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

IN MEMO RI AM.
MACDONALD, HECTOR ROBERT:
Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion Seaforth High-
landers (Ross-shire
Buffs, the Duke
of Albany's); son
of Ewen Macdonald ;
born Aberdeen, 2 1
July 1894. He was
educated at the Aber-
deen Grammar School,
and passed on to King's
College in 1912.
There he specialized
in History, reading
for Honours, with a
view to studying at
Cambridge later. Among the men of his year
he was known as a keen athlete, excelling es-
pecially in running, boxing and hockey ; while
his wide interests and knowledge of very varied
subjects made him many friends.
Commissioned to the Territorial A.S.C. in
1 91 3, he was mobilized with the Highland
Division, and served from the outbreak of war.
In April 19 15 he entered Sandhurst, and in
August of the same year was gazetted to the
Seaforth Highlanders. After nine months'
home service he was sent to Mesopotamia,
where he became bombing officer to his Battalion.
He was killed at Sanna-i-yat on 22 Febru-
ary 191 7, during a bombing attack organized
and carried out by him. In a letter from his
Colonel the highest testimony is given to his
efficiency, bravery and thoroughness. It was
the success of that attack, to which he had so
greatly contributed, that made possible the tak-
ing of Kut-el-Amara, and the further advance
up the river. In him the Battalion lost a gallant
and skilful officer, and his comrades a charming
companion.
REID, WILLIAM GEORGE : 2nd Lieuten-
ant, 3rd Battalion Scottish Rifles;
son of William Reid, carpenter ; born Aber-
chirder, 27 November 1889; educated Gordon
Schools, Huntly ; entered Aberdeen University
as 4th Bursar, 1907 ; graduated M.A. with First
Class Honours in Classics and Dr. Black Prize
in Latin, 191 1 ; third assistant in Latin, 191 1-
12 ; Classical Exhibitioner of Oriel College, Ox-
ford, 1912-15 ; Second Class Classical Modera-
tions, Oxford, 1913, and Second Class Literse
Humaniores, Oxford,
1915 (B.A.) ; Bishop
Fraser Post - graduate
Scholar, Oriel College,
Oxford, 1915 - 16 ;
second assistant in
Greek, Aberdeen Uni-
versity, 191 5-1 6. Reid
excelled in all branches
of study, but his true
bent was towards Eng-
lish and Classics. His
outstanding ability-
showed itself not only
in his record at Aberdeen and at Oxford, but
in his contributions to " Alma Mater " which,
whether in poetry or in prose, were noticeable
for excellence of style and beauty of thought.
And yet he was only at the beginning — what he
had done " was still but earnest of the things
that he would do ".
The war came, turning students into soldiers,
and Reid threw himself with the keenest en-
thusiasm into the activities of the Oxford O.T.C.
Though still handicapped by the effects of an
illness in his student days, he succeeded in 19 16
in getting a commission in the 3rd Scottish
Rifles, and towards the end of that year went to
France, where he fell in action on 22 March
1917.
SIM, JOHN MOIR : Lieutenant, Royal
Flying Corps ; son of Robert Sim, clothier ;
born Cairnie, Aber-
deenshire ; 2 1 March
1894 ; educated For-
dyce Academy ; student
in Arts, 191 3-14.
Joining " U " Com-
pany of the 4th Gordons
in March 19 14, he was
mobilized with them
and trained at Bedford ;
arriving in France with
the Battalion in Febru-
ary 1 91 5 he served as
a sniper till 25 Septem-
ber, when he was wounded at Loos. He was
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