Frederick Courteney Selous was killed on this day in 1917.
Frederick Courteney Selous was born 31 December 1851 in Hatherley, Gloucestershire, England. He was the son of Frederick Lokes Selous and Ann Holgate Selous.
Frederick was a British explorer, officer, hunter, and conservationist. He was the inspiration for Sir H. Rider Haggard, who wrote books regarding the fictional Allan Quatermain character, and was the subject of several movies.
Going out to Africa age 19 he spent twenty years shooting big game for museums and collections. He worked with Cecil Rhodes and was instrumental in the colonial acquisition by Britain of land across central East Africa.
When aged 42, Frederick married 20 year old Marie Catherine Gladys on 4 April 1894. They had three children born 1898, 1899 and 1900.
Selous was a good friend and hunting companion of Theodore Roosevelt, Cecil Rhodes and Frederick Russell Burnham.
On 4 January 1917, Captain Selous was shot by a German sniper during the Battle of Behobeho in German East Africa. He is buried at Chokawali, Rufigi River, East Africa (below).
A memorial to Captain Selous is located at Beho Beho, Tanzania tucked into the northern edge of the Selous game reserve.
A memorial to Captain Frederick Courteney Selous is located at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London.The memorial, a bronze and granite relief, was donated by the Selous Memorial Committee and unveiled in 1920.
Frederick's son, Rugby-educated Frederick Hatherley Bruce Selous, was born 21 April 1898, Wargrave, Wokingham and gained his aero club flying certificate 3 May 1916.
He was killed in action exactly one year after his father, on 4 January 1918 flying with the Royal Flying Corps, 60th Squadron.
He received the Military Cross and Silver medal for Military Valour (Italy). He was 19 years old.
Go here to read more on the Selous father and son.
Captain Frederick Courtenay Selous, 25th Bn. Royal Fusiliers