In Warlencourt British Cemetery, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of Second Lieutenant Kenneth Bruce Stuart serving with the 6th Battalion  Durham Light Infantry who died 05/11/1916.

Kenneth Bruce Stuart was the son of Robert and Jane Campbell Stuart, of 23, Old Elvet, Durham.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Kenneth Bruce Stuart was the oldest of 4 children of whom only 3 survived and the only son of Robert Stuart and Jane Campbell Smith.

Kenneth was named in honour of his paternal grandfather Dr. Kenneth Bruce Stuart, a member of the Bengal Branch of the Medical Association who was born in Calcutta, India, September 12th 1835 where he created a life for himself and his wife Sarah Matilda Wotherspoon who was born in 1839 and baptised August 13th in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.

Kennith’s father Robert Stuart was born in Calcutta, June 16th 1863 and baptised August 2nd.  At the age of 18 years Robert was a boarder and scholar at the address of Springfield in the village of East Moulsey, Surrey and married Jane Campbell Smith, April 18th 1894 who was the daughter of Dr. Robert Smith born in Scotland and his wife Canadian born Jane McDairmid.

In 1901 Robert and Jane were living at 20, New Elvet, Durham City, County Durham with their son Kenneth Bruce Stuart (5) who was born in 1896. Robert Stuart M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Blakeney Medical School and Edinburgh, was a physician and surgeon for his own account having qualified in 1890 and also held the positions of Member of the British Medical Association and Psychology Association, Medical Officer Durham County Industrial School for Boys, Visiting Physician Newton Hall Auxiliary Durham County Asylum, Honorary Medical Officer Durham National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Surgeon County Durham Constabulary.

The Stuart family grew with the birth of Mary Katherine, May 16th 1905 and Annie Roberta, October 28th 1906. Kenneth Bruce Stuart was a boarder at Loretto School in Edinburgh at their Junior School as of 1906 moving up to Senior School at the age of 12 years. He was a musical student and a Corporal in the school’s Officer Training Corps, until he left in 1914, meanwhile his family was living in 18 rooms at Hallgarth Hall, Durham, employing a nurse, cook, a housemaid and a laundry maid. 

After leaving school Kenneth Bruce Stuart attended the Royal College of Music until the outbreak of war, August 4th 1914, when he was offered a commission with the Durham Light Infantry as 2nd Lieutenant, October14th 1914. He was posted to the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry of the Territorial Force which took up positions  on the Tyne Defences as part of the 50th Division before moving to Ravensworth Park.

The main body of men departed to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division, April 17th 1915, landing at Boulogne and concentrating near Steenvoorde in Belgium just as the Germans attached the town of Ypres. 2nd Lieutenant Stuart was not amongst them but joined his regiment May 6th 1915, in the field during the Battle of St. Julien.

The Battle of St. Julien and the Battle of Frezenburg Ridge were both phases of the 2nd Battle of Ypres. The attack at Bellewaarde Ridge took place in June 1915 and the 1/6th and 1/8th Battalions Durham Light Infantry suffered such heavy casualties that they were merged as the 6th/8th Battalion until receiving reinforcements August 11th 1915. The battalion served in the trenches of the Ypres salient until moving south to France where in September 1916 they engaged the enemy at High Wood and Eaucourt L’Abbaye once again sustaining heavy losses amongst the ranks and officers.

November 5th 1916 the 6th Battalion,151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division attacked the Butte de Warlencourt. Bad weather hindered their progress as the attack took place in mud and rain. With few officers remaining Lieutenant Stuart, who was Signalling Officer, volunteered to lead the men in the assault. Machine gun fire cut them down during three attempts to attack the enemy lines but 2nd Lieutenant Kenneth Bruce Stuart attempted a fourth attack during which, leading his men, he was shot dead. 

2nd Lieutenant Stuart was buried on the battlefield in a concentration with several others at map reference 57c. M. 17. a. 4. 2. a cross bearing his military details marking his grave.

Robert Stuart received all monies due to the late Lieutenant Stuart from the Army and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War and Victory Medal, sent to him at Hallgarth Hall. 

After the Armistice of November 11th 1918 at the request of the French and Belgian Governments the clearing of the battlefields began. Isolated graves and small concentrations were brought into larger cemeteries for re-burial. The Stuart family would have been informed of the necessity that the remains of their late son were be exhumed and assured this would take place with all care and reverence in the presence of an Army Chaplain. 

The grave of 2nd Lieutenant Kenneth Bruce Stuart was found intact. His remains were exhumed together with his comrades by No.723 Labour Company and brought into Warlencourt British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, works complete, November 24th 1920. He is now at rest grave I. D. 22., at the time of his demise in 1916 he was 20 years of age and single. Robert Stuart commissioned at a cost of 8 shillings 9 pence an additional inscription to be added to his late son’s military headstone, it reads, “THESE ARE THEY WHICH FOLLOW THE LAMB.”

Kenneth’s sisters both married, Mary Catherine to Francis Dixon Hoste-Welldon, October 6th 1926 in Durham and Annie Roberta in 1933 in Banbury, Oxfordshire to Randall Carter Unmack who was born in Surrey in 1899. Master of Arts, Oxford University, he had served as 2nd Lieutenant during WW1 with the Royal Air Force. 

In 1939 Robert Stuart, who had retired, and his wife Jane were living with Annie Roberta, Randall and their two children Elizabeth West Unmack, born February 25th 1934 and Timothy Stuart Brooke Unmack, born August 5th 1937, at King’s College, South Road, Taunton, Somerset, where Randall was Head Master of King’s College Public Boarding School. 

Robert Stuart died in Taunton in 1939, his widow Jane Campbell Stuart nee Smith in 1952 in Wells, both in Somerset. With the death of their only son this line of the Stuart family ceased to exist.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Kenneth Bruce Stuart is remembered at Shincliffe on S123.02 and S123.06, at Durham on D47.050, D47.054, D47.125 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance, page 306.