Harry Lassetter

Brigadier-General Henry Beauchamp Lassetter, (19 March 1860 – 17 February 1926) was an Australian military officer and businessman.

Early life Lassetter, the son of Frederic Lassetter, a prominent merchant, was born at Edgecliff, a suburb of Sydney. Educated in England, he attended Cheltenham College, Eton, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

Military career In 1880 Lassetter was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 38th Regiment, becoming lieutenant in the 80th Regiment in 1881. He was involved in an expedition to the Nile in 1884 and was promoted captain in 1887 and major in 1888, when he trained the New South Wales Mounted Rifle Brigade. Following the regiment's return to Sydney in July 1902, he received a sword of honour from the troopers of his regiment in recognition of his services, presented in a ceremony by the Premier Sir John See.

In 1911 he became managing director of his father's firm, but he remained primarily involved in the military and took command of a territorial brigade in England in 1915, where he was promoted brigadier general and created Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1917.

Family He married Elisabeth Anne Antill (1871–1927), a sister of Brigadier General John M. Antill, on 19 August 1891. They had a son, Frederic Macquarie Antill Lassetter (1892–1940). Both Elisabeth and Frederic were first class passengers on the final voyage of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania when the ship was sunk by a German submarine off the Southern coast of Ireland in May 1915. Together mother and son jumped about 90 feet from the listing boat deck into the ocean, held on to floating debris for several hours and were ultimately rescued.

In 1924 Lassetter returned to Sydney where he died two years later. His widow died the following year. His only son married Nancy Kilgour and had children. He died on 24 February 1940 in Whitchurch, England, at 47 years of age. His family believes that he died young due to the fuel oil he may have ingested while in the water during the sinking of the Lusitania.