Cecil Coles

Cecil Frederick Coles (7 October 1888 – 26 April 1918) was a Scottish composer who was killed on active service in World War I. Life and career Coles was born in Tongland, near Kirkcudbright, to Frederick Coles and Margaret Coles (née Blacklock), and was educated at George Watson’s School, Edinburgh. In 1907 he went to the London College of Music on a scholarship. He later studied at the University of Edinburgh and Stuttgart Conservatory. On completion of his studies, he became assistant conductor to the Stuttgart Royal Opera and was organist of St. Katherine’s, an English church in the city. In 1912, he married Phoebe Relton at St Saviour’s Church, Brockley Rise, London, and took his wife back to Germany; the couple returned to the UK the following year. When World War I broke out, he joined the Queen Victoria’s Rifles and became their bandmaster. While on active service, he sent manuscripts home to his friend Gustav Holst. He was killed by German sniper fire on the Western Front, while helping recover casualties. He was buried at Crouy. Holst dedicated his composition, Ode to Death Op. 38, to Coles. Coles’ work was “rediscovered” in a 2001 recording. His music was used as the ope