The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

nfiggins · Joined: 30 Oct 2012 Posts: 1 Location: dundee

Hi , my great-grandfather who was a Lance corporal , 1st Brigade , Cameron Highlanders died on 22 October 1914 in Ypres. Looking to find photos of him in the army tried everywhere but no success. Any ideas? Lived in Inverness and worked on the Railways. His name is on the plaque in Inverness .
_________________
n finnie

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2022 4:39 pm Post subject:

No sign of a photo in the Newspaper Archive - just a reference in The Scotsman, Friday 16 July 1915, p.7
PRISONER OF WAR
Broxburn — Mr James Figgins, 21 Greendykes Road, Broxburn, has this week received information regarding the whereabouts of his son, Lance-Corporal Alex. Figgins, 2nd Cameron Highlanders , who has been missing since the 22nd October . His name is among those recently received by the War Office as being a prisoners of wax in Germany.

Based on the 1891 census I think his father was David Figgins and the family were at 21 Greendykes Road.

I don't see him on the 1901 census (possibly serving in South Africa????)

In 1911 Alexander was in Inverness with his wife Annie (who he had married in 1905 in Kelvin, Glasgow) and two children, James 7 and Alex 5.
His Medal Card shows that he had landed with the 1st Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders at Le Havre on 14 August 1914.

Based on the above I suspect that he was a reservist, recalled to the colours at the outbreak of war.
_________________
Ken