John Hamblin's Research: Surnames N-R

Nicol James Lauder Wing Commander 37686 DSO

114 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Killed in action on the 19th of August 1941 aged 27
James Lauder Nicol was born at Musselburgh on the 10th of November 1913 the only son of James Lauder Nicol OBE, Educational Adviser to the Comptroller for Development and Welfare, West Indies, and Elsie Marion Nicol nee Donaldson, of Edinburgh, later of 73, Carisbrooke Road, Leicester. He was educated at Merchiston Castle and at George Watson's College from 1927 to 1931. He entered the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Edinburgh in 1931 but left after two years without graduating. Instead he joined the Royal Air Force where he trained as a pilot and was commissioned as an Acting Pilot Officer on the 23rd of May 1936. He was confirmed in his rank on the 27th of January 1937. He was posted to Egypt where he served with a bomber squadron and was later appointed as Adjutant for the Squadron. He was later posted to West Africa where he worked as a test pilot. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 27th of October 1938 and to Flight Lieutenant on the 3rd of September 1940.
He was a boxer and won the heavyweight championship for the three services in the Middle East. He returned to the UK in May 1941 and was appointed to the command of 114 Squadron.
He was married to Maisie Stewart (née Beale) of Kingston-Upon-Thames.
On the 12th of August 1941, James Nichol commanded and led a force of 54 Blenheims in a low-level attack on the Goldenberg power station at Knapsack near Cologne and the Furtuna power station at Quandrath. Although the targets were both hit, 12 of the attacking force were lost on the raid.
On the 19th of August 1941, James Nichol and his crew took off from RAF West Raynham in Blenheim Mk IV V6236 RT-D for an anti-shipping patrol in the area off Norway known as Beat 9. When in their patrol area the aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters from 5./ZG76 and was shot down into the sea some 35 kilometres to the north west of Vlieland, killing the entire crew.
The crew was: -
Squadron Leader James Lauder Nicol DSO (Pilot)
Flying Officer Herbert Joseph Madden DFC (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Edward Thomas William Jones (Observer)
His father received the following telegram dated the 25th of September 1941: - "Regret to inform you that, according to further information received through International Red Cross Society, your son, Acting Wing Commander James Lauder Nichol, previously reported missing, is now reported missing, but believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations on 19th August 1941. His wife has been informed."
The body of Edward Jones was later washed ashore on Norderney Island in the North Frisian Islands.
For his leadership, James Nichol was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 12th of September 1941 with the following blanket citation for all the decorations won on the 12th of August 1941: - "The King has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy. On the morning of 12th August 1941 Blenheim bombers carried out simultaneous attacks on the great power stations near Cologne. A strong force attacked the station at Knapsack whilst a smaller force attacked two stations at Quadrath. These missions involved a flight of some 250 miles over enemy territory which was carried out at an altitude of 100 feet. At Knapsack the target was accurately bombed and machine gunned from between 200 and 800 feet and at Quadrath both power stations were hit from the height of the chimneys. The turbine house at one of the two stations was left a mass of flames and smoke. The success of this combined daylight attack and the coordination of the many formations of aircraft depended largely on accurate timing throughout the flight. That complete success was achieved despite powerful opposition from enemy ground and air forces is a high tribute to the calm-courage and resolute determination displayed by the following officers and airmen who participated in various capacities as leaders and members of the aircraft crews."
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Merchiston Castle.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Panel 28

Orr, Charles Stewart Allan 2nd Lieutenant 262330

194 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
Killed on active service on the 26th of March 1943 aged 19
Charles Stewart Allen Orr was born in East London in the 22nd of September 1922 the only child of Dr Thomas Stewart Allan Orr MA ChB MD and Ruby Cecilia (nee Coward) Orr of 25, Welbeck Street London, later of 16, Warrender Park Crescent, Edinburgh. He was educated at Whithorn Higher Grade Public School, where he was Dux in 1938, and at George Watson's College from 1938 to 1940. He entered Edinburgh University in 1940 to read Arts where he served as a Sergeant the Officer Training Corps.
He attended the 123rd Officer Cadet Training Unit at Catterick in 1942 before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 14th of February 1943. 194 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery was formed at Auchterarder in Perthshire on the 8th of January 1943, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel FWB Maufe MC TD, with its first guns arriving on the 26th of January. Charles Orr joined the Regiment along with another officer on the 21st of February 1943.
He is commemorated on the Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial Panel 2 Column 2
[War diary simply says he died]

Orr, John Allan Flying Officer 155396 DFC

626 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Killed in action on the 15th of October 1944 aged 20
John Allen Orr was born at Stockport, Cheshire on the 28th of February 1924 the son of Professor John Orr and Augusta Bertie (nee Brisac) Orr of 16, Victoria Grove, Stockport, later of 27, Queen’s Crescent, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson’s College from 1940 to 1942 where he won distinction as a quarter mile runner. On leaving school he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in August 1942 where he trained as an air gunner at No. 2 Air Gunnery School at RAF Dalcross and rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 20th of July 1943 and attended No. 28 Operational Training Unit at RAF Wymeswold and No. 1626 Conversion Unit at RAF Blyton before joining 100 Squadron for operations.
On the night of the 12th/13th of August 1943, John Orr and his crew took off in Lancaster Mk III LM319 for an operation on Milan. The night was one of bright moonlight with visibility of 2 to 3 miles. At 11.27pm the aircraft was flying at 19,000 feet and was some 22 miles to the south of Chartres when John Orr spotted an enemy Messerschmitt Bf109 night fighter 2,000 feet below them on their port side. He ordered his pilot to turn to port and then to straighten up which put the enemy fighter on their starboard quarter and in the lighter part of the sky. The enemy aircraft then began his approach to make his attack and John Orr ordered his pilot to make a diving turn to starboard. He then opened fire on the enemy aircraft at ranges of between 400 yards and 250 yards, scoring hits on it. The Me109 also opened fire at a range of 200 yards but missed badly before it broke away. There was no damage to the Lancaster. John Orr had fired 100 rounds of ammunition during the combat.
On the night of the 20th/21st of October 1943, John Orr and his crew took off in Lancaster Mk III LM319 for an operation on Leipzig. At 11.30pm the aircraft was flying at 20,000 feet when the gunners spotted a Focke Wulf 190 fighter on their starboard quarter some 350 yards away which was stalking them. As the enemy aircraft closed to a range of 250 yards John Orr ordered his pilot to make a diving turn to starboard while he and mid upper gunner, Flight Sergeant Evans, both opened fire on it. They lost sight of the enemy fighter but it soon returned to make an identical approach and John Orr called on his pilot to repeat his earlier manoeuvre while he and his fellow gunner opened fire once again. Following this second engagement a "vivid" explosion was seen from the FW190 and it was claimed as probably destroyed. The enemy aircraft did not open fire during either engagement but John Orr had fired 250 rounds of ammunition during the combat.
On the night of the 1st/2nd of January 1944 John Orr and his crew took off in Lancaster Mk III ND326 for an operation on Berlin. During their return flight the aircraft was flying at 21,000 feet and was attacked by a Messerschmitt Bf109 at 5.22am which was driven off by rear gunner John Orr who fired 20 rounds of ammunition during the short engagement. On returning to base the crew was debriefed: - "Searchlights were active and the pilot was doing a modified corkscrew. The rear gunner saw a Me109 coming into attack from the starboard quarter at 100 yds range. The Me109 opened fire and the rear gunner did the same. The attack was a very short one and the rear gunner was only able to fire a short burst before the enemy a/c broke away at 50 yds range. No claims. Lancaster damaged by bullets."
He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 20th of January 1944. He served a full tour of operations with 100 Squadron over France, Italy and Germany after which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was announced in the Air Ministry on the 21st of April 1944 with the citation which read that he had: -
"Taken part in many successful sorties against some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany. A courageous and efficient rear-gunner ", it was added that, "He has shown initiative and determination of a high order, and by skilful co-operation with his pilot has Succeeded in extricating his aircraft from many perilous situations."
In October 1944 he volunteered for service with the Pathfinders and was posted to 626 Squadron.
On the night of the 14th/15th of October 1944, Bomber Command dispatched 498 Lancasters, 468 Halifaxes and 39 Mosquitos, 1,005 aircraft in all, for an attack on Duisburg. The raid was the second night of Operation Hurricane, which was to demonstrate to the Germans the overwhelming power of the Allied bomber strength. They had dispatched 1,013 aircraft the previous night and been joined by the US 8th Air Force during the day who had sent 1,241 heavy bombers to bomb Cologne and Duisburg. The bombers arrived over the city in two waves, two hours apart and dropped 4,040 tons of high explosive and 500 tons of incendiaries. Casualties on the ground were heavy and production from the coke plant and local mines was stopped. During 48 hours of bombing the city had 9,000 tons of bombs and incendiaries dropped on it.
John Orr and his crew took off from RAF Wickenby at 10.27pm on the 14th of October 1944 in Lancaster Mk III LM596 UM-V2 for the operation. The aircraft was hit by anti aircraft fire and crashed into an allotment in the city, at 308, Heer Strasse, at the junction of Heer Strasse and Duisburg Strasse at 1.40am, with the loss of the entire crew.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer James Commodore Campbell RCAF (Pilot)
Flying Officer Robert Albert Charland RCAF (2nd Pilot)
Sergeant Sidney John Akhurst (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Ross Cuthbert Clouston RCAF (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant William Frederick Palmer RCAF (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Roland Marcel Joseph Champagne RCAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Thomas George Reynolds (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer John Allan Orr DFC (Rear Gunner)
Thiers was one of seven aircraft lost during the raid that night.
On the 9th of May 1946, a Royal Air Force investigation team was dispatched to make enquiries as to the fate of the aircraft. They visited Herr Stroucken at 11, Dickelbach Strasse who's allotment the aircraft had crashed into. Herr Stroucken reported that eight bodies had been found at the crash site of which two had been buried there. The bodies of the remaining six crewmen, including that of John Orr, had lain in the street for four to five days before they were taken for burial at Duisburg Wald Cemetery.
Herr Stroucken’s daughter took the RAF team to the crash site which was marked with a cross remembering the two unknown British airmen buried there. The bodies of John Orr and his five comrades were exhumed in 1949 and reinterred at their present location.
He is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery Collective Grave 25 C1-4

Page, David 2nd Lieutenant 124110

1st Battalion, Royal Scots (Royal Regiment)
Killed in action on the 27th of May 1940 aged 30
David Page was born at Edinburgh on the 5th of April 1910 the eldest son of William Spears Page, a wine and spirit merchant, and Barbara Leask Page of 7, Strathfillan Road, Edinburgh, later of 4, Rose Crescent, Bridgend, Perth. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1922 to 1928 when he left to enter his father's business.
Following the outbreak of war he attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Scots on the 9th of March 1940. He was posted to the 1st Battalion of his Regiment which had been in France since the 20th of September 1939.
On the 27th of May 1940 the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots was near Le Paradis during the retreat to Dunkirk when they came under attack from the advancing Germans. During the fighting that day the Battalion command post was attacked and the Scots positions were overrun the following day when the survivors were forced to evacuate their positions and retire. David Page was killed during the fighting.
He is buried at Mont-Bernanchon Churchyard Row A Grave 7

Park Ian Harper Alexander Flying Officer 172610

No. 4 Ferry Unit, Royal Air Force
Killed on active service on the 23rd of November 1944 aged 21
Ian Harper Alexander Park was born at Pitlochry, Perthshire on the 14th of February 1923 the elder son of Frederick Davidson Park, a hotel proprietor, and Eleanor Hope (nee Linton) Park of the Moulin Hotel, Pitlochry. He was educated at Pitlochry High School and at George Watson's College from 1935 to 1940.
On leaving school he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was posted to Rhodesia for pilot training in March 1941. On completing his training, he was posted to Aden where he flew with the Trans-African Ferry Service and saw service in North Africa, Sicily and in Italy. He rose to the rank of Warrant Officer before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on probation on the 2nd of February 1944.
Ian Harper was flying Beech C-45 Expeditor Mk II HB250 on a ferry flight when it entered low cloud and flew into a hillside near Naples, killing all on board.
The crew was: -
Flying Officer Ian Harper Alexander Park (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Jerome Theodore Muncer (Pilot)
Pilot Officer George Kenneth Rowley Gwalchmai (Pilot)
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Pitlochry.
He is buried at Naples War Cemetery Plot IV Row C Grave 3

Paterson, James Ian Second Officer

MV Nottingham, Merchant Navy
Killed in action on the 7th of November 1941 aged 24
James Ian Paterson was born at Harrow, Middlesex on the 15th of January 1917 the son of Captain James Paterson MC, Scots Guards, and Jessie (née Adams) Paterson of 86, Blackford Avenue, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1922 to 1933. On leaving school he entered the service of the Federal Line as a Cadet. His first ship, the 4,388 ton motor cargo ship MV Winton, under the command of Captain C. J. Mordaunt, was sailing from Australia to the UK with a cargo of 6,000 tons of wheat, when she ran aground at Milnerton Beach in Table Bay, South Africa on the 28th of July 1934. The ship broke in two and the cargo caught fire spontaneously but James Paterson managed to escape from the vessel. The cause of the loss was said to have been due to the Captain becoming misled by a red light being shown at Milnerton.
Following this incident he joined the Cadet Ship Durban, in which he served for the next three years. On achieving his second mate's certificate, he joined the New Zealand Shipping Company and was torpedoed three times during the early part of the war.
On the 1st of November 1941, the 8,532 ton armed merchant ship SS Nottingham, under the command of Master Francis Cecil Pretty, set sail from Glasgow for a voyage to Australia via New York carrying a general cargo. She was on her maiden voyage and was sailing without an escort. At 10.34 pm on the 7th of November 1941 she was sailing about 550 miles to the southeast of Cape Farewell when she was hit in the stern by a torpedo fired by the U-Boat U-74, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat. SS Nottingham attempted to ram the U-Boat but then stopped in the water. At 10.50pm U-74 missed her with a spread of two torpedoes but hit her again at 10.59pm and she sank. No distress message was sent but the Germans saw lifeboats being launched, although none of these were seen again. She was lost with her entire crew of 56 and 6 naval gunners.
He was due to take his Captain's certificate at the time he was killed.
He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial Panel 74

Payne, Richard Tyson Major 20453

Royal Artillery attached to 4 Field Regiment, Royal Indian Artillery
Died on the 24th of July 1943 aged 46
Richard Tyson Payne was born at Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire in about 1897 the second son of John Richard Payne, a farmer and hotelkeeper, and Margaret M. K. Payne of the Castle Douglas Arms, King Street, Castle Douglas. He was educated at Castle Douglas Academy and at George Watson's College from 1911 to 1913. On leaving school he took up a career in engineering and was associated with Scottish Oils and later with Shell Mex where he was appointed as superintendent for the company at Galashiels. He was married at Edinburgh in 1938 to Margaret May "Mysie" (nee Tweedie) Payne and they lived at Wilder House, Galashiels, Selkirkshire.
He was a member of the Territorial Army and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 79th (Lowland) Brigade, Field Artillery on the 15th of March 1921.
During the Second World War he was attached to the Royal Indian Artillery and he died from illness in India.
He is remembered on his parent’s grave at Castle Douglas.
He is buried at Ranchi War Cemetery Plot I Row H Grave 1

Penman, Andrew James Flying Officer 113875

A Flight, 104 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Killed in action on the 9th of October 1942 aged 32
Andrew James Penman was born at Wimbledon on the 5th of February 1910 the elder son of Alderman Andrew John Penman, a draper and clothier, and May (nee Read) Penman of 42, King’s Road, Wimbledon, later of 121, Queen's Road, Wimbledon, and of "Tye Oak", East Harting in East Sussex. He was educated at King's College School, Wimbledon where he was in the Junior School from September 1920 and in the Senior School from September 1923 to July 1925. He went on to George Watson's College until 1927 and to the London School of Economics in the same year from where he graduated BSc in 1931. On leaving university he joined his uncle's company of Messrs. J. Penman Ltd, of Twickenham where he became Company Secretary. He lived at 61, London Road, Twickenham.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1940 where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 3rd of December 1941. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 1st of October 1942.
Andrew Penman and his crew took off from Kabrit at 9pm on the night of the 8th of October 1942 in Wellington Mk IC Z8522 EP-H for an operation to attack the enemy airfields of Landing Grounds 16 and 17 in Libya. Seven aircraft from the Squadron were to take part in the attack. When they arrived over the enemy airfield they dropped flares before they began bombing. A number of fires were started with twin engined aircraft seen in the light of the flames. Theirs was the only aircraft not to return from the raid and the fate of the crew is not known.
The crew was: -
Flight Sergeant Edwin Lawrence Anderson RAAF (Pilot)
Sergeant Mervin Ainsley Ball (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Leslie Jack Robert Govett RAAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Thomas Henry Howlett RAAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Andrew James Penman (2nd Pilot)
Flight Sergeant Albert Alfred Charles Peters RAAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
His brother, Major Philip Graham Penham, 46th (The Liverpool Welsh) Royal Tank Regiment, was killed in action on the 3rd of November 1943.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at King's College School, Wimbledon and on the memorials at South Harting, Sussex and at the London School of Economics.
He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial Column 248

Pirie, James Captain 267968

Royal Engineers attached to the 2nd Special Service Brigade
Killed in action on the 3rd of June 1944 aged 24
James Pirie was born at Edinburgh on the 19th of May 1920 the elder son of William Pirie and Margaret Groves Pirie of 23, East Trinity Road, Edinburgh. He was educated at Bonnington Academy, Leith and at George Watson's College from the 1930 to 1937. He entered the City Engineer's office for the Edinburgh Corporation and was studying civil engineering at Edinburgh University when war broke out. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on the 28th of March 1943 and was later attached to the 2nd Special Service Brigade where he was appointed as the Senior Royal Engineering Officer with the unit.
In May 1944, it was determined that in order to reduce the pressure on Tito's partisans in Yugoslavia there was to be a raid on the island of Brac to draw German reinforcements away from their operations against Yugoslav partisans on the mainland which had cost the partisans some 10,000 casualties. An estimated 1,200 enemy troops were on the island. The Allies assembled an attacking force of 1,300 men, made up of men from No. 40 and No. 43 Commando, the Special Forces Brigade, a Company of the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry and 3,000 partisans all of whom were to be transported on 20 warships and landing craft. The force was divided into three columns with the Northern Column landing on the south coast on the night of the 31st of May/1st of June 1944. They were to remain hidden during the day and then to attack the German positions around the Vidova hills the following night before blockading Supetar and Nerezisc.
The Western Column was to land with them but would attack the enemy strongholds around Nerezisc. The Eastern Column was detailed to land to the east of Bol and attack enemy positions in the eastern part of the island.
On the night of the 31st of May/1st of June the advance party of B Company, 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry and 500 partisans landed on the island without incident and moved to their laying up positions. The remainder of the force, some 1,000 Allied troops and 2,500 partisans, set sail from Vis at between 8.30pm and 10pm on the night of the 1st of June 1944.
At 12.30am the men of No. 43 Commando and partisan forces landed at Blaca on the island and moved inland without opposition. At 1am the rest of the force landed unopposed and by 10am they had reached Toma where they made contact with the enemy. At 1.40am the men of the Highland Infantry attacked a German observation post known as Point 778, but had been given misleading information and were spotted. In the ensuing battle they ran into a mine field and fell back before making a second attack which also failed. They had suffered casualties of one officer, two Sergeants and a Corporal killed with three officers and eleven other ranks wounded. They were withdrawn and were evacuated from the island by landing craft at midday.
Throughout the next two days, supported from the air, the Allied troops and partisans killed and captured a large number of the enemy but resistance continued to be strong. At 9pm on the 3rd of June 1944, No. 43 Royal Marine Commando launched an attack on an enemy strongpoint known as Point 622. At the same time the partisans attacked Points 542 and 642 from the south. By 9.30pm the Commandos were at the enemy barbed wire carrying Bangalore torpedoes and at 9.50pm they stormed the enemy position. During the fighting all of the officers and six of the Sergeants from C and D troops have become casualties. At 10pm the men of No. 40 Royal Marine Commando joined the attack and reached the top of the hill before coming under very heavy mortar fire which was followed by a strong German counterattack at 10.15pm. At 10.40pm, with darkness adding to an already confused situation, both Commandos were driven back due to lack of men.
James Pirie was last seen while organising the lifting of mines around the enemy position.
The Commandos spent the rest of the night locating and evacuating their casualties before they were taken off the island on the 4th of June.
He is buried at Belgrade War Cemetery Collective Grave 9 Row B Graves 3-10

Pollard, Thomas Lieutenant 193538

21 Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
Died of wounds on the 2nd of August 1944 aged 23
Thomas "Tom" Pollard was born at Edinburgh on the 6th of August 1920 the elder son of Hugh Robert McIntyre Pollard, General Post Office, and Isabel Wood Pollard of 10, Crawfurd Road, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1929 to 1930. The family then moved to London where they lived at 20, St Augustine’s Road, South Croydon and where he was educated at Whitgift Grammar School, Croydon from 1930 to 1933. He returned to George Watson's from 1933 to 1938. He was a member of the school Golf Team and gained his 2nd Rugby XV colours. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was appointed as Company Quartermaster Sergeant in 1937. On leaving school he took up a career in Chartered Accountancy.
He joined the Edinburgh University Officer Training Corps and volunteered for military service in 1939. He attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 21st of June 1941.
He died of wounds during the fighting in Normandy.
He is buried at Bayeux War Cemetery Plot XV Row K Grave 26

Preacher, John Colin Lieutenant 261701

6th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Killed in action on the 3rd of March 1945 aged 30
John Colin Preacher was born at Edinburgh on the 25th of August 1914 the only son of William Preacher and Alice Lilian Preacher of 61, Morningside Park, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1920 to 1927 when he went on the Stanley House, Bridge of Allen. He later went on to St Bees School, Cumberland where he was a member of the 1st Rugby XV and left in 1932. He entered Edinburgh University from where he graduated BL and became a S.S.C.. He was married to Maisie Elizabeth.
He volunteered for service in the army on the outbreak of war and was called up in January 1940. He joined the Royal Army Service Corps where he rose to the rank of Sergeant before attending an Officer Cadet Training Unit after which he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) on the 30th of January 1943. He went overseas with his battalion in the first half of October 1944 and disembarked at Ostend.
On the 29th of February 1945, the 6th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and their Brigade moved towards an area to the immediate south of the town of Goch in Germany. Goch had become a pocket of dangerous enemy resistance but on the night of the 2nd/3rd of March it was discovered that the German troops there had withdrawn and the 6th Cameronians were dispatched in pursuit. They moved off through the Leught Forest in the direction of the village of Wemb with the Battalion being accompanied by a strong detachment of sappers from the Royal Engineers. It soon became apparent that the enemy also had engineers with them, as booby traps and mines had been scattered across the area of their retreat. Almost before the main advance had started, Colonel E. N. Southward, John Preacher and an enlisted man, were travelling in a jeep when it struck a mine, with Colonel Southward being the only survivor.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at St Bees School, Cumbria.
He is buried at Milsbeek War Cemetery Plot I Row G Grave 13

Prentice, Peter Bruce Nevil Sub Lieutenant (A) RNVR

886 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Attacker, Royal Navy
Killed in action on the 9th of September 1943 aged 21
Peter Bruce Nevil Stapley was born at Maidenhead, Berkshire on the 17th of August 1922 the son of Frank Goldsmith Stapely, a salesman, and Phyllis Zimmerman (nee Cartwright) Stapley. His parents were divorced in 1926 and in 1928 his mother was remarried to Charles Whitecross Prentice of 27, Roman Road, Castle Hill, Steyning in Sussex and of 1, Worsley Court, Worsley Road, Hampstead. His surname was changed by deed poll on the 30th of July 1934 when he took the name of his stepfather. He was educated at George Watson’s College from 1934 to 1939 after which he went on to London University.
He enlisted in the Fleet Air Arm in 1941 where he trained as a pilot and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant (A) in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He was posted to 886 Naval Air Squadron. On the 29th of July 1943 the Squadron flew out to the escort carrier HMS Attacker (D02), which was in the River Clyde where it was preparing for Operation Avalanche, the landings on the Italian coast at Salerno. The carrier set sail for Italy at 2pm on the 2nd of August and, after sailing though a major storm in the Bay of Biscay, it arrived at Gibraltar at 6pm on the 9th of August. By the 7th of September 1943 HMS Attacker was at Malta and left the following day to cover the invasion beaches during the landings which were scheduled to take place from the 9th to the 12th of September.
The ship arrived some 45 miles off the coast on the early morning of the 9th of September 1943 and began operations at 6.15am. During the morning, Peter Prentice took off in a Seafire Mk L.IIc for operations over the beachhead. On his return to the ship at 10.30am he was coming in to land and was approaching the deck, when his aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea.
His father received the following telegram: -
"From Admiralty. Deeply regret to inform you that your son Sun Lieutenant (A) P.B.N Prentice RNVR has been killed on active service. Further information being obtained and letter follows shortly."
He is commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial Bay 4 Panel 7

Renwick, Andrew Scott Sergeant 1552246

No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force
Died of wounds on the 11th of September 1942 aged 20
Andrew Scott Renwick was born at Penninghame, Wigtownshire on the 14th of June 1922 the only son of William Montgomery Renwick, a merchant, and Elsie A. (nee Scott) Renwick of Nigeria, Edinburgh and of Prospect House, Bridge of Allan. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1928 to 1938. On leaving school he was apprenticed to a firm of estate agents at Drummuir Castle in Banffshire.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in September 1941 where he trained as an air bomber and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
On the night of the 10th/11th of September 1942 Bomber Command dispatched 242 Wellingtons, 89 Lancasters, 59 Halifaxes, 47 Stirlings, 28 Hampdens and 14 Whitleys for an operation on Dusseldorf. A number of Operational Training Units were included in the attacking force. The Pathfinders successfully marked the target and the city was subjected to widespread bombing in all parts, with the exception of the northern sector. 39 industrial sites in the city as well as 10 in nearby Neuss were damaged with production being halted. 911 houses were destroyed with 1,506 more being seriously damaged and a further 8,340 slightly damaged. Casualties on the ground were 132 killed with 116 missing and some 19,427 people being bombed out of their homes.
Andrew Renwick and his crew took off from RAF Steeple Morden at 9.05pm on the 10th of October 1942 in Wellington Mk IC DV930 TX-D for the operation. It is believed that the aircraft was forced to turn back and it crashed at 11.45pm into the stack yard at Herne Hill Farm, Chediston in Suffolk. He died of his injuries the following day.
The crew was: -
Sergeant Thomas Fraser Munro RNZAF (Pilot)
Sergeant Jack Foden Stanley RNZAF (Observer)
Sergeant Robert Walter Freeman (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Kenneth Hamilton Vigers (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Andrew Scott Renwick (Air Bomber)
Thiers was one of 33 aircraft lost on the raid.
He and his crew are commemorated on a brass plaque at St Mary's Church, Chediston.
He is buried at Camelon Cemetery, Stirlingshire Section 12 Grave 421

Reside, Donald Mackay Second Radio Officer

SS Carlier, Merchant Navy
Killed in action on the 11th of November 1943 aged 22
Donald Mackay Reside was born at Muiravonside, Falkirk on the 25th of August 1921 the son of James Reside of "Craig Ard", Polmont, Falkirk. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1930 to 1939 after which he went on to Edinburgh University where he read History.
He enlisted as a Radio Officer in the Merchant Navy in 1941.
On the 27th of October 1943, the Belgian cargo ship SS Carlier, under the command of Master Frankignoul, set sail from Glasgow, as part of Convoy KMS 31, with a general cargo which included ammunition and explosives for the 14th Army in Burma.
At 6.30pm on the evening of the 11th of November 1943 she was some 46 miles to the west of Oran when the convoy was attacked by a formation of fifty six enemy Do217s, He IIIs and Ju88s bombers of II./KG100 and KG26 . During the attack the ship was hit by three bombs and two aerial torpedoes and sank with the loss of the Master, 40 crewmen, 7 gunners and 19 military passengers.
20 crewmen, 1 gunner and 3 passengers survived the attack and were picked up by the American destroyer USS Trippe (DD403) and landed at Oran.
He is commemorated the Tower Hill Memorial Panel 23

Richmond, William Master

SS Baron Ruthven, Merchant Navy
Killed in action on the 2nd of July 1940 aged 60
William Richmond was born in Edinburgh in 1880 the son of John Richmond, Chief Sub Editor of The Scotsman. He was educated at George Watson's College until 1895 when he was apprenticed to the Firth Line of Glasgow and served on board the sailing ship The Firth of Stronza. After he had completed his apprenticeship, he joined Messrs. Currie & Co of Leith and later Messrs. Hogarth & Sons of Glasgow, owners of the Baron Line. He was married to Jane.
On the 1st of July 1940 the 3,178 ton steam ship SS Baron Ruthven set sail from Southend as part of Convoy OA-177G which was made up of twenty seven merchant ships and four escorts bound for Gibraltar. At 7.50am the following morning she in the Channel when she was attacked by an enemy dive bomber from II./StG2 which flew from west to east over the vessel, dropping one bomb. The bomb exploded some thirty feet off the starboard side of the ship and sprayed the bridge with shrapnel. William Richmond and Chief Officer Henry Williamson were seriously wounded in the incident. A naval medical officer was transferred to the ship from an escorting destroyer to assist in tending to the wounded but both men died before SS Baron Ruthven reached Portsmouth.
The dead and wounded were: -
Master William Richmond
Chief Officer Henry Williamson
Carpenter James Crawford Birrell (Wounded) (Killed in action 9th of June 1942)
Cabin Boy Elliot (Wounded)
Apprentice Blackie (Wounded)
He is buried at Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh Grave 522

Ritchie, James McPhail 2nd Lieutenant EC/4463

14th Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment, Indian Army
Died on the 6th of July 1942 aged 34
James McPhail "Jim" Ritchie was born at Edinburgh on the 10th of July 1907 the son of John S. Ritchie and Elizabeth Ritchie of Bruntsfield Place, 12, Bruntsfield Gardens, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1912 to 1923. He was a member of both the 1st Rugby XV and of the 1st Cricket XI, where he was a fast bowler. On leaving school he joined the staff of the Century Insurance Company Ltd of Charlotte Street, Edinburgh and played rugby for Watsonians. He represented Scotland at Water Polo and at Rugby, where he played as a front row forward and won six caps during the 1933 and 1934 seasons. He was first capped as hooker against Wales at Swansea on the 4th of February 1933, which Scotland won by 11 points to 3 and he played his last match at prop against England at Twickenham on the 17th of March 1934, which England won by 6 points to 3. He won four further caps. Against England at Murrayfield on the 18th of March 1933, which Scotland won by 3 points to 0, against Ireland at Lansdowne Road on the 1st of April 1933, which Scotland won by 8 points to 6, against Wales at Murrayfield on the 3rd of February 1934, which Wales won by 13 points to 6, in which he scored a penalty, and against Ireland at Murrayfield on the 24th of February 1934, which Scotland won by 16 points to 9.
He was Captain of Warrinder Baths Water Polo Team, when they were champions of Scotland as well as playing for Watsonians for several years and was elected as their Captain in 1934. He also played for the 1st Watsonian Cricket XI for several seasons. In 1934 he accepted a position with the manufacturers, Messrs. Bird & Co of Calcutta.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Indian Army on the 12th of February 1942 and was attached to the 14th Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment.
He was married to Evelyn of West Newport, Fife. They had a son, Gordon.
He died from enteric fever while serving in India.
He is commemorated on the Scottish International Rugby Players Roll of Honour
He is buried at Rawalpindi War Cemetery Plot 2 Row A Grave 4

Roberts, George Lieutenant 186375

2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
Died on the 2nd of August 1943 aged 29
George Roberts was born at Edinburgh on the 13th of February 1914 the third son of George Roberts and Jane Richardson Roberts of 9, Ladysmith Road, Edinburgh. He was educated at Mayfield Private School, Edinburgh and at George Watson's College from 1920 to 1932 where he was a member of the 1st Rugby XV. On leaving school he joined the staff of the National Bank of Scotland. When he left school, he continued playing rugby with Watsonians at full back and was Captain of the club for five years, being the youngest player to hold that office. He was later selected to play for Scotland, winning five caps. His debut was against Wales at Murrayfield on the 5th of February 1938. in a Scottish side which contained eight new caps. Scotland won the match by 8 points to 6. The Scotsman wrote of his debut: - "Roberts may never take place amongst the great Scottish full-backs but on Saturday he filled a difficult position with courage and real ability."
He was selected again for the match against Ireland at Murrayfield on the 26th of February 1938 which Scotland won by 23 points to 14. His final match that season was the Calcutta Cup match against England at Twickenham which took place on the 19th of March 1938 and was won by Scotland 21 points to 16.
He returned the following season with a match against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on the 4th of February 1939 which was won by Wales by 11 points to 3. His final cap was won against England at Murrayfield on the 18th of March 1939, which England won by 9 points to 3.
He was also a distinguished golfer and was a member of Craigmillar Park Club. He was runner up in the Eden Tournament at St Andrews in 1936 behind A.E. McLeod, and won the Wemyss Cup the following year. He was a member of the Scottish golf team which played Wales, and in 1938 he was selected to play against all the other Home Counties in a match where he was partnered by Watsonian Robert McKinna.
He volunteered for service at the outbreak of war and attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders on the 27th of April 1941.
He was posted to the 2nd Battalion of his regiment and was captured on the 15th of February 1942 when Singapore surrendered to the Japanese. He was later sent to Thailand where he died during the construction of the Thailand to Burma railway.
His brother, Corporal Kenneth Roberts, 1st Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry, was killed in action on the 5th of June 1940.
He is buried at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery Collective Grave 6 Row G Graves 1-67

Roberts, Kenneth Corporal 7891757

A Squadron, 1st Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps
Killed in action on the 5th of June 1940 aged 24
Kenneth Roberts was born at Edinburgh on the 21st of May 1916 the youngest son of George Roberts and Jane Richardson Roberts of 9, Ladysmith Road, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1922 to 1935. He was a member of the 1st Rugby XV and won distinction as a golfer, winning the Spiers Cup in 1933. On leaving school he played rugby for Watsonians as a centre three quarter and at scrum half under the captaincy of his older brother.
He enlisted in the Territorial Army in the Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry in early 1939. Following the German invasion of Poland the 1st Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry was mobilised at Edinburgh at 8am on the 1st of September 1939. They moved to Lambourn on the 5th of October and to Tidworth on the 11th of November 1939. They embarked for service in France at Southampton on the 11th of January 1940 and landed at Le Havre the following day, where they were the first Territorial Army cavalry unit to land in France.
On the 31st of May 1940 the Regiment was part of a fifteen mile defensive line which stretched from the sea at St Valery-sur-Somme to Erondelle, to the south of Abbeville on the right flank of their Division. The Regiment was deployed with A Squadron on the left at Mareuil and C Squadron on the right in the area of Bray. B Squadron was acting as their reserve. At 4.30am on the 5th of June 1940 the Germans attacked C Squadron’s positions and an hour later they attacked A Squadron. A Squadron had pressed a broken down French tank into service as a fixed gun position and used its main gun and machine guns to great effect on the advancing enemy infantry before it ran out of shells at noon and was abandoned. A Squadron also sent their carrier platoon to assist C Squadron during the day. Orders to withdraw reached A Squadron at 2pm by which time they were surrounded and had been fighting for nine hours. Two tanks were dispatched to assist in their breakout but one was hit repeatedly by anti tank fire and was knocked out.
With large numbers of enemy infantry getting closer the Squadron used their Bren guns to great effect against them before pulling back from their forward positions. As the men were gathering in an orchard with their vehicles to begin their withdrawal, the area was hit by high explosive shells fired by the German artillery which killed three men and wounded fifteen more. Their one remaining tank was used as a rear guard to protect the withdrawal but was not seen again. In spite of the close proximity of enemy troops, the eight most badly wounded men were loaded on board the remaining carriers and driven off while those who could walk joined the survivors in their trek to the rear.
The survivors from A Squadron rejoined the Regimental Headquarters at 10pm that night having travelled ten miles to reach it. They had lost all of their tanks and had suffered casualties of forty from their complement of sixty five men. Only three officers and seventeen other ranks from the Regiment managed to escape back to England.
His brother, Lieutenant George Roberts, 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, died on the 2nd of August 1943.
He is commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial Column 6

Robertson, John Charles Sergeant 778824

No. 20 Service Flying Training School, Royal Air Force
Killed on active service on the 4th of April 1942 aged 30
John Charles Robertson was born at Chichester, Sussex on the 10th of July 1912 the son of James Robertson CMG and Elizabeth Anne (nee Hopkin) Robertson of 2, Ashley Courts, Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia. He was educated at George Watson’s College from 1923 to 1929 after which he went on to Edinburgh University where he graduated with a BA in Forestry in 1932. In 1934 he returned to Rhodesia where he joined the staff of the Imperial Tobacco Company. He won the Salisbury Golf Championship in 1935.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in August 1941 and was posted to Rhodesia for pilot training where he joined No. 23 War Course at No. 20 Service Flying Training School.
John Robertson had just received his "Wings" when he took off in Harvard Mk II AJ715 with fellow trainee, Sergeant Cyril John Root. At the time he had a total flying time of 79.15 hours, of which 37.45 hours were on Harvards. The aircraft crashed on a farm near to Pendennis Landing Ground, near Salisbury at 6.30am, killing both men.
The two men were buried later the same day.
He is buried at Pioneer Cemetery, Harare European War Graves Lot, Grave 59

Robertson, Thomas Durham Flying Officer 119880

No. 5 Air Observers Navigation School, Royal Air Force
Killed on active service on the 16th of January 1943 aged 27
Thomas Durham Robertson was born at Edinburgh on the 28th of January 1916 the eldest son of Thomas Robertson and Mary Louise Robertson of "Struan", 76, Belgrave Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson’s College from 1923 to 1931 where he was a member of the Rugby XV. On leaving school he went to work for the Bank of Scotland and served latterly at their Head Office in Edinburgh. He was a member of Corstorphine Rugby Football Club.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve before the war and was mobilised in 1939. He rose to the rank of Warrant Officer before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 30th of March 1942. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 1st of October 1942. He took part in the first thousand bomber raid in 1942 and was later posted as a pilot to No. 5 Air Observers Navigation School.
Thomas Robertson and his crew took off from RAF Jurby in Blenheim Mk IV Z7313 carrying three passengers. The aircraft crashed into high ground in bad weather at Laggan Hill, some three miles from Caulkerbush, Kirkcudbright where it caught fire, killing all on board.
The crew was: -
Flying Officer Thomas Durham Robertson (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Albert Edward Usher (Navigator)
Sergeant William Thompson (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
The passengers were: -
Flight Lieutenant Evan Vivian Stanley-Jones (HQ, 29 Group, Royal Air Force)
Flight Officer Pamela Ianthe Lawrence WAAF (HQ, 29 Group, Royal Air Force)
Mr Thomas Edward Perks (Royal Aircraft Establishment) (Civilian)
He is buried at Corstorphine Cemetery, Edinburgh Section F Grave 88

Ronaldson, Patrick Henry Dudgeon Lieutenant 165395

E Troop, 155 (The Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
Died on the 9th of January 1943 aged 30
Patrick Henry Dudgeon Ronaldson was born at 124, Findhorn Place, Edinburgh on the 8th of March 1912 the youngest son of Peter Ronaldson and Annie Dudgeon (nee Stein) Ronaldson of "Glythna", Cairnmuir Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh. He was educated at George Watson's College from 1917 to 1929. He went on to Edinburgh College of Art where he was tutored by John Begg from October 1929. From the 1st of September 1933 he worked for a year at the offices of Messrs. John Burnet, Tait & Lorne, architects of Edinburgh, before returning to university to complete his course. He graduated with a diploma RIBA final exemption in June 1935 and passed the Professionals Practice examination the following month. He was admitted to ARIBA on the 2nd of December 1935. He was later elected as an Associate of the Edinburgh Architectural Association. In June 1936 he was granted an Andrew Grant Travelling Scholarship.
He was married in July 1939 to Jean Marie Hamilton (née Dunlop) of Seaton Castle, East Lothian.
Following the outbreak of war he attended the 125th Officer Cadet Training Unit (Royal Artillery) at Ilkley in 1940 from where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 28th of December 1940. He travelled with his unit to India and then to Malaya.
At 3.30am the morning of the 7th of January 1942 Japanese advance units, made up of twenty tanks and motorised infantry, began crossing the Slim River over a repaired bridge to the north of Trolak. They made short work of the Indian troops defending the bridge and continued down the road sweeping all before them. At 8am, 155 Field Regiment which was in reserve some miles to the south of Slim River Bridge, received orders to advance to the north to meet the threat. Their convoy of trucks was 400 yards long, with Patrick Ronaldson travelling about half way down the column with an E Troop gun crew in a truck pulling one of their 4.5in howitzers. They were unaware that the Japanese had broken through the defences ahead of them with a force of eleven tanks and were now on a collision course with the Scottish gunners. The first skirmish occurred at Kampong Slim where one gunner was killed and an officer taken prisoner. As each truck ran into the Japanese tanks the men they were carrying were killed or captured, including their commanding officer. The next two trucks received a warning of what was ahead and, abandoning their vehicles, they hid in the jungle while the enemy tanks continued advancing. Patrick Ronaldson was in the truck behind these and was alerted by a fellow officer of what had happened to the vehicles at the front of the column. He dismounted from his truck and uncoupled the howitzer before moving it into position onto some high ground where the crew could see around the next corner in the road. They loaded it with an armour piercing round and waited. Patrick Ronaldson moved forward to position himself further up the road and was carrying a whistle to alert his crew to the presence of the enemy tanks when they arrived. Within minutes, the sound of tank tracks was heard and the whistle sounded as Ronaldson warned his men of their approach. Gunner John Ogden was the gun layer and later remembered: - "The first tank came round the corner and I waited until it was in my open sights and then fired: the shell struck the tank dead centre and seemed to shake it, but did not stop it. It came on slowly and we put another round into it: it stopped and burst into flames."
Two of the enemy crew bailed out of the tank and were shot down by rifle fire. The second tank was struggling to get past the first, which was now blocking the road, and stopped alongside it only an arm’s length from Patrick Ronaldson who was on its left and clearly visible. Two of the Japanese crew climbed out of the tank carrying automatic weapons but dropped to the ground on the right hand side, away from Ronaldson and he was not seen. After an exchange of fire, in which the Scots suffered further casualties, they were able to withdraw.
He was captured at Singapore when the city surrendered to the Japanese on the 15th of February 1942 and was interned at Changi Camp in the city.
On the 25th of October 1942, he was one of more than 1,000 men, of which 239 were from his Regiment, who were taken to Singapore docks to be loaded on board the Japanese freighter the England Maru bound for Taiwan. The men were crammed into four empty holds at the point of a bayonet. They were allowed on deck for fifteen minutes a day and received two meagre portions of rice a day. The water ration was small and was supplemented by rain water, which was collected in rain sheets on deck. During the voyage dysentery broke out among the prisoners and these were treated by Captain Peter Seed RAMC with the small amount of medicine he had managed to bring from Singapore. He and Colonel Fasson, also of the 155th Field Regiment, argued at length with the Japanese who eventually agreed to let the prisoners with dysentery remain on deck for the rest of the voyage. A short time later, diphtheria also broke out with Patrick Ronaldson, who was already suffering from dysentery, being amongst the men who fell ill with it. There was no medicine to treat the outbreak and none was provided by their captors. They docked at Keelung in Taiwan on the 13th of November 1942, from where they were split into two groups of about 500 men each. The men were sprayed with disinfectant and loaded onto a train and after a journey of about one and half hours they arrived at Zeito from where they were marched to Kinkaseki camp, which served the Kinkaseki Copper Mine where the prisoners would work for the next two and a half years. Almost as soon as they arrived, men began dying from dysentery and diphtheria contracted during their journey. On the 22nd of December 1942 an advance party was sent down to the mine and, in spite of the promises made by the Japanese, the sick were to be required to work as well. From 6am on the 29th of December the prisoners worked underground, barefoot and almost naked for twelve hours a day, all the time subjected to brutal treatment by their captors.
Patrick Ronaldson died at Kinkaseki from diphtheria and dysentery ten days later.
His brothers, 2nd Lieutenant John Stein Ronaldson OW, 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, was killed in action on the 9th of April 1917 and Private George Rutherford Ronaldson OW, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed in action on the 2nd of December 1917.
He is buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery, Taiwan Plot V Row M Grave 9

Ross, Alexander Tullis 2nd Lieutenant 187141

Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
Killed on active service on the 27th of July 1942 aged 27
Alexander Tullis Ross was born at Edinburgh on the 31st of March 1915 the son of Alexander Izzat Ross and Ann Swanson Ross of 10, Raid Avenue, Edinburgh. He was educated at Viewpark School and at George Watson's College from 1921 to 1931. On leaving school he joined the firm of Messrs. MacVitties, Guest & Co, bakers of Edinburgh, of which his father was a director and of which he became a director in 1941. He was married to Muriel Russell (nee Mitchell) of Edinburgh.
He enlisted in the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1940 and attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) on the 17th of May 1941.
On the 27th of July 1942, Alexander Ross was part of a group who were being instructed in explosives at Maryhill Barracks in Glasgow. During the demonstration, there was an explosion which killed him and Sergeant John Douglas Knight of the Black Watch, as well as wounding a number of other men.
A Royal Engineer, who was also training at Maryhill, recalled the incident in his memoirs: - "There was a nasty accident in the barracks while a section following us in the training schedule was receiving instruction on some of the uses of mines and booby traps. A small mine in use at the time was called a "talc mine" because it was in shape and size similar to some tins of talc being sold in the shops. The mine was activated when the case was distorted by the weight of any light vehicle passing over it. The weight of a man was considered to be insufficient to distort the case and the instructor would stand on the mine in the classroom to demonstrate this. On this occasion when the instructor stood on the mine there was a loud explosion which wrecked the classroom, killing the instructor and killing or wounding some of the men in the section. Apparently, constant standing on the mine had gradually weakened and distorted the case until the detonator was set off to activate the explosive in the mine. An inquiry was held about the accident and the big question was ‘Why was a live mine used in the classroom?’ That was the last I heard of the talc mine and never came across another one anywhere."
He is buried at Morningside Cemetery Section J Grave 631

Ross, Allan Henry Flight Sergeant 1344379

101 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Killed in action on the 31st of March 1944 aged 22
Allan Henry Ross was born at Rothesay, Isle of Bute on the 10th of October 1921 the son of Henry J. G. Ross and Mary J. Ross of 52, Elliot Road, Edinburgh. He was educated at Rothesay Academy and at George Watson's College from 1933 to 1937. On leaving school he joined the Edinburgh Branch of the British Linen Bank.
He volunteered for service with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in July 1941. He trained in the UK and Canada as an Air Bomber, rose to the rank of Sergeant and was posted to Bomber Command in March 1943.
On the night of the 30th/31st of March 1944, Bomber Command dispatched 572 Lancasters, 214 Halifaxes and 9 Mosquitos for an operation on Nuremburg. It was a full moon that night and operations would normally have ceased due to night fighters unless there was cloud cover forecasted. A weather reconnaissance flight reported that there was unlikely to be cloud cover on route but that there could be cloud over the target. The operation was to go ahead. The German controllers correctly determined the route the bombers would take and their night fighters shot down 82 aircraft on the outward journey. A smaller number were lost on the return journey as the enemy fighters had landed to refuel and to rearm. Most of the returning crews reported that they had bombed Nuremburg but, in the event, around 120 had dropped their bombs on Schweinfurt some fifty miles away, as two Pathfinder aircraft had been blown off course and had marked the wrong target. Most of the bombing there fell outside the town and 2 people were killed on the ground. The raid on Nuremberg was a failure. Strong winds and thick cloud spread across the target causing the Pathfinders to mark the target too far to the east with the result that the bombs fell in a ten mile swath, mostly across the countryside. 69 people were killed on the ground in the city and in the outlying villages.
Allan Ross and his crew took off from RAF Ludford Magna at 10.05pm on the 30th of March 1944 in Lancaster Mk III DV276 SR-R for the operation for what was to be their twenty second operation together. Also in the crew was fellow Watsonian John Batten-Smith. The Squadron assembled over the base where they climbed to 12,000 feet before routing over Southwold and Selsey Bill. As the crews flew towards the target the moon was so bright they could see the other aircraft in the formation. Just before they reached the target the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter, flown by Oberleutnant Helmuth Schulte of NJG5, and crashed near the "cloverleaf" junction on the autobahn at Rothenbach an der Pegnitz, about ten miles to the east north east of the centre of the city, at 1.25am with the loss of the entire crew. Theirs was one of an eventual twenty five victories for Helmuth Shulte who survived the war.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer John Batten-Smith DFC (Pilot)
Pilot Officer Howard Ernest Beer (Pilot)
Sergeant Robert Armstrong (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Graham Harries Williams (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Allan Henry Ross (Air Bomber)
Sergeant Robert Russell Roberts (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Sergeant Hugh Fleming McClenaghan (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Arthur Haynes (Air Gunner)
Theirs was one of seven aircraft from the squadron which failed to return from the raid and one of ninety two aircraft lost overall, nearly 12% of the attacking force. It was the worst night of the war for Bomber Command.
He is buried at Durnbach War Cemetery Collective Grave 8 B. 20-25