Open/Close Toolbox
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand License
Format: Person
Linked To
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand LicenseThis licence lets you remix, tweak, and build upon our work noncommercially and although your new works must also acknowledge us and be noncommercial, you do not have to license the derivative works on the same terms.
Menu
- People
- Places
- Themes
- Surprise Me
Lieutenant Douglas Leighton Kesteven
Description
TitleLieutenant Douglas Leighton KestevenSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionDouglas was born 17 September 1891, son of Shepley Cother and Georgina Kesteven. He had married Ethel Florence Letitia Hana in 1913 and they had one daughter Margaret Georgina, born in 1914. He was 5ft 7in tall with a medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. At the time of enlisting he was farming at Rolleston, although he put his last residence as Whitecliffs. He had considerable military experience, the Senior Cadets at Christs College and six years with the Territorials, 13th Regiment, the North Canterbury and Westland. He had begun as a sergeant in territorials then, been promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.
Douglas enlisted at Darfield on 15th November 1916 and was assigned to 27th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company. He reported for duty to serve as Lieutenant at Featherston on 2nd January 1917 and was allocated to C Company on 28th February. He embarked on board the Tahiti from Wellington on 12th June, disembarked at Devonport on 16th August and marched into Sling Camp. He was taken on the strength of the Canterbury Regiment the same day. He left for France on 18th October and was attached to the strength at Etaples 19th October, proceeding out to Division on 20th October. He joined 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field on 25 October, was detached to Corps School on 29 November re-joining the Battalion on 1st January 1918. He was wounded in action on 21st February suffering a gun-shot wound to abdomen. He had been granted the temporary rank of Captain on 1st February to replace Captain Veale but as he was now wounded he relinquished the rank. He was taken to No.3 Casualty Clearing station and treated allowing him to re-join his battalion on 2nd March. However it seems that in his haste to get back he was not completely healed. He was sent to Hospital again 6 days later on 8th March with an abdominal abscess caused by the gunshot wound. Taken up by No.2 Field Ambulance he was taken to the XXII Corps Officers rest house on 14 march. This was the Chateau of La Motte au Bois, hidden in a clearing in the Forest of Nieppe, on the road between Hazebrouck and Merville. It was described as “well suited to its purpose as it had large, handsomely furnished rooms providing a dining room, a library, and a billiard room; there was accommodation for 25 officers and their batmen. The period of rest allowed was 14 days and the class of case most suitable was the officer who was run down or suffering from some minor ailment which could be benefited by a quiet comfortable rest in pleasant surroundings.” Duly rested and healed he was back on duty on 30th March at the XXII Corps Reinforcements Camp and was posted to No.2 NZ Entrenching Battalion. On 3rd April he was attached to the strength at Etaples and marched out to Division on 5th and re-joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment. He was sent to Paris on leave on 26th June re-joining his unit on 10th July. He then went to England on leave 29th July re-joining his unit on 17th August 1918. He was granted the temp rank of Captain in place of Captain Palmer, who was sick, on 10th August but relinquished the rank on 14 Aug 1918. He died of wounds received in action on 24th August. On 8th August 1918, the last major offensive of the Western Front had commenced and on 24th August a major attack was ordered in the Bapaume area. On the 23rd the 2nd Battalion bivouacked for the night just to the south of the village of Bucquoy. Biefvillers was still in German hands, and the 2nd Brigade was ordered to capture the village. By 5.30 a.m. the battalions had arrived at their assembly areas. His obituary notes that “He was buried in the military cemetery at Bucquoy village which he helped to clear of the Huns.” However he is now buried in Fillievres British Cemetery, Pas de Calais. In New Zealand Douglas is remembered on the Malvern County & Springston War memorials (on Springston as W. F.).
First NameDouglas LeightonLast NameKestevenFamilyMarried to Ethel Florence Letitia HanaSon of Shepley Cother and Georgina KestevenDate of Birth17 September 1891Place of BirthChristchurchDate of Death24 August 1918Place of DeathFranceCause of DeathDied of wounds
Douglas enlisted at Darfield on 15th November 1916 and was assigned to 27th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company. He reported for duty to serve as Lieutenant at Featherston on 2nd January 1917 and was allocated to C Company on 28th February. He embarked on board the Tahiti from Wellington on 12th June, disembarked at Devonport on 16th August and marched into Sling Camp. He was taken on the strength of the Canterbury Regiment the same day. He left for France on 18th October and was attached to the strength at Etaples 19th October, proceeding out to Division on 20th October. He joined 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field on 25 October, was detached to Corps School on 29 November re-joining the Battalion on 1st January 1918. He was wounded in action on 21st February suffering a gun-shot wound to abdomen. He had been granted the temporary rank of Captain on 1st February to replace Captain Veale but as he was now wounded he relinquished the rank. He was taken to No.3 Casualty Clearing station and treated allowing him to re-join his battalion on 2nd March. However it seems that in his haste to get back he was not completely healed. He was sent to Hospital again 6 days later on 8th March with an abdominal abscess caused by the gunshot wound. Taken up by No.2 Field Ambulance he was taken to the XXII Corps Officers rest house on 14 march. This was the Chateau of La Motte au Bois, hidden in a clearing in the Forest of Nieppe, on the road between Hazebrouck and Merville. It was described as “well suited to its purpose as it had large, handsomely furnished rooms providing a dining room, a library, and a billiard room; there was accommodation for 25 officers and their batmen. The period of rest allowed was 14 days and the class of case most suitable was the officer who was run down or suffering from some minor ailment which could be benefited by a quiet comfortable rest in pleasant surroundings.” Duly rested and healed he was back on duty on 30th March at the XXII Corps Reinforcements Camp and was posted to No.2 NZ Entrenching Battalion. On 3rd April he was attached to the strength at Etaples and marched out to Division on 5th and re-joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment. He was sent to Paris on leave on 26th June re-joining his unit on 10th July. He then went to England on leave 29th July re-joining his unit on 17th August 1918. He was granted the temp rank of Captain in place of Captain Palmer, who was sick, on 10th August but relinquished the rank on 14 Aug 1918. He died of wounds received in action on 24th August. On 8th August 1918, the last major offensive of the Western Front had commenced and on 24th August a major attack was ordered in the Bapaume area. On the 23rd the 2nd Battalion bivouacked for the night just to the south of the village of Bucquoy. Biefvillers was still in German hands, and the 2nd Brigade was ordered to capture the village. By 5.30 a.m. the battalions had arrived at their assembly areas. His obituary notes that “He was buried in the military cemetery at Bucquoy village which he helped to clear of the Huns.” However he is now buried in Fillievres British Cemetery, Pas de Calais. In New Zealand Douglas is remembered on the Malvern County & Springston War memorials (on Springston as W. F.).
First NameDouglas LeightonLast NameKestevenFamilyMarried to Ethel Florence Letitia HanaSon of Shepley Cother and Georgina KestevenDate of Birth17 September 1891Place of BirthChristchurchDate of Death24 August 1918Place of DeathFranceCause of DeathDied of wounds
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialSpringston War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryFillievres British CemeteryMalvern County War MemorialSpringston War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingFarmingRegiment or ServiceCanterbury Infantry Regiment Enlistment Details15th November 1916 at DarfieldService Number44189Embarkation12th June 1915Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportTahitiReinforcement27th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. SeatonTaken FromPhoto taken from Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph. Please refer to this site for the photo’s copyright license
Lieutenant Douglas Leighton Kesteven. Selwyn Stories, accessed 17/11/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/302
