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

IN MEMORIAM.
MACDOXALD, GEORGE HARPER : Cap-
tain, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders ;
son of William Mac-
donald, janitor ; born
Glasgow, 10 February
1887 ; entered the
University 1905 ;
M.A., 1908 ; teacher,
Butterburn School,
Dundee, till outbreak
of war.
Macdonald enlisted
in the R.A.M.C, attd.
3rd Highland Field
Ambulance, Septem-
ber 1914; six months
later he obtained a commission in the 2nd
Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and crossing
to France, took his share for fifteen months
in some of the heaviest fighting of the war.
He was wounded in July 19 16 and in August was
promoted Captain. On recovering from his
wound, he returned to the front, and four weeks
later was killed by a shell,
September
191 6. He was mentioned in dispatches by
Sir Douglas Haig for "gallant and distinguished
service in the field," 13 November 191 6. A
friend wrote of him : " Clever, cheerful, re-
sourceful, he is at the same time as true and
reliable as one would wish one's friend to
be ... he is a born officer ".
JOHNSTON, ALEXANDER FRANCIS :
2nd Lieutenant, 16th Battalion London
Regiment; son of
Alexander Johnston,
■ master mariner ; born
at sea, 24 April 1886;
educated Grammar
School, Aberdeen;
graduated M.A., 1907.
Johnston intended en-
tering the Ministry, but
^A ^^ had to postpone further
^KHft A Jb| reasons of
ak Jk M health. He travelled
^^^^* ^^^^^" . the and
then taught at Hipper-
holme, Yorkshire, and at Alnwick. In 191 2 he
entered Westminster College, Cambridge, to
study for the Ministry ; here he had a very dis-
tinguished career, passing out with Honours and
taking the first place in the College in 191 5.
He took his B.A. and B.D., at London Univer-
sity and was licensed as a preacher by the Pres-
bytery of Liverpool.
Johnston joined the army as a combatant,
entering the Inns of Court O.T.C. in August
1 91 5. In June 191 6 he was gazetted to the
London Regiment, and two months later left
for France with the Queen's Westminster Rifles.
His service abroad was short — he fell in
action on the Somme on 10 September 1916.
Though his career in the Church was thus
cut short, Johnston had already shown his
ability. A writer in " The Presbyterian Mes-
senger " says of him : " As a preacher his pro-
mise was great. He was everywhere recognized
as a man of character and gifts."
KING, JOHN ALEXANDER : 2nd Lieuten-
ant, *th Battalion Gordon Highlanders ;
son of John Alexander
King, headmaster,
Brodiesord ; born at
Brodiesord, Cornhill,
8 July 1885 ; educated
at Fordyce Academy ;
entered Aberdeen Uni-
versity in 1905 as 2 1 st
Bursar ; graduated in
1909 with Second
Class Honours in
Classics. While a
student he was one
of the Moray Team
who gained the Strathcona Cup in 1907. King
became a teacher, and held posts at Fordyce,
Cullen, Aberdeen Grammar School, and was
finally appointed Assistant Classical master at
Kirkcaldy.
In his student days he joined " U " Company,
4th Gordon Highlanders, and whilst teaching
at Kirkcaldy was Junior Officer to the High
School Cadet Corps. He held this post from
November 19 14 till he was commissioned as
2nd Lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders,
and crossed to France. ■ He was killed in action,
n September 19 16, at a spot 2 miles N.E.
of Armentieres.
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