Report on the death of Douglas Kirk Wolley Dod in De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919

“WOLLEY-DOD, DOUGLAS KIRK, Lieut., 12th (Service) Battn. The King’s (Liverpool Regt.), yst. s. of Francis Wolley-Dod of Edge Hall, Malpas, Cheshire, late of the Indian Public Works Dept., by his wife, Annette Mary, dau. of the late Frederic Fuhrmann Clarke; and nephew of Brigadier-General D. C. Wolley-Dod; b. Simla, India, 18 Nov. 1896; educ. the Rev. H. E. Mocatta’s Preparatory School, Clive House, Old Colwyn, and School House, Rugby; volunteered and applied for a commission on the outbreak of war; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 12th King’s 17 Sept. 1914, and promoted Lieut. 3 Feb. 1915; left for France with his battalion 25 July, and was killed at the commencement of the battle of Loos 25 Sept. 1915, somewhere in the salient near Armentieres. Buried at Rue Pentillon, near Laventie.

His Commanding Officer, Colonel L.  Nicholson wrote:
“He was killed by a shell while in the trenches with his platoon, and they were being very heavily bombarded, and he was setting a very fine example to his men by by his cool and collected behaviour in trying circumstances. He was killed instantaneously. Not only was your son a very hard-working, keen, reliable officer, happy and cheerful under all circumstances, but his bright disposition had endeared him to all ranks, and he was a great favourite.”

Lieut.-Col. C. D. Fowler, commanding 7th K. O. Y. L. I.:
“I commanded his company from Oct. 1914 to May, 1915, all of which time he was one of my subalterns. I can’t tell you how awfully sorry I was to hear of his being killed during the bombardment; he was the life and soul of our company during our training, and all his influence was for good. He was so cheery and jolly, and his spirits never seemed to get damped. He was the true type of what I am insular enough to think is the best in the world, a young English gentleman, and that your son was in the truest sense.”

The Adjutant (E. H. Pearson, since killed accidentally in France):
“He was the life and soul of the regiment, and he was beloved by all of us, and the regiment, I feel, will never be the same without him. He was killed instantaneously by a shell which hit the parapet and crushed him, and he was laid to rest in a little cemetery about one mile from the firing line, and about two miles from Laventie. As we shall probably be in the neighbourhood for two or three weeks, I shall try and get some box trees to put  round his grave.””

De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914 – 1918