Remembering the fallen
Private Percy Ottley, The London Scotish, c1916. NAM 2004-11-115-29
Case studies from National Army Museum
Eight and a half million soldiers died during World War One. They came from many countries, and spoke many languages. Millions of families mourned their passing.
The excavations we have detailed, used in tandem with museum and archive collections, enable us to uncover the stories of a few individuals and allow us to remember their sacrifice. By telling the stories of a few, we shed light on the fate of many.
As well as battlefield excavations and the supporting research, there are other ways in which the life stories of soldiers can be uncovered. From libraries, attics, museums and record offices come letters, diaries, official documents and photographs that shed light on a bygone era and draw us in to the personal lives of those who fought. These are a selection of stories from the National Army Museum’s archives.
Percy Ottley
Mrs Ethel Ottley whose husband Percy was killed in action in August 1917.
NAM 2004-11-115-28
The small collection of personal items that belonged to Private Percy Ottley came to the Museum in 2004, having been carefully preserved by his daughter Mary for nearly 90 years. It is a mixture of letters and personal photographs saved by her mother Ethel.
Ottley was 32 when he was killed in action at Cambrai with the London Scottish Regiment. Son of a well-known corn merchant he was the second of four brothers. He married Ethel Annie Camm (pictured) on 28 September 1909 at Womersley, North Yorkshire. Their daughter, Mary, was born in on 6 December 1910.
In civilian life Percy worked at Beckett’s Bank in Doncaster, and was a popular local figure, being a keen cyclist and bell ringer. He joined the Army on 3 February 1916 and trained for a year before being sent to France with the London Scottish Regiment in August of 1917. Obviously a good soldier, he had been identified as a potential officer.
Killed in action
Letter sent by Second Lieutenant D. L, Newbigging of the London Scottish.
NAM 2004-11-115-4
At 8am on 23 November 1917 his unit attacked Tadpole Trench, one small incident in the Battle of Cambrai. Percy was killed in action, and his body was never recovered. A letter of condolence was sent to Mrs Ottley by Lieutenant D. L. Newbigging of the London Scottish, explaining how Ottley was killed.
As one of 314,000 missing British and Commonwealth soldiers, Private Ottley’s name was listed on the Cambrai Memorial. His community mourned his passing with a peal of muffled bells.
Douglas McKie
Second Lieutenant Douglas McKie, 27th Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers, c1915. NAM 2005-09-56
Douglas Hamlin McKie was from Battersea, London, and made his career in banking. He was working in Brazil when the War broke out and came home to join the 2/28th (Artist’s Rifles) The London Regiment for his officer training.
He was commissioned on 23 May 1915 and was he was posted to the Northumberland Fusiliers. McKie wrote to his mother on 8 April 1917. He was to go into action the next day and was excited, despite the terrible weather.
Noise of the guns
In his letter he described how his billet was being shaken to pieces by the vibrations from the nearby guns, pounding the enemy front line. He told his mother that slates were falling off the roof and his bottle of hair oil had been knocked to the ground.
Over the top
Letter of condolence sent by one of McKie’s fellow officers to his mother, 20 April 1917. NAM 2005-09-57-1
The letter was signed off hastily as he was ordered to the trenches ahead of schedule. Douglas, an officer in the 27th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, went into action on the first day of the Battle of Arras, 9 April 1917.
At 5.30 that morning, 2,800 Allied guns began pounding the German trenches and soon afterwards the Northumberland Fusiliers went over the top into No Man's Land.
Just days before, his sister had sent him a letter, jokingly hoping that he would get a ‘blighty’, a wound that would bring him back home.
Douglas never received her letter. He was fatally wounded and died two days later in a field dressing station, on 11 April 1917. He was 24 years old. The family was notified of his death by telegram.
Condolence
Photograph of McKie's grave sent by the Director of Graves Registration and Enquiries to his family. NAM 2005-09-57-2.
Letters from his friends and fellow officers followed, returning some personal items: his identity bracelet, tie, cigarette case and wallet. His commanding Officer wrote on 20 April 1917 ‘during a short respite in the fighting’ to offer his condolences.
Douglas’s family was profoundly shocked by his death, and like many kept safe everything they had left of him. The collection was given to the Museum so that Douglas’s life would be remembered, and his story told.
