Organisations > University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919

IN ME MORI AM.
tion, till he conducted a draft for the ist Bat-
talion to Kemmel. On 14 December he led two
platoons against the
German lines, and hav-
ing lain all day under
fire, severely wounded,
brought back the sur-
vivors, his CO. testi-
fying : " Your gallant
conduct in the field
has been reported to
me, and I have had
much pleasure in bring-
ing it to the notice of
higher authority''.
After three months in
hospital and on garrison duty till 8 August 191 5,
h£ joined the 2 nd Gordons, engaged in manoeuvres
and trench-construction, and was promoted se-
cond officer of " A " Company on the fighting
line. After a night of cutting wire before " The
Silesian Sap " he led the guiding platoon of the
regiment against the German position between
Vermelles and Hulluch and there fell 25 Septem-
ber 1915. His capability as an officer is shown
by the fact that " he had so instructed his N.C.O.'s
that they were able to carry out orders and made
good even after their officer fell ". One of many
tributes paid to him by his fellow-officers states :
" He knew no fear. His dauntless cheerfulness,
bright wit and integrity of purpose were com-
bined with most genuine unselfishness."
STEPHEN, FREDERICK CHARLES:
Lieutenant, 6th Battalion Gordon High-
landers; son of John
Stephen, farmer; born
Fordyce, 4 December
1886 ; educated For-
dyce Academy ; en-
tered Aberdeen Uni-
versity as seventh
Bursar; graduated
M.A. (I Math.), 1909 ;
Simpson Mathematical
Prize, Greig Prize in
Natural Philosophy,
and David Rennet
Gold Medal. In Octo-
ber 1909 he went up to Emmanuel College,
Cambridge, and in June 19 10 was elected to a
College Scholarship, holding at the same time
both the Fullerton and Ferguson Scholarships
in Mathematics. He left Cambridge with a First
Class in both parts of the Mathematical Tripos,
joined the staff of Merchant Taylor's School, and
was doing very successful work in preparing boys
for Sandhurst and the Universities.
In August 19 14 he enlisted in the 4th Battalion
Gordon Highlanders, and soon afterwards went to
the Front with a commission in the 6th Gordons.
To his work as an officer he brought the same
honourable and conscientious spirit as had
marked his student days, and the splendid
strength and skill of body which had made him
an athlete of whom his College was proud.
When he fell at Loos on 25 September 19 15,
as a Lieutenant of bomb-throwers, his Battalion
lost a good officer and his University a distin-
guished son. Quiet and modest, liked and re-
spected by every one, it was only to his intimate
friends that he was really known in the bright-
ness and charm of which he was capable ; and
it was only such friends who could realize and
appreciate the greatness of their loss.
STUART, JAMES MATTHEWSON : Pri-
vate, 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders;
son of Donald Stuart,
painter ; born Macduff,
7 December 1894;
educated Banff Aca-
demy ; student in Arts,
1913-14.
On 15 September
1 9 14 Stuart enlisted in
the 6th Gordons and,
after training at Bed-
ford, went to France
in November. He was
wounded and invalided
home in February
1915, but rejoined the Battalion in time to take
part in the attack of 25 September 1915 when
he fell in action.
At the time of his death Stuart was acting as
field messenger during the advance, and in this
responsible and dangerous post he showed himself
not only fearless and daring but full of cool steadi-
ness and determination. It was the same in every-
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