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My Boy Jack?: The Search for Kipling's Only Son

On 27 September, 1915, John, the beloved son of the world famous author Rudyard Kipling, was reported 'missing' in the Battle of Loos. Having pulled every string to get his myopic son into the Irish Guards Kipling was devastated at the loss of his only 'man-child' and determined to find his final resting place. Despite his influential position and a lifelong search, he never succeeded in his quest.

In 1992, seventy-seven years later, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission named a previously unknown soldier buried in St Mary's ADS CWGC Cemetery in France as John Kipling. Intrigued by this unusual development, Tonie and Valmai Holt, well known for their battlefield tours and guide books, felt compelled to investigate further. In the process, they became fascinated by the brief life of this young man, previously dismissed as intellectually inadequate and undistinguished. Instead, as this book reveals, they discovered a likeable, humorous and brave young officer, remarkably unspoilt by his father's fame. They also reveal that John's death had a devastating effect on his father and greatly influenced his subsequent work.

Major and Mrs Holt's intensive researches led them to the conclusion (reinforced by the opinions of four qualified professionals which are reproduced at the end of this book) that the Commission's 1992 decision was unsound. Their researches are ongoing and their latest discoveries are described in this new edition, published to coincide with an ITV1 film and an IWM Exhibition on 'My Boy Jack.'

  • Format
  • paperback
  • Pages
  • 237
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9781844157044
  • Genres
  • history, war
  • Release date
  • 2008