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Remembered Today:

They don't make them like this anymore ..


Jock Bruce

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Rather than hijack Boreenatra's thread about claims to fame, I thought I would start one on slightly different track. I came across this indivdual recently. Can anybody offer a man with more varied military service ?

Capt Reginald Cecil Chessney De Ville

1872 - born (son of a general)

1889 - 1895: RMLI, Sgt

1895: Prospector of Mines, South Africa

1896: Lieutenant of Gwelo Garrison, Rhodesia

1897 - 1900: Chinese Police, Inspector

1901 - 02: Imperial Yeomanry, Sgt Maj

1902 - 03: Ship's Officer

1904: Touring Japan

1905 - 14: Legion of Frontiersmen, Capt & Sqn Ldr

1911: Mexican Army, Lieutenant

1913: Bulgarian Army, Lieutenant

1914 -15: ASC Remounts, BEF Cpl (RTS/3582)

9 Feb 15: Commissioned in 9 Beds, later 2 (HS) Garrison Bn, Northants and 13 Bn, RDC

Jock

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Led a bit of a sheltered life then ... :lol:

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AND what happens after 1915 ....?

Great name too .. De Ville.

DE VILLE, ARCHIBALD HUGH Private 2560 13/05/1915 23 Leicestershire Yeomanry United Kingdom Panel 5. YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

2 DE VILLE, C A Second Lieutenant 20/07/1918 0 West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) United Kingdom II. H. 6. MARFAUX BRITISH CEMETERY

3 DE VILLE, PERCY Rifleman 26/759 18/07/1916 0 New Zealand Rifle Brigade New Zealand II. E. 9. BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (NORD)

4 DE VILLE, PERCY ROBINSON Private 31587 04/05/1917 41 York and Lancaster Regiment United Kingdom I. H. 6. BAILLEUL ROAD EAST CEMETERY, ST. LAURENT-BLANGY

5 DE VILLE, W Gunner 53461 27/07/1917 23 Royal Garrison Artillery United Kingdom III. C. 5. HAGLE DUMP CEMETERY

Edited by Desmond7
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Dave,

no idea -  drink?  women?  debt?

Kipling knew the type

Gentlemen Rankers

Jock

Thanks for the link, Jock. Any idea what the "curse of Reuben" is? :( Phil B

Quote:-Our pride it is to know no spur of pride,

And the Curse of Reuben holds us till an alien turf enfolds us

And we die, and none can tell Them where we died.

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He is not shown in The Cross of Sacrifice Officers Died Vol 1

There is one DeVILLE Charles Arthur 2nd Lt 2/5 W Yorks kia 20.8.17 Marfaux British Cemetery

Patrick

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Oh I see Des has already posted this man !!

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Reuben

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Firstborn son of Jacob and Leah and father of the tribe of Reuben and one of the twelve tribes of Israel. His name comes from the Hebrew meaning: "Look, a son." He appears in the story of the mandrakes as the one giving them to his mother (Genesis 30:14). Reuben has relations with Jacob's concubine Bilhah, angering Jacob and probably contributing to the curse of Reuben on Jacob's deathbed (Genesis 49:4). He succeeded in convincing his brothers not to kill Joseph but to trap him inside of a pit instead (Genesis 37:22). Later, when the family journeys to Egypt during the famine, he attempts to persuade his father that he should take responsibility for Benjamin while in Egypt (Genesis 42:37).

The tribe of Reuben settled west of the Jordan River and agreed to join the other tribes in the war against the Philistines.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources: Bridger, David. Ed. The New Jewish Encyclopedia, NY: Behrman House, 1976; Navigating the Bible II

AND

Reuben was ready, notice, at the end to sacrifice his sons - not himself. That is the man Reuben had become. "Slay my two sons if I don't bring Benjamin back," he says to his father.

Is this Kipling beating himself up?

Edited by Desmond7
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It`s a confusing story, Des. I`ve found it summed up as:-

"The curse of unconfessed and unforgiven sin was upon him, and he knew it not"

I get the impression that "lying" with the wrong woman was the cause of most gentleman rankers problems! Phil B

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Legion in the UK between 1904-1914 had a number of units one of the largest being the London Command under Lt Col D P Driscoll DSO.

Capt Chesney De Ville is listed in Legion records from 1912 as being under the London Command with his task being that of the unit Intelligence Officer.

The history of the Legion is full of men like De Ville whom had seen service all over the world.

Regards

LF Historian

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i think he just likes uniforms,he may have been collared by the bobbys in 1915 in a nurses uniform :blink: bernard

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Jock Bruce another member of the Legion like De Ville was Major Collier-Gates. He served in the Egypt, Canada, Cuba, China, the Boer War, Somaliland, Natal, World War 1 and World War 2 (Civil Defence) his medals are:

Egypt Medal 1882

Khedives Star 1882

Khedives Sudan Medal 1898

NW Canada Medal 1885

Cuba Medal 1898 (USA)

China Medal 1900

Queens Medal South Africa Medal 1900/02

Kings Medal South Africa 1901/02

African General Service "Somaliland" 1902

Natal 1906 (Zulu Rising)

1914 Star

British War Medal

Allied Victory Medal

Defence Medal 1939/45

Order of St John (German)

Order of Osmanieh (Turkey)

Order of Madjidieh (Turkey)

Legion of Honour (France)

Medaille Militarie (France)

Croix de Guerre (France)

Medal of Honour, Life saving (France)

Order of St George (Russia)

Order of the Crown (Roumania)

Croix de Guerre (Belgium)

Military Medal (Belgium)

Military Order of William (Netherlands)

Life Saving Medal (Sweden)

Medal for Bravery (Serbia)

Regards

LF Historian

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Major Collier-Gates served in the Boer War with Rimington's Scouts and Strathcona Horse. He then served on HMS Terrible in China he returned to South Africa and served in Somaliland and Natal. During WW1 he was a member of the Royal Flying Corps, his WW2 service was in the ARP/Civil Defence.

If any members can add to these details could they please post such.

LF Historian

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Dave,

no idea -  drink?  women?  debt?

My kinda man!

I hope he had a wonderful time and a happy ending!

PAUL J :D

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Paul,

He passed away in 1951. The above picture of him was taken while he was on a Legion parade. Below is a photo of his medal group.

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