Photograph of Douglas Aplin

In Memory of
Lance Corporal Douglas Aplin

Douglas George Bartlett Aplin was born on 13th December 1895 in Durston, Somerset, and was the third child and first son for George Aplin and Jane (nee Bartlett).

Douglas Aplin (service number 11537) joined the British Army late 1914, or early 1915.

He served with the 15th (The King's) Hussars in France as a Cavalry Soldier, and fought in various battles, including the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Douglas was promoted to Lance Corporal in 1916, and was put in charge of a Hotchkiss (machine gun) team.

Douglas and his cousin Evelyn Vera Aplin (daughter of Edwin Aplin and Ellen Jane nee Samways) became very close and were briefly engaged after his last leave home in October/November 1917. However, Douglas was killed in action during the Battle of Cambrai on the 24th November 1917. Douglas was fighting dismounted during the action at Bourlon Wood.

Unfortunately, like many soldiers of the First World War, Douglas has no known grave and is remembered with honour on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France.

His friend, Harold Baker, who himself died as a result of the war in 1918 wrote a letter to Evelyn Vera Aplin explaining what happened to Douglas.

Editor's Comment:
Douglas Aplin is standing, second row, far left.

纪念下士道格拉斯·阿普林

道格拉斯·乔治·巴特利特·阿普林于1895年12月13日出生在萨默塞特郡的德斯顿，是乔治·阿普林与简（娘家姓巴特利特）的第三个孩子，也是长子。

道格拉斯·阿普林（军号11537）于1914年末或1915年初加入英国陆军。

他作为骑兵在法国服役于第15（国王）骠骑兵团，参加过包括1916年索姆河战役在内的多场战斗。

道格拉斯于1916年晋升为下士，并负责一支霍奇基斯（机枪）小队。

道格拉斯与表妹伊芙琳·维拉·阿普林（埃德温·阿普林和埃伦·简·娘家姓萨姆韦斯的女儿）关系密切，在1917年10月/11月他最后一次休假回家后曾短暂订婚。然而，道格拉斯于1917年11月24日在康布雷战役中阵亡。他在布尔隆森林的战斗中是徒步作战的。

不幸的是，与许多一战士兵一样，道格拉斯的墓地下落不明，他在法国卢瓦尔瓦尔的康布雷纪念碑上被光荣铭记。

他的朋友哈罗德·贝克（本人于1918年因战争去世）曾写信给伊芙琳·维拉·阿普林，解释道格拉斯的遭遇。

编者按：道格拉斯·阿普林站在第二排最左侧。