Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Bryan a railway coach painter, born 1868 in Stantonbury, Bucks., and his wife Grace (Marian), born 1875 in Scotland. Douglas John was born in 1898 in Stantonbury, Bucks., he had one sibling, a sister, Doris, born 1897 in Stantonbury, Bucks., also residing with the family was his widowed paternal grandmother, Mary Bryan, born 1839 in Naseby, Northants., in March 1901 the family home was at 34, Thompson Street, Bradwell, Bucks. In April 1911 Douglas was a scholar and was residing in the family home at 19, Falcon Street, Loughborough, Leics., together with his parents and siblings, Doris, Bertie, born 1899, Katie, born 1906 and Percy, born 1908, the latter three siblings were all born in Stantonbury, Bucks., Elsie, born 1909 in Loughborough, Leics.