Part 128

=MACWILLIAM, JAMES JULIAN GORDON=, Lieut., 1st Battn. Gordon Highlanders, only child of James MacWilliam, of 22, Forbes Road, Edinburgh, Solicitor in the Supreme Courts of Scotland, by his wife, Ella Julie de Lorn, dau. of Charles William Gordon MacDougall; _b._ Edinburgh, 16 Aug. 1895; educ. Edinburgh Academy and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the Gordon Highlanders, 15 Aug. 1914, and promoted Lieut., 11 Dec. following; was for some time A.D.C. to Major Oakeley, Commandant of the O.T.C. at Barry Camp; went to France about 10 Sept.; joined his battn. at Fère-en-Jardenois; marched to La Bassée early in October, and was wounded by shrapnel on the 12th; rejoined the battn. about 19 Nov., when he took over his coy. temporarily, and was killed in action at Maedelsted Spur, Wytschaete, 14 Dec. 1914, while leading his platoon. His Commanding Officer, Major Baird, wrote: “On 14 Dec. three companies of his battn. were ordered to attack a German trench. Your boy’s coy. was one of these. The artillery previously bombarded the German trench, and it was hoped that it would have been made practically untenable. So far from this proving to be the case, as soon as our men advanced they were met by a terrific fire, through which they pushed forward in spite of heavy losses to within fifty yards, and in some places nearer still, of the German trench. It was when your boy was gallantly rising to lead his men for a final rush from this forward position that he was shot through the head and killed instantly. These are the particulars given me by a sergt. who was with the body of men under your son and who saw him fall. The Germans’ fire was so heavy that our men, in spite of their splendid advance, could not assault and carry the trench; their losses during the advance had been terrible, yet they hung on all day from 8 a.m. till dusk, and then had to withdraw. It was to my deep regret impossible to bring your boy’s body back for burial. Even after dark, the Germans kept up a heavy fire at this very close range, but he was lying so near the German trench that there is no doubt that they will have taken him behind their lines and buried him. I cannot express sufficiently the deep sorrow which I, and all of us, feel at the loss of a brother officer, who, though but so recently joined, had already on more than one occasion shown his sterling value. I have felt it my duty to bring to official notice the gallant manner in which your son was leading his men when he met his death. I know how little there is I can say that can bring consolation to you in your great sorrow, and will only add that your son’s death occurred in an action which, though it failed in its purpose, has been as fine an exhibition of sacrifice and determination as any in the annals of this regt., and I hope that you may be able to feel that your boy has died in covering himself with glory.” And Sergt. P. Benzies (since killed) on behalf of the N.C.Os. and men of C Coy., wrote: “On the morning of 14 Dec., the Gordon Highlanders made a glorious charge, two platoons of C Coy. leading, the other two to support. Your son was in charge of Nos. 9 and 11 Platoons which led, and, when the order came to advance, he was the first out of the trenches; smiling and waving his stick, he encouraged his men on. When we had got to within fifty yards of the German trenches we had to lie down for a minute to get our breath before the final assault. It was when he raised his head to give the order to advance that he was killed. He died instantaneously, and therefore suffered no pain. You ought to be very proud of yourself to have had such a gallant son, for he was a thorough hero, and we all admired him very much. I was also with your son when he was wounded on 12 Oct. 1914. I gave him a snapshot photograph, which was taken about the beginning of Oct., and which I hope he sent home. He gave a few of us cigarette lighters just a few days before the charge, and we all treasure them very much now.” Another officer writing home said: “Poor young MacWilliam, who had just rejoined after recovering from a wound, was shot dead through the head. I have since then taken over temporary command of C Coy., and in drawing up a report of its work during the day of the attack (14 Dec.) find that the men speak in the most glowing terms of the bravery of George and Mr. MacWilliam, and of the gallant way in which they led up their men to the advance under heavy machine gun and rifle fire. In fact the Commanding Officer has expressed extreme satisfaction and praise for the altogether splendid way in which they led their men in face of overpowering odds. Although victory was not achieved, the glory of unselfish bravery, such as reaches the highest achievements of the British Army, is attached to the names of the men who took part in that charge.” At Edinburgh Academy he was a L.-Sergt. in the O.T.C., and a member of the Shooting VIII, and shot for his school at Bisley.

=MADDANS, FREDERICK=, Private, No. G6535, 3rd Battn. Middlesex Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France; killed in action, 3 May, 1915; _unm._

=MADDEN, THOMAS HYLTON=, 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. King’s Liverpool Regt., only _s._ of the Ven. Thomas John Madden, Archdeacon of Liverpool, and Vicar of St. Luke’s Church there, by his wife, Jane, dau. of William Henry Horrocks, M.D.; _b._ Liverpool, 30 April, 1895; educ. Liverpool College and was to have entered Emmanuel, Cambridge, in Oct. 1914, but war breaking out he gave up his studies and applied for a commission. He had joined the Liverpool College O.T.C. in 1909, and at 16 commanded a coy. of the “King’s” Cadets under the late Lieut.-Col. A. T. S. MacIver. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut., 5th Battn. King’s Liverpool Regt. (Reserve of Officers), 2 Aug. 1914; mobilised 5 Aug. following, and after training at Seaforth left there for the Front, 29 Sept.; reaching the firing line, 13 Nov. He received a regular commission in the 1st Battn. of his regt., 2 Feb. 1915; led the charge of his platoon against the German trenches on 10 March following, and was in the act of throwing a bomb over the barbed wire entanglements when he was shot down by a machine gun and fell mortally wounded. The Adjutant (Capt. S. E. Norris) wrote: “He fell leading his platoon in an assault on the German trenches at Givenchy about 8.15 yesterday (10 March). Capt. Feneran and Lieut. Young were also killed, and Lieut. Millar (all the officers of your son’s Coy., A) was wounded. From the evidence of the few men who returned I am sure they were all killed instantly. The whole history of the British Army has nothing finer to show than the work of A Coy. yesterday. Col. Carter was wounded, so I am writing this for him. Your son was one of the most promising young officers in the regt.”; and a Capt. of the 5th King’s: “On 10 March there was a general attack by the whole of the 1st Division, and on the whole it succeeded. The 6th Brigade, of which ‘The King’s’ Liverpool Regt. formed part, attacked at Givenchy, and in the attack by his regt. Hylton led the second party on the left. The first party had come under exceptionally heavy fire, and he must have known that he had to face more than the usual risk. He never faltered nor hesitated. He led his men well, and fell a victim to machine-gun fire. I think he must have died instantaneously. When the history of this war comes to be written, the story of ‘The King’s’ charge at Givenchy will rank equally with any of its heroic deeds in the past. The attack of our brigade failed, and the King’s Royal Rifles, the Liverpools and the South Staffords lost heavily in officers and men. But the force of their attack caused the Germans to bring reinforcements to Givenchy, and enabled success to be achieved elsewhere.” He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 31 May, 1915, for gallant and distinguished service in the field. A memorial tablet and window has been placed in St. Luke’s Church, Liverpool, and a memorial tablet in Christ Church, Southport.

=MADDISON, ALFRED=, Boy, 1st Class, J. 26723 (Ports.), H.M.S. Hawke, _s._ of James Arthur Maddison, of 7, Railway View, Dringhouses, near York; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=MADDOCK, THOMAS HENRY=, Private, No. 10066, 1st Battn. Royal Scots, _s._ of George Maddock, of Stratford, by his wife, Sarah, dau. of Thomas Henry Rand; _b._ Stratford, co. Essex, 21 March, 1890; educ. Carpenter’s Road Council School there; enlisted 19 July, 1907; went to France, 30 Jan. 1915, and died at a Clearing Station on 27 Feb. 1915, of wounds received at St. Eloi the previous day. He was buried in Bailleul Cemetery; _unm._

=MADIGAN, JAMES FRANCIS JOSEPH=, Private, 12 1703, Auckland Infantry Battn., New Zealand Expeditionary Force; volunteered for Imperial service after the outbreak of war; joined his unit at the Dardanelles, 8 May, 1915, and was killed in action, 8 June following.

=MAGEE, RICHARD EDWARD=, Master-at-Arms, 164813, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=MAGILL, HUGH=, L.-Corpl., No. 11355, 1st Battn. Highland L.I., _s._ of Hugh Magill, of 17, Ardenlea Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, 11–18 March, 1915.

=MAGUIRE, CHARLES=, Private, No. 8081, 2nd Battn. Scots Guards, _s._ of James Maguire, of Newton Farm, East Wemyss, Fife; _b._ Carnoustie, co. Forfar; enlisted 13 Nov. 1911; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders; dangerously wounded in the spine in action; admitted to hospital at Aldershot, 6 Nov. 1914, and died there, 12 July, 1915.

=MAHONEY, WILLIAM=, Private, No. 12317, 2nd Battn. The Welsh Regt., _s._ of John Mahoney, of Convent Street, Bandon, co. Cork, by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of William Gilman; _b._ Convent Hill, Bandon, co. Cork; educ. Convent School, Bandon; enlisted in the Royal Munster Fusiliers, and served nine years with the Colours, going through the South African War, for which he received the Queen’s medal with three clasps. He then enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery at Tralee, 4 April, 1901, and served his time in Halifax. On the outbreak of the European War he again enlisted in the 2nd Welsh, 22 Aug. 1914; went to France, 2 Dec. 1914, and was killed in action at Festubert, 24 Dec. 1914. He _m._ at the R.C. Church, Dowlais, 29 Aug. 1897, Emily (29, Greenfield Terrace, Penydarren, near Merthyr), dau. of William Mitchell, and had two children: Daniel, _b._ 17 June, 1905; and Minnie, _b._ 11 June, 1898. While with the Munster Fusiliers Mahoney was a prominent regimental athlete.

=MAHONY, FREDERICK HENRY=, Capt., 1st Battn. Cheshire Regt., only _s._ of Capt. Frederick Henry Mahony, late York and Lancaster Regt., for some years Adjutant of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, Hounslow, by his wife, Elizabeth Mary, dau. of Lawrence Cahill; _b._ Lucknow, 24 Aug. 1874; educ. Dover College, and by Mr. Miller Maguire, the Army Tutor, etc.; enlisted in 1892 in the York and Lancaster Regt., and served for five years in the ranks. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 1st Cheshires, 24 Aug. 1898, and promoted Lieut., 2 June, 1900, and Capt., 10 Feb. 1906; served in the South African War, 1900; took part in the operations in the Orange Free State, Feb. to May, attd. to the A.S.C., including actions at Dreifontein, Vet River, (5–6 May), and Zand River; in the Transvaal, May to June, including actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (11–12 June), and in the Transvaal, East of Pretoria, July to Nov., including action at Belfast (26–27 Aug.), etc. (Queen’s medal with five clasps); was employed with the West African Frontier Force, 28 Nov. 1900 to 9 July, 1904, first in Northern Nigeria, during operations against the Emir of Yola, 1901 (medal with clasp), and subsequently in Southern Nigeria with the Aro Expedition 1901–2 (clasp). From 8 Jan. 1906 to 31 March, 1908, he was Adjutant of the Durham L.I. Volunteers and of the Territorial Battn., 1 April, 1908, to Jan. 1909. He went to France with his battn. which formed part of the 15th Brigade, under Major-Gen. Count Gleichen, in Aug. 1914, and which he commanded in Oct. during the first desperate fighting in which the 2nd Army Corps was engaged in the neighbourhood of La Bassée. During this time he led a successful bayonet charge under very heavy artillery fire, and showed excellent coolness and courage, and was complimented by General Count Gleichen on the excellent work of his battn. On 22 Oct., near La Bassée, while on his way to give orders to some men in the trenches, he was mortally wounded by a bullet from a German sniper, who fired at him from a cottage window, over 1,000 yards distant, the bullet striking him in the shoulder and penetrating to the lungs. He was removed to the Clearing (114) Hospital at Bethune, where he died a couple of hours after his arrival. Before starting on his fatal journey to the trenches he had been asked, “Why not send a man with the message?” to which he replied: “I won’t ask a man to do what I won’t do myself.” He was buried in Bethune Cemetery. Capt. Mahony was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatches of 14 Jan. 1915. He had been strongly recommended for the D.S.O. by General Count Gleichen, and according to information received by his relatives from the War Office this honour would have been duly awarded him had he lived. He _m._ at St. Mary Abbots, Kensington, 12 July, 1905, Ethel, dau. of John Paterson, of 42, Holland Park, W., and 1, Wallbrook, City, and had issue: Frederick Henry Patrick, _b._ 11 Feb. 1911; and Cynthia Patricia, _b._ 14 March, 1909.

=MAINE, JOSEPH LESLIE=, Corpl., No. 10399, 7th (Service) Battn. Gloucestershire Regt., _s._ of Thomas Maine, by his wife, Elizabeth Ann, dau. of Thomas Preece; _b._ Grangetown, Cardiff, 1 Aug. 1888; educ. Grange Schools, Cardiff; enlisted, Aug. 1914; promoted Corpl., 26 Sept.; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in the 13th Division at the Dardanelles from 17 June to 8 Aug. 1915, on which date he was killed in action there. He was a well-known member of the Bream Rugby Football Club. He _m._ at the Baptist Chapel, Parkend, 26 Dec. 1912, Hannah (Breams Tufts), dau. of Thomas Preece.

=MAINWOOD, WILLIAM RICHARD=, Sergt., R.M.L.I., 10397 (R.F.R., Ch. A. 666), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=MAIR, JOHN=, Private, No. 3334, 2nd Battn. Royal Scots, 2nd _s._ of Walter Mair, of Church Street, Newarthill, Motherwell, by his wife, Annie Glen, dau. of (--) Buchanan; _b._ Newarthill, co. Lanark, 13 May, 1880; educ. there; enlisted 12 Nov. 1901; went to France, 6 Oct. 1914, and was killed in action at Messines, 17 Nov. 1914. He _m._ at Forsyth, Newarthill, 8 April, 1910, Annie (now wife of James Reid, of 25, Drygate Street, Larkhall), dau. of John Dobbie, and had three children: Mary Sneddon, _b._ 26 June, 1910; Annie Glen Buchanan, _b._ 29 Jan. 1911; and Margaret Dobbie, _b._ 8 Dec. 1913. He was awarded the Second Class Certificate of Education, 9 April, 1908, and had the Mounted Infantry Certificate.

=MAIRS, ALEXANDER=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7130), S.S. 101872, H.M.S. Hawke, _s._ of John Mairs, of Kellswater Station, Randalstown, co. Antrim; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=MAISEY, FRANK DOUGLAS=, Rifleman, No. 2326, 9th Battn. (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of the late Arthur George Maisey; _b._ London, 28 Feb. 1893; educ. Commercial Travellers’ Schools, Pinner; enlisted in Sept. 1914; went to France, March, 1915; and was killed in action at Hill 60 21 April following, on the occasion on which the Q.V.Rs. so greatly distinguished themselves, and 2nd Lieut. Geoffrey H. Woolley of that battn. won the V.C.; _unm._

=MAISEY, WALTER SRAFFORD=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 8384), 203623, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=MALCOLM, JAMES (HAMISH) WADDELL=, 2nd Lieut., 5th (City of Glasgow) Battn. Highland L.I. (T.F.), _s._ of John Malcolm, of 3, Kensington Gate, Dowanhill, Glasgow, Shipowner and Shipbroker, by his wife, Margaret Black, dau. of the late James Waddell, of Airdriehill; _b._ Hillhead, Glasgow, 19 Sept. 1894; educ. Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 9 April, 1913; on the outbreak of war volunteered for foreign service with the battn., and was killed in action at the Dardanelles, 12 July, 1915; _unm._ He was mentioned in Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton’s Despatch of 11 Dec. 1915 [London Gazette, 28 Jan. 1916], for gallantry in the field. Writing to his father, July 16 his Colonel stated: “A Coy. was detached as support to the 6th Highland L.I., and early on the evening of the 12th was ordered up to reinforce that battn. which had captured several trenches, but was held up at one advanced trench running diagonally across its front. Our men carried the near end of the trench, but the Turks retained the far end, and for a long time the struggle raged up and down at very close quarters between hurriedly constructed barriers of sand bags. Major Downie was severely wounded early in the fight, and for some time Hamish was the only officer of the company at that part of the trench. The men all speak in the highest terms of his pluck and the manner in which he cheered them on and kept them at it. They say that he fainted from exhaustion, but as soon as he came to, insisted on getting forward again although he was urged to rest for a little. A good deal of hand grenade work was going on on both sides, and he set the example of picking up the enemy’s grenades and throwing them back. Eventually he was struck by a grenade which exploded and killed him on the spot.”

=MALET, HUGH ARTHUR GRENVILLE=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. King’s Own Scottish Borderers, elder _s._ of Allan Arthur Grenville Malet, of The Butts, Harrow-on-the-Hill, M.I.C.E., Madras P.W.D. (ret.), Deputy Chief Engineering Inspector, Local Government Board, by his wife, Elizabeth Anne, dau. of William Lysaght, of Beechmount, co. Cork; and gdson. of the late Lieut.-Col. George Grenville Malet, 33rd (old 3rd) Queen’s Own Bombay Light Cavalry [killed in action at Bushire in the Persian War, 1857; 4th _s._ of Sir Charles Warre Malet, 1st Bart., F.R.S., F.S.A.]; _b._ Duggirala, Kistua, India, 22 Sept. 1892; educ. Harrow, and Caius College, Cambridge; was in the O.T.C. at School and College, and on entering the Inner Temple in 1913; joined the Inns of Court Squadron; volunteered for active service the day war was declared, and obtained a Special Reserve Commission in, and joined, the 3rd Battn. King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Aug. 1914, and was given a commission as a University Candidate in the Connaught Rangers, 26 Sept. 1914, but at the special request of the Col., 3rd King’s Own Scottish Borderers, was transferred to them; was promoted Lieut. 15 Nov. following; joined the 2nd Battn. of his regt. 26 Nov., and was killed in action at Hill 60, during the Second Battle of Ypres, 18 April, 1915; _unm._ Buried at Hill 60. An officer wrote: “Everyone here speaks very highly of him. And they all say he was absolutely fearless. I understand his name was sent in for ‘mention in Despatches’ for some very useful work he did in scouting. Those who were present on Hill 60 say that he was killed while trying to take a communication trench which was held by German bomb-throwers. I am told he was killed instantaneously, which is a blessing. I am really proud to have known him.” A wounded Private of his platoon wrote from a Base Hospital: “At the request of Major Bindloss, R.A.M.C., I will endeavour to the best of my ability to describe to you how your son conducted himself during his period of active service. I cannot say for certain when he joined us out here, but it was either the end of Nov. or the first days in Dec. that he was posted to No. 3 Platoon of A Coy., which I belonged to. I know we were not exactly delighted at the time, for he just looked like a young boy, and we of No. 3 did not like the idea of being led into action by a lad whom we thought had no experience, but he was not with us many days when we changed our opinion regarding him. It was our first turn in wet trenches when we began to take a little more notice of him. He came amongst us cheering us up and giving us all the help he possibly could to make things more comfortable until we were relieved. The next time we went in, your son, at a very great risk to himself, went about looking for different ways into the trench, so that we should not have to go through the communication trenches which were full of water, and he always found a way which took us into the trench with dry feet, which meant a great deal to our comfort. He was always the same every time we went into the trenches. The comfort of the men came first; this continued during the hard winter which we put in. Spring came, and with it dangerous work. Your son was always the first to volunteer, in fact he was the only officer in A Coy. who ever did any of that work. He used to go out in front of the trench scouting along with six men, perhaps he would stay out one hour, perhaps two, and then again I’ve known him stay out from 8 o’clock at night until 4 in the morning, trying to find out who were in front of us. Then came the order we were to help at Hill 60. We lay in dug-outs while our artillery shelled the Hill; the Germans replied; the air seemed to be alive; it was awful, but we sat tight until the hour arrived, 7 a.m. It was then the Hill went up; it was like a huge crater, and shook the earth for miles around. We then advanced on the Hill, and, of course, we took it. We could not see a German anywhere, but bullets and bombs came amongst us, doing frightful damage. Your son then said, ‘Follow me, men, I’ll find the Germans for you.’ We went after him, he found them, but I regret to say, they found him first. His death was instantaneous, he suffered no pain. Madam, your son died a hero, and he should have had the V.C., but unfortunately there was no one there to recommend him for same. His death was deeply regretted, not only by the men of his platoon, but by every man who was left alive in his Coy. We not only lost our best officer, but we had lost a friend.” The Medical Officer, after taking a statement from two wounded men of his platoon, wrote; “Lieut. Hugh Malet took command of the trench, and in less than an hour he was killed in an exactly similar way by a rifle bullet. His death was instantaneous. He fell within five yards of the place where Capt. Wingate was lying.... Lieut. Malet was considered by these men to be a wonderfully brave officer, he invariably volunteered for all dangerous duties; quite recently he had gone out four nights in command of scouts in front of the British trenches to try and capture German ‘listening’ posts and snipers who were suspected of using explosive bullets. The two men said that we men always said that he would either get a V.C. or be killed; Lieut. Malet used to come back from these night scouting expeditions covered from head to foot in mud, from the ditches he had crawled through.”

=MALKIN, PERCY=, Private, No. G. 2941, 2nd Battn. East Surrey Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 8 May, 1915.