Frederick Guest Frederick Edward Guest CBE DSO PC ( 14 June 1875 – 28 April 1937 ) , often known as Freddie Guest , was a British politician best known for being Chief Whip of Prime Minister David Lloyd George ' s Coalition Liberal Party between 1917 and 1921 . He was also Secretary of State for Air between 1921 and 1922 . He won the Bronze medal with the British polo team in the 1924 summer olympics in Paris Background , education and military career . The Guest family had made its fortune in the iron and steel industry in the 18th and 19th centuries and had married into the aristocracy . Frederick Guest was born in London , the third son of Ivor Guest , 1st Baron Wimborne and Lady Cornelia Spencer - Churchill ( 1847 – 1927 ) , daughter of John Churchill , 7th Duke of Marlborough . The Wimbornes were Conservatives who had been friends of Benjamin Disraeli . Guest was first cousin of Winston Churchill , son of Lady Cornelia ' s brother , the Conservative politician Lord Randolph Churchill . His four brothers were also politically active , notably Ivor Guest , 2nd Baron and 1st Viscount Wimborne , a junior minister and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland . In addition , Henry Guest and Oscar Guest were Members of Parliament ( MPs ) , while Lionel Guest ( 1880 – 1935 ) was a member of the London County Council . Educated at Winchester School , Frederick Guest chose the military profession . After apprenticeship in the militia , Guest became ( 1897 ) an officer in the 1st Life Guards . He was sent to Egypt in 1900 , was decorated for bravery in the South African War ( served 1901 – 02 ) , and rose to captain before retiring from active duty ( 1906 ) . Political career . In 1906 guest became private secretary to his cousin and close friend , Winston Churchill , a junior minister in Sir Henry Campbell - Bannerman ' s Liberal government . In 1904 , during the controversy within the Conservative Party over adopting protectionism , Guest and other members of his family followed Churchill into the Liberal Party in support of free trade — and perhaps also to accelerate their political careers . Guest attempted three times to enter the House of Commons before winning the East Dorset seat in the January 1910 general election . Although unseated because of election irregularities by his constituency agent , he was reelected in December 1910 . Known in the political world as " Freddie Guest , " he was a popular backbencher , became a Liberal Party whip in 1911 , the same year was elected a charter member of the cross - bench Other Club of political insiders , and was appointed Treasurer of the Household ( Deputy Chief Whip ) in 1912 . When World War I began in August 1914 , Guest returned to active service as aide - de - camp to Field Marshal Sir John French , commander of the British Expeditionary Force in France . Guest performed confidential missions for French , liaising with the War Office and with political leaders . Later ( 1916 ) Guest served in the East African theatre and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order . After being invalided out of the army following serious illness , Guest resumed his political career . In May 1917 he joined Lloyd George ' s Coalition government as joint patronage secretary of the treasury , or chief whip for the Coalition Liberals . Guest was appointed to the Privy Council in the 1920 New Year Honours , entitling him to the style " The Right Honourable " , and in 1921 was promoted to Secretary of State for Air , a post he held until the Coalition fell from power in October 1922 . In the general election of November 1922 Guest lost his seat but in 1923 was returned for Stroud , then in 1924 for Bristol North . After losing as a Liberal in the 1929 election , he rejoined the Conservative Party , first sitting as a Conservative for Plymouth Drake in 1931 , and remaining in this position until his death . Family and private life . Guest married Amy ( 1873 – 1959 ) , daughter of American industrialist Henry Phipps , in 1905 . Apart from his political career he was an amateur motor racing driver and airplane pilot . In 1930 he became deputy master of the Guild of Air Pilots , and master in 1932 . He also played polo , was a big - game hunter in East Africa , and was a celebrated man - about - town in London and New York City society . Guest ' s wife — who was prominent as a women ' s suffragist , philanthropist and aviation enthusiast — owned valuable property in Long Island . The couple were frequent visitors to the United States in the 1920s and 1930s . They had a daughter , Diana ( 1909 – 1994 ) and two sons who became American citizens : Winston Frederick Churchill Guest ( 1906 – 1982 ) , a polo great , and Raymond R . Guest ( 1907 – 1991 ) , United States Ambassador to Ireland , 1965 – 1968 . Guest died from cancer in 1937 , at the age of 61 . Polo . Guest competed for Great Britain in polo at the 1924 Summer Olympics . The British Polo team received the Bronze Medal . He played alongside Frederick W . Barrett , Dennis Bingham and Kinnear Wise . Guest can be found among the winners of the Roehampton Trophy . He would also lend horses to the English polo team for the International Polo Cup matches .