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Francis Ivan Leslie Ditmas (1876-1969)


Mining Engineer served with 2nd DLI awarded DSO


Francis Ivan Leslie Ditmas, the son of Colonel Francis Frederick and Isabella Emily Ditmas, was born in Kensington, London on 12 August 1876. He had a sister and, when they returned from India, he became a mining engineer. From 1900 to 1903 he was Resident Manager of the Yorkshire properties belonging to the Carlton Iron Company. During this period he received a Certificate of Competency as a Manager of Mines and was appointed a second lieutenant in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Durham Light Infantry, being promoted to lieutenant in June 1901. He served in South Africa in 1902 and transferred to the Reserve at the end of the year. In 1904 he departed for India, becoming a mining engineer with the East Indian Railway Company and a captain in the 2nd Volunteers, and then General Manager of the Pench Valley Coal Company In Central Provinces. He remained in India until 1909. He was promoted to captain in 1906 and, during a visit to England, married Alice Sarah Louise Nevill Hayne. They had two sons, the first of which was born on their return to India.

In 1911 the family was living in Cornwall and Francis was a consulting engineer with offices in London and South Wales. In 1912 he was awarded a First Class Certificate of Competency as Manager of a Mine. At the outbreak of the war he was in the Reserve of Officers and joined his regiment, landing in France on 9 August 1914. In 1916 he was mentioned in despatches and in 1917 was awarded the Military Cross. He was mentioned in despatches on two further occasions and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in the 1918 New Year’s Honours. In February he was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel and appointed Assistant Director of Railway Traffic, relinquishing the position in November 1919. During this period, he was President of the Inter Allied Railway Commission in Cologne and was made an Officer of the Legion d’Honneur and awarded the Croix de Guerre avec Palme, made an Officer of the Order of Leopold and a Member of the Imperial Order of the Sacred Treasure (Japan).

In 1920 Francis was Technical Adviser on Railways and Coal to the Inter Allied Rhineland High Commission in Koblenz. From then until 1924 he worked with the Reparation Commission as Technical Adviser, Transportation and Coal. He was the British Delegate to Berlin to carry out the terms of the Spa Coal protocol and Chairman of the Upper Silesia Coal Commission and attended the Peace Conference as an expert on coal and German railways. From 1924 to 1926 he was a Technical Investigator to the Mining Association of Great Britain and during the General Strike was Government Railway Commissioner for the Southwest Division of England. Afterwards he again became a consulting mining and transportation engineer, specialising in low temperature coal-oil distillation.

His award of the Military Cross was gazetted on 26 March 1917 and the citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He, accompanied by two other officers, at great personal risk, extinguished a fire which had broken out in an ammunition dump. His gallant act undoubtedly saved many lives”.

Biography on Durham Mining Museum website:
http://www.dmm.org.uk/whoswho/d022.htm

Birth date: 12-Aug-1876

Death date: 1969

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 10 Orchard Street, Nuneaton, Warwicks. (1901 Census)
The Old Rectory, Hammerwick, Staffs. (UK, Electrical Engineer Lists, 1904 & Kelly’s UK, Midlands and Various UK Trade Directories 1916)
Avery Terrace, Lostwithiel, Cornwall (1911 Census)
4th Army Headquarters, British Expeditionary force, France (North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical
Engineers) (1916)
Springfield, Stroud, Gloucs. (Gloucestershire, England, Electoral Registers, 1929)
85 Belgrave Road, Pimlico, London (UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1933)
Meerham Cottage, Beaminster, Dorset (1939 Register)
359 Topsham Road, Exeter (England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1957)

Organisation membership: Pentangle Lodge, Chatham (England, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1900)
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers
Fellow of the Geographical Society (Elected 1907)
Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers
Associate of the Institute of Electrical Engineers

Employment: Consultant Engineer

Family: Father:Francis Frederick Ditmas
Mother: Isabella Emily Ditmas (nee Adam)
Sister: Ivy Isabella Evena Leslie Ditmas
Wife: Alice Sarah Louise Nevill Ditmas (nee Hayne)
Sons: William Percy James Leslie & Basil Nevill Leslie Ditmas (who was a Lt. Col. In the Royal Artillery and was a K.C.B.E.)

Military service:

2nd Volunteer Battalion Durham Light Infantry & Reserve of Officers, 2nd Battalion
Captain, temporary Lieutenant Colonel

Medal(s): Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (3)
Queen’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps
1914-1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Officer of the Legion d’honneur and Croix de Guerre avec Palme
Officer of the Order of Leopold
Member of the Imperial Order of the Sacred Treasure (Japan)

Gender: Male

Contributed by john Edwards


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