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

IN MEMORIAM.
MURRAY, CHARLES ROBINSON : 2nd
Lieutenant, 9th Battalion King's Own
Scottish Bordei-ers;
son of William R.
Murray, clothier; born
Ton gland, Kirk-
cudbrightshire, 21
December 1883 ; grad-
uated M.A. (Glasgow),
1903; student in
Science, Aberdeen,
1903-05 ; taught at
Juniper Green, Mid-
lothian, and at Peebles.
Murray joined up
at the beginning of
the war as a Private, and served with the Royal
Scots until the spring of 19 15 when he was com-
missioned in the K.O.S.Bs., with which regiment
he went to France. He fell in action on the
Somme Front on 16 September 19 16.
TENNANT, EDWARD MARTIN COOKES :
Lieutenant, 4th Battalion Gordon High-
landers ; son of Ed-
ward Tennant, insur-
ance secretary ; born
Aberdeen, 30 August,
1896; educated at
Aberdeen Gram m a r
School ; had completed
his first year of science
at the University in
1914.
Tennant joined
the Grammar School
Company of the 4th
G o r d o n Highlanders
in 19 1 3, and was mobilized at the outbreak of war.
He was in training at Bedford until May 19 15,
when he received his commission in the same
Battalion. In September of 191 5 he was wounded
at Hooge, and spent some months in an English
Hospital, returning to France in May of the next
year. His death, on 16 September 19 16, was due
to wounds received in action at Serre, while he
was in charge of a party covering a raid on
German trenches. The letters written by his
Colonel and his fellow-officers show the respect
and affection in which he was held : " Always
bright, willing and keen, always punctual and
painstaking in his duties, and ready to do any-
thing that was asked of him without the slightest
grumble ". " Brave without ostentation, thorough
'without fuss,' he was a favourite with men and
officers alike."
STRACHAN, ALEXANDER LEDING-
HAM : Surgeon-Probationer, R.N.V.R. ;
son of Alexander
Strachan, chemist;
born Aberdeen, 29
November 1894;
entered the University
October 1913 ; student
in Medicine, 19 13- 16.
Whilst at the Uni-
versity Strachan joined
the O.T.C., and when
an appeal was issued
for Surgeon Proba-
tioners for the Navy he
at once volunteered,
was commissioned March 19 16, and appointed
to H.M.S. "Genista," a mine-sweeping vessel.
There were few dull moments in Strachan's
brief service career — on his way to join his ship
he reached Dublin in the midst of the rebellion,
and took charge of a hospital there ; later the
"Genista" saved the lives of the officers and
crew of a ship which was found in a sinking
condition, and Strachan received a special letter
of thanks along with a presentation for his good
services on the occasion. On 23 October 1916
he went down with his ship in the Atlantic, the
" Genista " being torpedoed by an enemy sub-
marine and sunk on that date.
CATTO, ROBERT KILGOURTHOM: Cap-
tain, 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders;
son of James Catto, wine-merchant ; born Aber-
deen, 28 February 1873 ; educated Aberdeen
Grammar School ; student in Medicine, 1891-92.
At the outbreak of war he was in the firm of
Messrs. James Catto Ltd., Aberdeen, where he
had acted as Managing Director for fifteen years.
In October 19 14 Catto was commissioned in
the Gordons and served with the 2/4th and,
later, with the i/4th Battalions in France from
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