as Viscount Cranley until 1945 , was a British peer , politician and army officer . Onslow was the eldest son of Richard William Alan Onslow , 5th Earl of Onslow and the Hon . Violet Marcia Catherine Warwick Bampfylde , daughter of Baron Poltimore , and was educated at Winchester College and the Royal Military College Sandhurst . Military career . From Sandhurst he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Life Guards in 1934 , and promoted to lieutenant in 1938 . During the Second World War he transferred to 4th County of London Yeomanry , winning the Military Cross as a captain and temporary major for his actions on 19 and 23 November during Operation Crusader in the Western Desert . The citation describes how on 19 November he continued fighting his tank after it had been immobilised , and on 23 November , led two troop s of tanks into battle standing on his scout car waving the tanks on with his handkerchief ; the award was gazetted on 12 February 1942 . As an acting lieutenant - colonel , he commanded the regiment in the Battle of Villers - Bocage during the Normandy Campaign in 1944 . His unit was attacked by Michael Wittman of the Waffen SS who attacked with six tanks . He was subsequently captured by the Germans and was a prisoner of war until the end of the war . In 1961 he published an account of his war service , " Men and Sand " . Politics . Politically , Onslow was a Conservative and was co - opted to the London County Council to represent Putney in 1940 . He held the seat at the council election in 1946 , remaining a member of the body until 1949 . From 1949 – 1952 he was a member of Surrey County Council . In 1945 he succeeded to his father ' s titles , and a place in the House of Lords , and was Assistant Chief Conservative Whip in the house from 1951 – 1960 . He subsequently left the party , joining the Liberals in 1965 . Lord Onslow was appointed a Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John on 8 July 1947 , and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 31 October 1960 . He was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey , resigning on 13 April 1962 . Territorial Army . He continued in part - time service with the Territorial Army after the war , now with 3rd County of London Yeomanry , and was promoted to substantive lieutenant - colonel on 1 May 1947 . He was promoted brevet colonel on 21 March 1950 , awarded the Territorial Efficiency Decoration on 21 April 1950 , and transferred to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers on 4 July 1951 . He was appointed Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard on 5 November 1951 , and Honorary Colonel of 3rd / 4th County of London Yeomanry ( Sharpshooters ) on 21 June 1956 . As Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard he took part in the funeral of King George VI , and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II . Family . On 4 August 1936 , he had married Hon . Pamela Louisa Eleanor Dillon , the only daughter of Eric Dillon , 19th Viscount Dillon and they had two children , Michael William Coplestone Dillon Onslow , Viscount Cranley ( 1938 – 2011 ) and Lady Teresa Lorraine Onslow ( b . 1940 ) . He divorced his wife in 1962 and remarried , to Nina Edith Jo Sturdee , later that year . He died in 1971 aged 57 and was succeeded by his only son . His grandchildren include Daisy and Alexander Waugh .