SECOND LIEUTENANT DOUGLAS FITCH
ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
16TH OCTOBER 1917 AGE 21
BURIED: LA CLYTTE MILITARY CEMETERY, BELGIUM
Douglas Fitch's father has quoted from the letter of condolence he received from his son's colonel. There's more information from this letter on a brass memorial plaque in St Andrew's Church, Kingswood, Surrey:
"A most gallant officer, beloved of his men. Throughout the hard and dangerous work of the last few weeks of his life he never spared himself and he was an example to us all."
There is even more information in the Marquis de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour. His Battery Commander wrote of him:
"Always thoughtful for others, whether they were his brother officers or the men of his section; always cheerful, he had a wonderful effect on us all and I think it was a good deal due to his influence that the battery has faced a very hard gruelling without a murmuring."
And his captain wrote:
"His unfailing cheerfulness and unconcern through the heaviest shell fire and greatest discomforts were wonderful ... There was no more popular officer in the brigade and the men of his battery and especially those of his own section, almost worshipped him."
Douglas, who served with 'C' Battery 162nd Brigade, was killed in action just ten days before his twenty-first birthday. He was his parents only child.