The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:17 pm Post subject: Home Office, London

As part of the Home Office's contribution to the government's commemoration of the outbreak of the First World War, staff are researching the men named on the Home Office WWI memorial. The memorial is in the Marsham Street headquarters in London.
There are a number of Scots or men with Scottish links named on the memorial.

With thanks to the Home Office who have supplied this new photograph of the memorial and some employment details.

DAVID BUCHANAN – Private (6005) 20th Battalion, (3rd Public Schools and Universities) Royal Fusiliers. Age 27.
David was born in 1889 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, the son of Robert and Mary (McNeur) Buchanan of Auchenleck Terrace, Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire. He graduated from Glasgow University in 1909 (M.A.) and in October 1913 joined the Home Office as an Inspector of Factories and Workshops.
He was living at Lime Grove, Old Trafford, Manchester when he enlisted on September 1914 in the 17th Battalion (2nd City) Manchester Regiment but transferred to the Royal Fusiliers before going overseas.
David was reported missing in action at High Wood on 20 July 1916 and is named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France and on the War Memorial in Port Glasgow.

ALEXANDER KENELM CLARK KENNEDY – Captain: 1/5th Battalion (Dumfries and Galloway), King's Own Scottish Borderers. Age 33.
Alexander was born in 1884 at Henbury, Wimborne, Dorset, son of the late Captain Alexander William Maxwell Clark Kennedy and of The Honourable Lettice Lucy (Hewitt) Clark Kennedy of Knockgray, Carsphairn, Kirkcudbrightshire. He was educated at Westminster School and at Trinity College, Cambridge and had been working for the Factories Inspectorate of the Home Office since July 1906 when he joined the Galloway Rifle Volunteers (later the 1/5th KOSB) in October 1906 as a Second Lieutenant. He went, as a Lieutenant, with his battalion to Gallipoli where, in July 1915, he was promoted to Captain and was wounded. He returned home in October before rejoining the battalion in Egypt in 1916.
Alexander then served at Romani in Egypt and at Gaza where he was killed in action on 19 April 1917. He is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery, Palestine and is named on the Burgh of Dalbeattie War Memorial and on the Carsphairn Parish War Memorial, together with his brother Captain Archibald Douglas Hewitt Clark Kennedy, 1/5th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers who was killed on 18 September 1918.
The Carsphairn Memorial was unveiled by another brother, Lieutenant-Colonel William Hew Clark-Kennedy, Canadian Infantry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his conduct during the Battle of Arras on 27/28 August 1918.

EVELYN AUGUSTUS KEW MEADE – Captain:161st Company, Royal Army Service Corps, 20th Division Train. Age 38.
Evelyn was born in 1881 in St Patrick Square, Newington, Edinburgh, the son of Frederick Augustus Meade of the Inland Revenue and of Ellen (Kew) Meade. He joined the civil service as a Boy Copyist in June 1896 and the Home Office as a Clerk in December 1905. He enlisted in October 1914, was promoted to Captain in May 1915 and spent 3 years in France. In late 1916 in Edmonton, London he married Gertrude Mabel Swinton, later of Tewkesbury Terrace, New Southgate, London.
Evelyn died of Influenza and Pneumonia in Perth War Hospital in Scotland on 13 March 1919 with his residence shown as 20 Muirton Place, Perth. His death was registered by his father (a Customs and Excise Officer) of Norbury, London and he is buried in the nearby Croydon (Mitcham Road) Cemetery in Surrey.

CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT McRITCHIE – Rifleman (S/7136) 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade.
Age 26.
Christopher was born in 1889 in Leith, Edinburgh, the son of Thomas Chilcott McRitchie and of Margaret Rowand (Wright) McRitchie of Lochend Road, Leith. He was educated at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh before joining the Post Office in Edinburgh in March 1908. In June 1910 he moved to the Home Office as a Clerk with the Prison Commissioners and was living in Lambert Road, Brixton Hill, Lambeth. He enlisted in December 1914 and was posted to the 2nd Rifles in France in May 1915.
Christopher was reported missing in action at Ovillers on 1 July 1916 and is named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France and on the George Heriot's School War Memorial.

WILLIAM HUTCHISON MURRAY – Sapper (Deal/1130S) Royal Marines, Divisional Engineers, Royal Naval Division. Age 37.
William was born in 1878 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, the son of William Hutchison Murray and of Margaret (Jenkins) Murray. He was an Assistant Mining Manager when he married Helen Robertson Dunnachie in 1906 in Broxburn, Uphall, Linlithgowshire. He joined the Home Office as a Junior Inspector of Mines in July 1911 and was employed in the Liverpool and North Wales District. He was living with his family in Everton, West Derby, Liverpool when he enlisted in February 1915 and he served as a Demolitions Officer with the Marines.
William was killed in action on 10 June 1915 and is buried in the Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey. He is named on the memorial in the Hall of Remembrance in Liverpool Town Hall.
His wife moved to Kelvinside, Glasgow and his son, also William Hutchison Murray and born in West Derby in 1913, became a noted climber of the Scottish Mountaineering Club.

ALEXANDER PEGGIE – Private (265633) 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
Age 20.
Alexander was born in 1897 in Fairfield, Lassodie, Beath, Fife. Son of Robert and Jane or Jeannie (Masterton) Peggie of 38 The Square, Newtongrange, Midlothian. He joined the Home Office in October 1913 as a Temporary Boy Clerk and in December 1914 became an Assistant Clerk. He enlisted in April 1915 and went overseas in early 1916, serving in Egypt and Salonica before returning to Egypt and then Palestine.
Alexander was wounded at the battle for Beersheba but, while waiting for evacuation, was killed by an enemy shell on 21 November 1917. He is buried in Jerusalem War Cemetery in Israel and is named on the Newtongrange War Memorial.
(with thanks to John Duncan for extra detail)

RICHARD GERALD MAUNCELL PRICHARD – Major, Glamorgan Yeomanry attached to 38th King George's Own Central India Horse. Age 42.
Richard was born in 1876 in Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, the son of Richard Knight Prichard and of Bridget Prichard of Bridgend, Glamorgan. He married Evaline Bertha Mallet in 1910 in Paddington, London and in 1911 they were living at “Braemount” in Liberton, Edinburgh while he was the Divisional Inspector of Mines for Scotland. He had joined the Home Office as an Assistant Inspector in November 1896 and rejoined in July 1902 after serving in the South African War.
Richard's obituary appeared in 'The Shirburnian', July 1918: 'Major R.G.M. Pritchard, attached to the Indian Cavalry, who is reported to have died of wounds received in action, was the third son of the late Mr R.K. Pritchard, of Bridgend, Glamorgan. He was educated at Sherborne School and at Camborne Mining School. He was appointed Inspector of Mines for the Scottish District. He served with the Glamorgan Yeomanry in the South African War, in which he earned the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and was twice mentioned in despatches. After several months with his Regiment during the present war, he volunteered for service with the Indian Cavalry, and saw considerable service with them in France, being once wounded before he was transferred to another Front, where he met his death. He leaves a widow and three young children.'
Richard died of wounds on 7 June 1918 and he is buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.
His widow moved to “Braemount” Drake's Avenue, Exmouth with their children, Gwendoline, Richard and Audrey.

GEORGE EDWARD SMITH – Private (202167) 7th/8th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers. Age 38.
George was born in 1879 in Rock Ferry, Wirral, Cheshire, son of George and Charlotte Smith of Bebington, Birkenhead, Cheshire. He married Rosina Elizabeth Strang Smith Hewson in 1904 in Birkenhead. He joined the Home Office as an Assistant Inspector of Factories and in 1911 he and his family were living in Craigcrook Terrace, Blackhall, Cramond, Edinburgh. He enlisted in October 1916 in the 10th Royal Scots before transferring to the KOSB in France.
George was reported missing in action on 20 August 1917 and is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. He is also named on the Blackhall War Memorial and on the Parish War Memorial in Cramond Kirk.
(with thanks to Garry “Lost in Tilloy” for extra detail)
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Ken

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

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