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Sholto James Archibald Douglas (1918-1942) was born in Tientsin, North
China on August 6th, 1918, the younger son of Robert Hinde Douglas and
Sarah Jane Raynolds. He had a brother, Gawain Douglas, and a sister,
Margaret Isobel.
Sholto's formative years were spent in Guernsey,
where he attended Elizabeth College from 1928 to 1936. He was a talented
athlete, excelling in boxing, winning the Lightweight title in 1928 and
the Welterweight title in 1935. He was also a dedicated member of the
school's gym team and shooting team, even contributing to the school's
victory in the Ashburton competition in 1936.
Beyond the boxing
ring and shooting range, Sholto was a champion swimmer. He won the Miss
O.E. Randall Cup in 1932 and went on to become the Junior Champion in
1933 and Senior Champion from 1934 to 1936. He dominated the Harbour
Race for three consecutive years (1934-1936), with an impressive time of
8 minutes and 10 seconds in 1936. His passion for lifesaving was evident
through his achievements: earning the Langlois Life Saving Cup
(1933-1936), the RLSS Bronze Medallion (1933), and progressively higher
instructor certifications, culminating in a First Class Instructor's
Certificate in 1935 and a Silver Medallion in 1936.
Sholto's
academic pursuits are not documented, but his athletic and lifesaving
accomplishments paint a vivid picture of a young man dedicated to
self-improvement and service to others. In 1936, he began working at the
National Provincial Bank in Guernsey. That same year, he further
cemented his place in local sporting history by breaking swimming
records at both the Guernsey Amateur Swimming Club and the Castel Cornet
Race.
Sholto's promising future was tragically altered by the
outbreak of World War II. He joined the Gordon Highlanders, a
distinguished Scottish regiment. On March 26th, 1942, Sholto
mysteriously disappeared while serving. Seven years later, in 1949, his
death was presumed by law.
The details surrounding Sholto's
disappearance remain unclear. The source text mentions the 1st Battalion
serving in France and the 2nd Battalion stationed in Malaya and
Singapore. The fall of Singapore in February of 1942 to Japanese forces
suggests that Sholto may have been part of the contingent stationed in
Southeast Asia.
Notes:
1. His epitaph appears on the
headstone of his parents’ grave in St. Martin's Cemetery, Guernsey "Ex
Gordon Highlanders Missing World War 2, 6th Aug 1918 - 26th March 1942".
His brother's name is also recorded. This is Sholto's only Memorial. The
headstone is topped with a Douglas crest.
See also:
•
Thomas Harigad Douglas, Sholto's grandfather
for further details on the family
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