Family :

Education & Career :

Reginald was educated at Stamford School and London University, and at the outbreak of war was an assistant master at Ellesmere College. He was reading for Holy Orders to enter the Church, but as soon as the war began he obtained a Commission in the 11th Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

In October 1915 a combined Franco-British force of some two large brigades was landed at Salonika (today called Thessalonika) with the objective to help the Serbs in their fight against Bulgarian aggression. However before they could be employed the Serbs were beaten. Over the next three years the Salonika front was static, with heavily fortified trench lines, and only minor adjustments by both sides. More troops were sent to Salonika particularly after the withdrawal from Gallipoli. Disease and climate were no lesser enemies than the Turks.

Detail :

He was killed there on 18 September 1918.

A fellow officer recalled: "An attack was planned on the whole of the Bulgar[ian] position. Our division, in co-operation with our Greek troops, was given the very difficult task of attacking the position known as the Grand Couronne and the P Ridge just west of Lake Doiran. This position in itself was an extremely strong one. In addition, the Bulgar[ian]s had brought up very heavy reinforcements to this sector as they apparently expected a very strong attack here. Our battalion was given two objectives. The capture of the foremost of these was entrusted to Major Curtis who had two companies under his command for this purpose. Very strong opposition was met; the enemy artillery, trench mortar, and machine-gun fire was very heavy. The result was that although the objectives were reached, the casualties were so great that the first attacking force was unable to retain possession of the positions they had won by such heroic efforts. It was in this attack that Major Curtis was killed by a trench mortar shell. He had worked hard in getting out the details, and led his men to the attack in a most gallant manner and was a great example to them. The fact that we were keeping engaged heavy enemy forces made the attack on other parts of the line easier, with the result that the Serbs were able to push right through. The final result was that the position of the main Bulgarian Army was so serious they had no option but surrender, and there is no doubt the Bulgarian collapse considerably hastened the collapse of the Central Powers." George Phillips wrote in Rutland and the Great War about the Curtis brothers: "Mr and Mrs Curtis have lost three talented and brilliant sons in the war. They have one son left, who is still at school. The only consolation which can be offered in such a case, as in fact in any other case where parents have lost their nearest and dearest, is that their lives were given in the cause of honour, of freedom, and of justice, and their great sacrifice will remain an undying memory among their grateful countrymen." Harry is buried at Doiran Military Cemetery, grave V.D.17, and is remembered on the war memorials at Barrowden and Easton on the Hill.

Under the Devil's Eye. P203 Second Battle of Doiran At 0508hrs on 18 September 1918, the men of 66th and 67th Brigades along with those of the 'Seres' Division went over the top.. The Greeks quickly overran the Bulgarian front line, capturing all positions between 0.1 and 0.5point5, including Petit Couronne. By 0700hrs they ahd secured Hill 340, Teton Hill and Doiran Hill in the Bulgarian second line. One regiment then pushed on to assault The Orb, a strongpoint in the enemy third line guarding the approach to Grand Couronne. Suffering heavy casualties and under pressure from Bulgarian counter attacks the Greeks were forced back to the line they had earlier consolidated. While the 'Seres' Division was making great progress, 67th Brigade on its right, attacked enemy positions between 0.6 and Sugar Loaf. The 11 Royal Welsh Fusiliers moved against 0.6, B Coy reaching this point in 10 minutes having encountered little opposition. Once in occupation this Coy came under heavy fire and was strongly counter attacked. Although they continued to hold, casualties mounted and it was with relief that contact was established with troops of the 'Seres' Division at 0600hrs. By he time men of D Coy had also reached 0.6, having suffered heavy casualties during their advance and in fighting off a counter attack. With the first objective secured, the battalion's two remaining companies advanced against a hilltop strongpoint in the enemy second line known as The Hilt. A and C Coys passed through the first belt of enemy wire according to the timetable and then had to adjust box respirators. In the asault on THE HILT very strong opposition was met so onlt a very few men under Major CURTIS were able to reach the objective. A very heavy machine gun and trench mortar fire was encountered from SQUIRREL WOOD and a counter attack forced the men who had occupied THE HILT trenches to withdraw. All the officers had become casualties (War Diary 11th RWF). Major Curtis was one of the officers who became casualties.

JNC, Stamfordian: At the outbreak of war he was working at Ellesmere College, joining the 11th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1914, he was promoted to Captain in 1915 and to Major in October 1916. He had hoped when leaving the British Army, to join the Indian Army before finally fulfilling his wish to take Holy Orders. He was killed at dawn leading his men. The plan was to attack a position known as the Grand Couronne and the 'P' ridge west of Lake Doiran and Curtis was entrusted with the task of taking the area. He was injured in the arm but kept on and was then injured in the leg. He was later killed in the attack by a trench mortar shell. He was buried where he fell, the cemetery being about one mile west of Doiran town. "He owed much to Stamford School but the School owes more to him whose body lies in a soldiers grave in a little bit of Macedonia that is forever England".

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley