Paul Reed Posted 16 November , 2002 Share Posted 16 November , 2002 Sorting through some of my archives I have found a fine portrait studio-photo of a Lieutenant Colonel in the Devonshire Regiment. Inscribed underneath is the legend Semper Fidelis - 17th April 1918. On the back - in pencil - is written "Mr Duncan (?) Arthur". I don't have the Devons history; anyone got any ideas of this one? What's the significance of the date? He isn't listed in Officers Died, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Kortooms Posted 16 November , 2002 Share Posted 16 November , 2002 Hello, No Duncan Arthur is mentioned in the indexes of “The Devonshire Regiment 1914-1918” by C.T. Atkinson or “The Bloody Eleventh, History of the Devonshire Regiment, Volume III: 1914-1969” by W.J.P. Aggett. There also does not seem to be any special significance attached to the date 17th April 1918 in these books. Walter Kortooms PS maybe you could try the London Gazette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 17 November , 2002 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2002 Thanks Walter - how strange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 19 November , 2002 Share Posted 19 November , 2002 Paul Clearly the officer is not Duncan Arthur. Is he wearing any medal ribands, wound stripes, service chevrons? Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 20 November , 2002 Author Share Posted 20 November , 2002 Sadly no - I will scan the photo sometime and post it here later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacky Platteeuw Posted 20 November , 2002 Share Posted 20 November , 2002 Paul, Army List of 1914 has one DUNCAN A.. He was a Captain in the RAMC Territorial Force and is listed as Sanitary Officer. Cheers, Jacky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Miller Posted 26 November , 2002 Share Posted 26 November , 2002 Hello Paul, Is it possible that the name of the officer in question is not Duncan Arthur, but Arthur Duncan? It seems by the inscription on the back that the author of it knew the person to be Arthur, but wasn't sure of his surname, as in Mr Duncan, Arthur. Anyway, that's how it struck me, perhaps it is worth checking out the names in this order, as researching a Duncan Arthur doesn't seem to have worked? Jon Miller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Harland Posted 28 November , 2002 Share Posted 28 November , 2002 Paul there are 58 officers listed as died on 17/4/18 ( aren't CDs a wonderful thing!), but none of them seems to fit. The only Arthur (Seymour)Duncan was a 17th Middx regt 2Lt KIA on 9/4/18. Despite what is written on your photo,perhaps your man survived the war? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoeG Posted 29 November , 2002 Share Posted 29 November , 2002 Going about things via a different direction, the 1881 census shows a Duncan Arthur, born in Bude, Cornwall in 1873, the son of James Arthur, a schoolmaster. Cheers Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 2 December , 2002 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2002 Thanks for all the further replies; Joe, I think you may have found the man as that DOB fits in with the apparent age of the chap on the photo. When my lap-top is fixed, I will post the photo here. Perhaps he was Devons attached something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoeG Posted 2 December , 2002 Share Posted 2 December , 2002 The same chap doesn't appear in the 1901 census, and presumably at the age of 27 and in the Army would quite likely be further afield than the UK. Although the 1901 has its blips of course! Cheers Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 23 December , 2002 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2002 Now I've got my laptop back, am finally able to post this photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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