Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Young Stephen, a Justice of the Peace and Captain in the Leicestershire Militia, born 1843 in Dudley, Staffordshire and his wife Augusta Henrietta Mary Stephen (nee Ricketts, married on the 26th April 1876 in the Parish Church of St. George’s, Hanover Square, Middlesex), born 1853 in St. George’s, Hanover Square, Middlesex and baptised on the 1st March 1853 in St. Michael’s Church, Chester Square, Middlesex, and who was the daughter of Cornwallis Ricketts, Baronet. Douglas Clinton Leslie, was born on the 7th February 1877 in Glenfield, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 13th March 1877 in the Parish Church, Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire, he had one sibling, Albert Alexander Leslie, born 3rd February1879 in St. George’s, Hanover Square, Middlesex and baptised on the 17th March 1879 In St. Michael’s Church, Chester Square, Middlesex, in April 1881 the family home was at Pickwell, Leicestershire. In April 1891 Douglas was residing in the family home at Rotherby, Leicestershire, together with his father, a Justice of the Peace, living on his own means, his mother and siblings, Albert and Dulcie Gertrude F., born in the 3rd quarter of 1886 in Rotherby. In April 1911 Douglas was serving as a Captain with the Grenadier Guards and was residing at 46-47, St. James’ Court, Buckingham Gate, Westminster, Middlesex, together with his younger brother Albert, a Captain in the Scots Guards.
Douglas was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards from the Militia in 1900. He saw service during the South African War, and was present during the operations in the Orange River Colony, Cape Colony and Transvaal, including the actions at Wittebergen. He was awarded the Queen’s Medal with two clasps. In November 1903 he was promoted to Lieutenant and in June 1908 to Captain. From April 1906 until March 1909 he served with the Macedonian Gendarmerie, and from December 1909 until January 1914 was Aide de Camp to the General Officer Commanding London District.
Douglas’s Army enlistment documents were not researched, and as such all that is known of his military service is that he was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1900, and was posted as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, having attained the rank of Captain in June 1908. He first entered the theatre of war in France on the 12th August 1918 and was wounded in action on the 8th September, dying of wounds on the 10th September. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 8-Sept-14 – Advanced at 8:00am. Battalion engaged in wood fight. Lost 1 Officer (Captain D. C. L. STEPHEN) and 18 NCO’s and Men wounded. Bivouacked at 8:30pm near LES PEAULIERS.
On Friday October 2nd 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “THE ROLL OF HONOUR.” – Captain Douglas Stephens, of the Grenadier Guards, who died from wounds and was buried in France, was a well known member of Mr. Fernie’s Hunt. He had a hunting-box at Great Bowden, from which he, with his brother, who is also an officer in the Guards, had hunted for several seasons. News has just come to hand of the death of another prominent follower of hounds in Mr. Fernie’s country, namely, Captain C. W. Banbury, of the Coldstream’s, who also died in France from wounds.