Kingsley Doyle / George Shee

[Aurel Sercu]

I am asking this double question on behalf of an acquaintance. Since I do not know the answers myself, or where to find them right away, I hope some Forum readers do ...

1. Arthur Conan Doyle had a son, Kingsley, who died of influenza shortly after he was wounded in 1917 near the Somme. Where was he buried ?

2. An article about "The Winslow Boy", a 1999 film based on a true story and a play by Terrence Rattigan, said that this "Winslow Boy" was George Asher Shee, who died near Ypres in 1914. CWGC website and cd-rom Soldiers Died in the Great War does not mention this name. Who knows more about this soldier ?

Thanks on behalf of Freddy.

Aurel Sercu

[Paul Reed]

Aurel - the Winslow Boy is on the Menin Gate; under North or South Staffs. He was killed at First Ypres, if I remember correctly. I don'y have my books etc to hand to verify this, but know for sure he is listed on the Gate.

[fatbob]

The Winslow Boy case was George Archer-Shee.

He does appear on cwgc and is named on the Menin Gate, panel 35 and 37.

He was a Lt. 3rd Bttn. South Staffordshire Regiment.

Aged 19 when killed in action on Saturday 31st October 1914.

It also states on the site that:

'Studied at Stonyhurst College and Royal Naval College, Osborne. Was the subject of Terence Rattigan's play "The Winslow Boy"'.

Soldiers Died gives 'ATTD 2/BN' under supplementry notes.

Fatbob

[Aurel Sercu]

Thanks, Paul and Bob.

Of course, the misspelling 'George Asher Shee' (instead of George Archer-Shee) made it hard to find him. (And also that this afternoon and tonight it appeared impossible to get to the CWGC website).

Aurel Sercu

[Alan Seymour]

Aurel,

"The toll of the war was cruel on Arthur Conan Doyle. He lost his son Kingsley, his brother Innes, his two brothers-in-law and his two nephews. His son, Kingsley Conan Doyle, was wounded on the Somme. He died in October, 1917, after developing pneumonia." - taken from a biography of Arthur Conan Doyle on the Internet

I believe Kingsley's, full name was Alleyme A. Kingsley Conan Doyle, born in 1892/3. There's a Lt. A. A. K. C. Doyle listed on the Crowborough War Memorial, Sussex and this is the town where his father lived.

On checking the Army List I found a A. A. K. C. Doyle listed in Feb 1916, with the 1st /2nd Hampshire Regt. where he is shown as a Temp Lt. with a commission date of 7 Apr 1915.

So far I haven't been able to trace him in Officers / Soldiers Died which makes me wonder whether he had died in service or he had been invalided out of the army due to his wounds and died of natural causes at home. I haven't been able to get onto the CWGC web-site to-day (they seem to be having problems?) to see if he has a war grave and if he has where he is buried, so this remains a bit of a mystery?

Alan Seymour

[Aurel Sercu]

Thanks, Alan.

This morning I found another A.C. Doyle biography on the internet (The A.C. Doyle Society - A Chronology of A.C. Doyle), giving more or less the same information : "April 1918 (sic) - Death of eldest son, Captain (sic) Kingsley Conan Doyle, from influenza aggravated by war wounds."

I too was beginning too wonder, as you wrote, "whether he had died in service or had been invalided out of the army due to his wounds and died of natural causes at home." That probably was the case.

He is not mentioned in : Tonie & Valmai Holt, The Somme. And neither is the death and burial place of Kingsley Doyle mentioned in their "My Boy Jack? - The Son for Kipling's Only Son" (R. Kipling and A.C. Doyle were neighbours I think.)

Indeed, he cannot be found on the cd-rom SDGW (Soldiers / Officers) either. Neither under the name 'Alleyme A. Kingsley Conan Doyle', nor 'Kingsley Doyle'. (13 officers Doyle, but none of them matches.)

I had a quick and unsuccessful look at the CWGC register this morning, but right now again I cannot get onto it for confirmation.

So indeed, it remains a bit of a mystery. So far...

Thanks again for taking the trouble.

Aurel Sercu

[Terry Denham]

From the CWGC site.....

Capt A.A.K.C.DOYLE

1 Bn, Hampshire Regt

Died 01.11.18 Age 24

Buried Grayshott (St Luke) Churchyard, Hants, UK

Grave 23D.191

Son of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Lady Conan Doyle of Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex. Wounded on the Somme

[Aurel Sercu]

Thanks, Terry !

End of the "mystery".

And your information has already been passed to my acquaintance.

Aurel

[Alan Seymour]

Aurel,

I forgot to include in my previous posting some more information that you may find of interest on George Archer-Shee. His name is recorded on the war memorial tablet on the outside wall of the Church of Saint Mary On-The-Quay, Bristol.”

“The Church stands at the heart of the city, and apart from the pre-Reformation St James Priory, is Bristol's oldest Catholic Church. In the First World War 545 men of the parish joined the forces. Sixty-seven lost their lives and their names are recorded on a fine brass memorial tablet fixed to the wall outside the church. The first name is that of George Archer-Shee. He had served as an altar boy at St Mary's and become a naval cadet, but he was falsely implicated in the theft of a five-shilling postal order and had been expelled from his college in disgrace. His family were determined to clear his name and in a famous court case he was finally exonerated."

The above information is taken from the web-site: http://www.cornwallis.fsworld.co.uk/smq/church/

Alan Seymour

[Aurel Sercu]

Thanks, Alan, and all who helped.

I (we) appreciate !

Also on behalf of Freddy, who asked the initial questions and who has since discovered the Forum ("a revelation").

Aurel