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.
[Illustration: =James J. G. MacWilliam.=]
=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.
[Illustration: =Thomas H. Madden.=]
=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.
[Illustration: =Frederick Henry Mahony.=]
=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.”
[Illustration: =James Waddell Malcolm.=]
=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.”
[Illustration: =Hugh Arthur G. Malet.=]
=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.
=MALLINS, CLAUDE JOSEPH O’CONOR=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Batt. Connaught
Rangers, eldest _s._ of the late Capt. Frederick William Mallins,
3rd East Lancashire Regt., by his wife, Eliza (now the wife of Henry
O’Connell-Fitzsimon, of 31, Pembroke Road, Dublin), yst. dau. of
the late Roderic Joseph O’Conor, of Milton, co. Roscommon, J.P.;
_b._ Dublin, 3 Oct. 1894; educ. Stonyhurst College, Wimbledon, and
Sandhurst; was gazetted from the Reserve of Officers to the Connaught
Rangers, 14 Aug. 1914; went to France with the Expeditionary Force on
2 Sept. and was killed close to Mollemsarrelhoek, near Ypres, while
directing the fire of his platoon, 2 Nov. 1914; _unm._ He had
been acting as Adjutant for some weeks. His Commanding Officer wrote
deploring the loss of a very valuable officer who “knew no fear.”
[Illustration: =C. J. O’Conor Mallins.=]
=MANCER, ARTHUR JAMES=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3083), 210896, H.M.S.
Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov.
1914.