Name
William Sholto Douglas
18th September 1875
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/11/1914
39 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Royal Engineers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Mentioned in Despatches
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY
II. B. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Individual Plaque, St Mary's Church, Kings Walden,
Family Memorial in St Mary's Church, Kings Walden,
Bath Collage, Bath Abbey, War Memorial,
Bath War Memorial,
Lords Cricket Ground MCC Members WW1 Memorial
Pre War
He served with the 5th Company (Field) Royal Engineers in South Africa, from 1899 to 1900, serving in operations in the Orange Free State and seeing action in the Harrismith District, where he was wounded on the 10th August 1900, while destroying arms. He returned home at the end of 1900. He was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with two Clasps.
On his return home he joined the Intelligence Department at Headquarters.
William married Gladys Mary Harrison, elder daughter of Thomas Fenwick Harrison and the late Mary D Harrison in St Mary’s Church, Kings Walden, Herts, on the 21st October 1903.
Promoted to Captain in October 1904.
The birth of their son John Willoughby Sholto Douglas on 17th January 1906. John died on 13th December 1906.
From August 1910 he was Assistant Director of Army Signals (2nd Division) at Aldershot.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war, he was posted to Headquarters Staff at 7th Division, Expeditionary Force.
He was badly wounded in action near Ypres, Belgium on the 2nd November 1914, he died of his wounds in hospital at Boulogne, France, on the 14th November 1914.
A newspaper article* dated the 20th of November 1914 reports:
"The sad death of Captain William Sholto Douglas, on the headquarters staff of the 7th Divisional Royal Engineers, at Boulogne on Saturday from wounds received in action at Ypres, has caused widespread sorrow in King's Walden and neighbourhood. Captain Douglas married the eldest daughter of Mr. T. Fenwick Harrison, of the Bury, and great sympathy has been expressed for the members of this well-known county family. The grief is accentuated in that Captain Jack Harrison and Captain Guy Reynolds, Mr. Harrison's only son and his other son-in-law, are also on the injured list.
On receipt of the news that Captain Douglas was lying in hospital in Boulogne, Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Harrison hurriedly made the journey there. They found that he was seriously injured, and Mrs. Douglas remained, while Mr. Harrison returned to England for his other daughter. Before they reached Boulogne Captain Douglas had passed away.
Captain Douglas received his wounds in action near Ypres on November 2. He was aged 31 and was he only son of Colonel and Mrs. Douglas, of Lansdowne House, Bath. He joined the Royal Engineers in October, 1895, and reached the rank of Captain in October, 1904. He served with the Nile Expedition of 1898, receiving the Egyptian medal with clasp, and in the South African War, during which he took part in the operations in Orange River Colony from May to August, 1900, including the action at Wittebergen, and received the Queen's medal with two clasps. From the end of 1900 to September, 1901, he was specially employed in the Intelligence Department at Headquarters at home, and from August, 1910, to May, 1914, he was Assistant Director of Army Signals (Second Division) in the Aldershot Command. He had also held a staff appointment in the Scottish Command.
Memorial Service
A memorial service was held at King's Walden Parish Church on Monday, the church being crowded. The deceased officer frequently visited the Bury and made many friends in the neighbourhood.
The service was conducted by the vicar (the Rev. F. H. Proctor), a personal friend of the deceased. The rev. gentleman, like many in the congregation, was deeply moved, for in Boulogne, simultaneously with this simple service, were being performed the last sad rites at the interment. The one solitary floral tribute - a cross of beautiful lilies and chrysanthemums - from the tenant farmers on the King's Walden, Offley and Bendish estates, was laid near the pulpit. As the congregation assembled, the organist (Mr. E. E. Dennis) played Mendelssohn's "O rest in the Lord". The service opened with the hymn "Fight the good fight with all thy might", followed by the 39th Psalm and the lesson from Solomon iii. The hymn, "Peace, perfect peace", was then sung, after which the prayers were uttered. The pathetic service ended with the playing of Chopin's "Marche Funèbre" on the organ.
The altar was beautifully decorated with red and white flowers.
Among the congregation were:- Mr. T. Fenwick Harrison, Mrs. Sholto Douglas (widow of the deceased), Mrs. Nairn Reynolds, Miss Edwards, Mr. Bateson, the Rev. H. G. Stembridge (Breachwood Green), Mr. H. G. Salusbury Hughes, J.P., Mr. and Mrs. Fellowes (Lane House), Mrs. Charles Fellowes, Dr. Barnes, Mr. Cunnington. Several Belgian refugees from Low Hall (placed at their disposal by Mr. Harrison) were also present.
A muffled peal on the bells was rung after the service."
He is buried at the CWGC Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
*newspaper unknown
Additional Information
He was mentioned in Sir John French’s Dispatches.
Gazetted to Major after his death, effective from 30th October 1914.
Douglas was the nephew of General Sir Charles Douglas. Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Derry Warners
Stuart Osborne
