30 October 2018

Louis and all three of his brothers survived the war. A WW1 commemorative plaque that used to hang in Broughty Ferry Church includes all four brothers:

Louis's medal roll card and medals are shown below:

The three medals are the standard campaign medals. Above from left to right Victory medal, 1914/15 star and British War medal.

Louis also received the following medal whose inscription is clear:

Although Louis and his brothers survived, a number of his friends , also tea planters in Ceylon, were killed. In 1912 Louis spent Xmas eve with Footner, Huntly, Cooper, Morland and Brown. As recorded in Louis's diaries, Footner, Morland and Brown all died. Separately as noted in his diaries, Louis wrote dozens of letters to Beath during his years of service. Beath signed up in 1917, surviving the war but later being killed on service in India in 1919 during the 3rd Anglo Afghan war; his name remains inscribed on the Delhi India Gate.

Louis lived permanently in Ceylon as a planter for the rest of his life. He spent most leave periods (furloughs) in the UK visiting the family in Broughty Ferry-and playing golf at Carnoustie. He settled with a Ceylonese lady and they had a number of children who themselves settled in Ceylon, Australia and the UK where his many grandchildren now reside today.

Raymond kept the nursery at Broughty Ferry until he died in 1949. Louis, Walter and Norman all died within a few years of each other about 12 years later. Norman lived in England while Walter retired to England having himself been a planter in Ceylon. They continued to write to each other frequently throughout their lives- none but the very latest letters survive.

Louis died in Ceylon in 1962.

Louis's wife

Louis in later years

Louis shortly before he died, with two of his children and five of his grandchildren.

11 November 1918

On 11 November 1918 Louis, having been back in Ceylon for over a year,  records the signing of the armistice. Louis probably only heard on 19 November.

10 May 1917

L'Pool St 11.25 to Royal Albert Docks. Embarked P&O (BI) Karagola at Royal Albert Dock for Bombay and sailed at 2pm. Walter saw me off.

So after 2 1/2 years Louis leaves the UK bound for Ceylon. His war experiences do not end here though.

On 12 May as the ship was leaving Torbay Louis recorded that he saw a lifeboat passing going to or coming from a ship that had been sunk close to them .This was most likely The Galicia that was torpedoed off Teignmouth on that day. There were no casualties.

Louis continued his journey and his diary entries throughout the voyage as the ship passed by Gibraltar, Marseilles and then down the coast of Italy to Malta.

Amazingly the history of the Karagola records that on 19 May as the ship was 240 miles out of Gibraltar she drove off U47 with her stern gun. Louis has no record of this is his diary!

A fortnight later between Malta and Port Said , she sighted another periscope 'from which she quickly distanced herself without having to open fire.

Whether Louis saw the periscope or not is uncertain. However Louis does record the event - and comments that it put 'the wind up'!

After Port Said the ship sailed through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea stopping at Aden, before reaching Bombay on 16 June.

Louis finally reached Colombo on 21 June 1917.    

6-9 May 1917

Had tea at Guilds.
Called on Chick ( Marshall)
Dentist
Left Dundee 7.19 for London & Colombo.
Arrived London 8.30.??Called on H&C. Saw Croll and Thompson.Met Walter and Jas Kemp.
Spent evening with Merry.

Another visit to the dentist ahead of the trip to London and the on to Colombo.

29 April-5 May 1917

Spent day in house-chill.
Sent off baggage 26/- Insurance £2/15. saw Florence Smithson at Kings.
D with Bell in City.
P. Perth Road.
Sent extra £2/4- to P&O insurance.
Had tooth stopped-black. dentist.
Heard Medina sunk.
Met Hollingsworth in Dundee. At dentist again.
P McIntosh.
P Perth Road quills(?)
Went to Carnoustie afternoon.
Brown died of wounds. 

The Medina was built in Scotland 1911 as an ocean going liner. However it was commissioned into The Royal Navy as the Royal Yacht to take King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911. Following a refit in 1912 after this voyage she was delivered to P&O.  She was torpedoed off the Devon Coast on 28 April 1917. Given Louis was at this time clearly planning his return voyage to Ceylon with P&O he was understandably interested in this news.

Louis also records the death of Brown- another of the asst. managers who worked at Sapumalkande in 1914.

22-28 April 1917

Wrote P&O.
Went to Kings alone
Met Nina Pearson
Perth Road
Car with Ellis
Met Bell evening
With Bell in City.

21 April 1917

Perth Rd (Jessie 9 ???
With Bell.
Read:
The House of Quiet -AC Benson

Not one of Louis's usual book choices. AC Benson was a poet, essayist and academic. He wrote the words to the hymn Land of Hope and Glory. He was the son of the first Headmaster of Wellington College and became Master of Magdalene College Cambridg . The House of Quiet is an autobiography.

19 April 1917

Met Bell.
Warmest day this year yet.
Sent box to Beath, bot (tle) whisky.

For most of the war Louis was writing to Beath who was still a civilian. Now Beath has signed up and Louis is a civilian and Louis sends his friend a bottle of whisky.

17 and 18 April 1917

Met Geo Morton.
Signed agreement with Sapu. to refund passage money.
Wrote ?? and Beath.

It appears that Louis obtained his refund not from WO, but from his employers Sapumalkande Tea Estate.

15 and 16 April 1917

In Southport. Fine.
Left Southport 9.50AM. Arrived Dundee 8pm.
??

14 April 1917

Left Euston 2.20 for Southport and arrived 9.20. Drew £10 from Cox.

In subsequent years Louis's two elder aunts Jessica and Eliza were living in Southport- however it is not clear when they moved from Scotland and if they were in Southport in 1917.

12 and 13 April 1917

Called again at Passport Office. Wrote Sanguinetti for copy letter.
Obtained passport. Dinner with W and Jas Kemp.

10 and 11 April 1917

Saw R Lake FRCS in Cavendish Place , Cavendish Sq W.
Also saw Canny Ryall & got medicine for 3 weeks. Drew £10 from Cox.
Went to Bromley with Wester(?) and Merry.
Wrote Huntley from Imperial.

Richard Lake was the senior ear surgeon at The Royal Ear hospital.

8 April 1917

Back to Imperial(Hotel) in evening.

7 April 1917

Went to Southend, Hotel Victoria with W(Walter).
Wrote Raymond ,?? and Beath.

Not entirely clear why Luis and Walter are travelling on consecutive days to Epsom and Southend.

5 and 6 April 1917

Handed papers to passport office. Drew £10 from Cox.
Went down to Epsom with Walter. Met Hollingsworth's brother.

3 and 4 April 1917

Saw Dr Sanquinette(?) 19 Campbell House Road W Kens. for W test(?)
Filled in application for passport and got letter from Colonial Office.

Further research reveals Louis visited Dr Harold Herbert Sanguinetti who appears to be a consultant pathologist.  Not clear what test Louis had.

Interesting that Louis also finds himself applying for a passport which suggests he travelled to England from Ceylon in 1914 without one. Passports only came into general use at the time of WW1.

1 and 2 April 1917

Arrived London. Met Bruce also Frank Ross and Hollingsworth.
Called on H&C ( Harrison & Crosfield)
Saw Canny(?) Ryall 77 H St.

An interesting entry. 77 H St. suggests Harley Street and Canny Ryall turns out to be Edward Canny Ryall an eminent Urology Surgeon who a few years earlier had established the All Saints Hospital. Certain of the instruments he developed are still used today ( The Canny Ryall Retractor). Researching Ryall shows he did in fact live with his family at 77 Harley St and he appears to have died there in 1934.

25-31 March 1917

P Aberdeen
Samuel ??
P McIntosh, Broty
P Samuel
Left Dundee 7-19 with Walter.

Louis uses the 'P' on 3 occasions this week - Likely 'Pint'?
On Saturday he accompanies Walter to London. 

24 March 1917

With Bell met Samuel.

22 and 23 March 1917

Came down in taxi.
Met Aberdeen.

Louis provides no further details.

21 March 1917

At Carnoustie with Walter.
Wrote Smeaton.
Wrote Sapl. Secretary.

Louis appears to have enjoyed a game of golf with Walter at Carnoustie while Walter was on leave. Sapl. could be Sapumalkande Tea Estate where Louis was ( as was Walter) an assistant manager in 1914 before coming to Britain to sign up.  

19 and 20 March 1917

P Burnt(?)
Wrote WO ( Army List)

16 and 17 March 1917

Bruce returned to Glasgow.
P Burnt(?)
Met Dod Moon)(?)

13 March 1917

Bruce arrived from Glasgow.

Probably one of Louis's cousins.

11 March 1917

Last day in uniform.

It is difficult to know how Louis felt at this stage. He has literally been kicking his heels for 4 months and having obtained his commission he scarcely ever got to serve as an officer. On the other hand the chances of him remaining unscathed if he had regained his fitness are low.     

10 March 1917

Walter arrived home on leave before going to cadet school.
Jumped on by APM .

Louis's elder brother Walter now arrives from France on leave. The note about being jumped on is puzzling. The standard abbreviation meaning is Provost Marshall-a member of the forces responsible for discipline.

8 March 1917

Gazetted as relinquishing commission dated 9 March.
Wrote Cox for bank book.


This was a real red letter day for Louis. Following his latest Medical Board he now has to relinquish his commission due to his deafness and this was gazetted on 9 March 1917.

4 and 5 March 1917

Walter arrived London to ???
Wrote Walter ( to Imperial).
Snow all day
Wrote McMullin
Wrote WO re passage.

The letter Louis refers to is shown below. It is written having heard that the latest Medical Board had determined that he would be decommissioned as a result of his continuing deafness.

The letter Louis received is also shown below:

1-3 March 1917

In town with Norrie.
Met Robson of 1st BW late interpreter of 2nd SB(?).
Saw Norrie off to France.
Wrote Paymaster, allows, claims.

After only 4 days back home Norries' leave ends.

28 February 1917

P Keiller
Received notice from WO re discharge.

Following his Medical Boards and period of leave Louis now starts to receive communications that inexorably lead to the end of his war service. 

26 and 27 February 1917

Norrie arrived home evening.
In town with Norrie.


No doubt with some relief Norrie arives in Broughty on leave.

18-24 February 1917

In house all day. Wrote WO for Medical Board on 28th.
In house all day. Wet ditto.
Out first time since cut face.
Kid arived in London on leave.
At Kings with Bell.
Saw My Lady Frayle in Her Majesty's.

No mention of how Louis cut his face.
Kid (Norrie) arrives in London on leave.
My Lady Frayle was a musical which premiered at The Shaftesbury Theatre London in 1916. Her Majesty's theatre Dundee still survives as a cinema today.

10 February 1917

P Pictures burnt.
Wind up car/ear(?)

8 and 9 February 1917

P.PO Shands Picture House.
Wrote Walter enclosing £5.
Spent evening with Merry.

Although Louis was now at home in Broughty Ferry , Norrie and Walter would still have been uppermost in his mind as they were still on active service in France.
The Picture House referred to by Louis was probably one of a number owned by Agnes Shand in the Dundee area.

6 and 7 February 1917

Received notice to attend Medical Board tomorrow.
P Seagate ???  ???
Had Medical Board. 3 weeks leave.
P Perth Rd.


Louis attends a further Medical Board and is signed off for another 3 weeks.

4 and 5 February 1917

Caught rotten cold.
Met Merry and went to Kings.

Undeterred by a cold Louis keeps up his theatre attendance.

3 February 1917

Met St Andrews man.
Read:
At the Gate of Samaria-WJ Locke
At the Foot of the Rainbow-GS Porter
The Abysmal Brute-Jack London

Somewhat cryptic entry from Louis. However when not meeting up with friends and going to the theatre he was clearly keeping up with his reading.

1 and 2 February 1917

Lunch with McCorquo. in RB.
Nursing home afternoon. £2 down.
Wrote Scotland Command Fortrose.
Met Merry evening.
Taxi down with Parsons.

Not clear whom Louis was visiting in the nursing home. What is more clear is that there was a small but active group of Louis's friends with whom he met up regularly in Dundee.