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Name: LESLIE-MELVILLE, David William MBE, Hon. (Capt.)
Nee: 3rd son of 11th Earl of Leven and Melville
Birth Date: 23 May 1892 Roehampton
Death Date: 10 Dec 1938 Gilgil, peritonitis
First Date: 1924
Last Date: 1938
Profession: Formerly Lieut. 10th Hussars, and Lieut. Lovat's Scouts Yeo; sometime an ADC on Personal Staff, WW1 MBE, Order of Redeemer of Greece, Greek Medal for Military Merit, Greek Mil. Cross; farmer in Wanjohi Valley
Area: 'Airdrie' Gilgil, Nairobi
Married: 1. In Victoria, Australia 6 Mar 1914 Eileen Susanna Elizabeth Johanna Sleigh (later Mrs Boonzaier) of Cape Town, b. 19 July 1889 Cape Town, d. 20 Dec 1945 Nairobi (div. 1928); 2. 1929 Eleanor Mary Barrell Abrahall b. 22 Sep 1900 Sutton Coldfield, d. 23 Oct 1951 Nairobi (later 1939 Mrs Arthur Miller)
Children: 2. John David 'Jock' (20 Feb 1933 Kensington-1984 Nairobi); Gillian Mary (Riley) (1930 Croydon-2016 S. Africa)
Book Reference: Debrett, Red 31, Hut, Burke, Eton, Barnes, Temptress
School: Eton 1905-10 and RMC Sandhurst
General Information:
Eton (1909) - 2nd Lieut. 10th Hussars 1912-14; served as Capt. Lovat's Scouts Yeo and Staff in Egypt and Gallipoli in WW1 (Despatches MBE Grecian MC and Med for Military Merit)
Nairobi Forest Road cemetery David William Melville d. 10 Dec 1938
Nairobi City Park cemetery - Suzannah [sic] E. Leslie Melville, died 23 Oct 1951 aged 42
Temptress - Mary Leslie-Melville - Farmed 5,000 acres in the Wanjohi Valley with her husband, the Honourable David Leslie-Melville. Neighbour to Alice {de Janze}. Assisted Alice in buying Wanjohi Farm from Sir John Ramsden. Found a gun that matched the missing Erroll murder weapon in a stream dividing her farm from Alice's.
Web - Glasgow Herald - 12 December 1938 - Nairobi - "The death (of peritonitis) occurred at a nursing home here today of the Hon. David William Leslie-Melville, of Airdrie, Gilgil, Kenya, a brother of the Earl of Leven and Melville. After suddenly becoming ill at his farm, the Hon. David Leslie-Melville drove himself 100 miles to hospital. His wife was summoned by means of a wireless message from a polo engagement, but by the time of her arrival at the nursing home her husband was dead. The Hon. David Leslie-Melville was a brilliant polo player until 15 years ago, when he was seriously injured in a polo accident at Gilgil. Third son of the 11th Earl of Leven he was born in 1892. He was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In 1912 he joined the 10th Hussars where he remained until the outbreak of the Great War.From 1914-19 he served in the Lovat Scouts and was awarded the MBE, the Order of Redeemer of Greece, the Greek medal for military merit, and the Greek Military Cross. From 1917-19 he served as ADC on the Personal Staff and in 1918 was promoted to the rank of Captain. He is survived by a son aged 5, and a daughter aged 8 years.
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