Arthur du Boulay

Major Arthur Houssemayne du Boulay (18 June 1880 – 25 October 1918) was a British military officer and amateur cricketer. Born in Kent, he served in the Royal Engineers from 1897 and saw active service in the Second Boer War and First World War. He played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and died in the 1918 flu pandemic whilst on active service in October 1918.

Early life Du Boulay was the oldest child of Colonel Woodforde Houssemayne du Boulay (grandson of British financier François Jacques Houssemayne Du Boulay) and his wife Rose (née Hawkins). His father served in the Royal Engineers and du Boulay was born in 1880 at New Brompton in Chatham, Kent, close to the regimental headquarters. The family home was The Warren in Charlton, then in Kent. Du Boulay was educated at Cheltenham College where he was in the school cricket XI for three years and was captain in 1897, his final year at school, scoring over 300 runs and taking 33 wickets. He played for Kent's Second XI during the year and Wisden described him as a "fine batsman" and predicted that he may go on to play county cricket. He also played rugby union at school. He served at corps level for the remainder of 1917 and into 1918 and was mentioned in dispatches twice more. In June 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1918 Birthday Honours. He was mentioned in dispatches once more after his death and was posthumously awarded the Order of Leopold II with Palm, and the Croix de Guerre. He was also appointed as an Officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit.

Family Du Boulay married Blanche Hornung (1887–1985), daughter of British planter and horse breeder Pitt Hornung, in 1909. They had three children. in West Sussex. Arthur and Hubert are also commemorated on a plaque in St Botolph's Church, Colchester, Essex.

Two of du Boulay's nephews also played cricket; Roger du Boulay was captain of the First XI at Repton School and Hubert Webb played for Oxford University and Hampshire after World War II.