Family :

Education & Career :

Messr. A.T. Cooke, Wroxton Grange, Folkestone, January 1897-July 1900; Marlborough College, August 1900-December 1902; Rev. A.J. Shepherd, M.A., Sulhampsted, Reading, January 1903 - December 1904. Rev. G.E. Battle, M.A., Sandwich, January-December 1905.

Proposed by his father in the Institute of Chartered Engineers, having passed the examination March 1906.

On the 9th October 1907 he applied for the Freedom of the City of London under the banner of the Company of Clothworkers.
Civil Engineer (1907)

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 :

Roll lists Douglas Seems to have used Douglass - see Navy List entries. Died of injuries received earlier in day when Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter N5618 crashed on landing after a combat in the air over Imbros. Observer Sub-Lieut was also injured (David Barnes)

Probate record shows: DOUGLASS, Percy Cuthbert Douglass of 15 Victoria Street, Westminster, Middlesex, acting Flight Commander in the Royal Naval Air Service. Died 10th December 1817 [1917] at Salonika. Probate London 9th March to Thomas Luke Harwood, Secretary. Effects £4249 13s. 7d.

A 1918 obituary of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. See also: IMechE.

"Flight-Commander PERCY CUTHBERT DOUGLASS DOUGLASS, R.N.A.S., was born at St. Mary's, Scilly Isles, on 28th September 1886.

He was educated at Marlborough College and under private tutors, and at the age of nineteen was articled to his father, the late Mr. W. T. Douglass, of Westminster.

He received the practical side of his engineering education from 1906 to 1908 at the works of Messrs. Andrew Barclay and Co., Kilmarnock, the Steel Co. of Scotland, and Messrs. Simons and Co., Renfrew, after which he returned to assist his father in the preparation of plans, specifications, and inspections of lighthouse lanterns, apparatus, machinery, steel towers, gas buoys and gas-making plant.

In 1910 he was appointed assistant resident engineer for the Buckie Harbour Extension Works, which his father was building.

Two years later he returned to work in the London office, but was only there a few months before his father died. He then became head of the firm and carried on the work until shortly after the outbreak of the war. The chief work carried out by him in that year was in connexion with Buckie and other harbours in Banffshire, also the parade and marine drive at Exmouth, and his duties as engineer to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

In April 1915 he received a Commission as Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval .Division, but at the request of the Admiralty he shortly transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service for balloon work, with which he was well acquainted, owing to his pre-war experience in a Territorial Balloon Company. He went immediately to Gallipoli with a kite-balloon section, and during the campaign he was given command of the section and promoted to Lieutenant.

On his return to England in April 1916 he was lent temporarily to the Aerial Construction Corps and given command of a camp.

Early in 1917 he again went to the Eastern Mediterranean, and when there transferred to the aeroplane branch of the service. In September he was promoted to Flight-Commander.

His death took place from an aeroplane accident on 10th December 1917, at the age of thirty-one.

He was elected a Graduate of this institution in 1907, and an Associate Member in 1912."

As well as at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, he is commemorated on the roll of Marlborough College.

Masonic :

Joined Cantebury Lodge from the Scottish Constitution.

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