Major L C Soltau-Symons

You have reached an information page about one of the men commemorated on the War Memorial in Tudhoe Village (read more here). He returned home from the Great War.

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Major L C Soltau-Symons is quite possibly the person described in the Peerage: here.
His parents were in Devon (see entry here for 1861), and the 1911 census shows us he was counted in County Durham. (born 1877, Lionel Culme Soltau-Symons), although he does not appear in the 1910 Kelly's Directory for Tudhoe.

A long history in the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) since prior to the Boer War, during which he was awarded the D.S.O.
Major in the DLI - since December 1915 - London Gazette.


The following describe relevant papers in the DLI collection at Durham Archives:

Captain Lionel Culme Soltau-Symons, D.S.O.
1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry
Entry in McGregor

(D/DLI 7/654/1) Scrapbook of Captain L. Soltau-Symons concerning his service with the 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, in the South African War, including photographs, newspaper cuttings, caricatures and a letter, 28 October 1899 – 1 November 1902

Ref No. D/DLI 7/654/1(1)
Photograph of a man in civilian dress [possibly Captain L. Soltau-Symons, 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry], c.1902

Ref No. D/DLI 7/654/1(38)
Typescript transcript of letters written for ‘my dear father and mother’ by Captain L. Soltau-Symons, 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, detailing his activities in South Africa, February – March 1900

Ref No. D/DLI 7/654/1(41)
Caricature of Captain Lionel C. Soltau-Symons, 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, 1899


Ref No. D/DLI 7/654/1(69)
Newspaper cutting concerning a rumour that Lieutenant Lionel Soltau-Symons, 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, had been killed at Klip Drift, South Africa, c.1900

Ref No. D/DLI 7/654/1(65)
Newspaper cutting concerning the news, received by Mr and Mrs Soltau-Symons, that the Lieutenant Salter Saunders, killed at Klip Drift, South Africa, was not their son, Lieutenant Lionel Soltau-Symons, 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, c.1900


Some notes here on a Plymouth history site refer to the Major's father, who we learn was a keen supporter of local charities, who died in 1916 (remembered on a plaque here). His name was clearly written as Soltau, but perhaps there was some tweaking during the war, as it was a German name. The family are descended (pre-1800) from a German: see the last section of that page.

The Probate Registry for the year 1917 shows details of the Major's father's estate, which was proved at a little over £4000. He died at Chaddlewood, Plympton.