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

IN MEMORIAM.
and other medical publications. He held various
posts as Medical Officer in London, Cheltenham
and Birmingham. »%...."^ ..__.t _..„ 1
In 1915 Rae took a temporary commission
as Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C., and he was
appointed Registrar to the Connaught Hospital,
Aldershot. Later he was ordered to Egypt on
military service, and it was' while he was on the
voyage thither that his career was brought to a
premature close by the torpedoing of the troop-
ship " Arcadian " in the Eastern Mediterranean
on 15 April 191 7.
RIDDEL, JOHN DEAN : 2nd Lieutenant,
5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders ; son
ofGeorge Riddel,
farmer, Kininmonth,
Longside ; born New
Deer, 8 September
1893 ; educated Kinin-
month Public School
and Peterhead Aca-
demy, gaining the
Medal for Classics. He
entered the University
in 1 9 1 4, with a view to
qualifying for work as
a Medical Missionary
in China.
As a student Riddel was in the O.T.C. He
enlisted in the 5 th Gordons in 191 5 ; after a
year's service first as Private and then as Corporal
and Musketry Instructor, he was gazetted to the
4th Reserve Battalion and posted to the 5 th Bat-
talion Gordon Highlanders. In January 191 7 he
left for France, where he served till his death on
17 April 1 91 7 from wounds received in action
near Arras ten days previously. Of a quiet,
kindly disposition, he endeared himself to his
friends, who hold his memory in affectionate
regard. Young as he was, he had already
mapped out for himself a definite career of self-
sacrifice and Christian endeavour, but he willingly
gave up all, to follow what he so clearly saw to
be the path of duty.
PIRIE, WILLIAM SHEWAN : Captain,
5th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers;
D.C.M. ; son of James S. Pirie ; born Duffus,
Morayshire, 16 September 1887; student in
Arts, Aberdeen, 1905-07 ; U.F.C. Training Col-
lege ; taught at Muirkirk, Ayrshire.
Pirie joined the
Gordon Highlanders
about ten years before
the war and was later
transferred to the
Royal Scots Fusiliers.
In his Territorial days
he was a keen shot and
competed at B i s 1 e y
and Darnley on
several occasions. He
was mobilized as
Colour-Sergeant at the
outbreak of war and
was stationed at Stirling until May 191 5, when
the Battalion was sent to Gallipoli. For his dis-
tinguished services he was awarded the D.C.M.
in July 19 1 5, and promoted Lieutenant in the
Field. He was also mentioned in Sir Ian Hamil-
ton's Gallipoli dispatch. After the evacuation
of Gallipoli, Pirie went to Egypt and Pales-
tine where again his valuable services were re-
cognized by two mentions in dispatches. He
rose to the rank of Captain and was killed in
action at the Battle of Gaza on 19 April
1917.
FERGUSSON :
of Rev. James
RUSSELL, ROBERT
Captain, R.A.M.C. ; son
Alexander Russell,
minister, U.F. Church,
Durris ; born Newhills,
Aberdeenshire, 5 Janu-
ary 1884; educated
Gordon's College;
graduated M.B., 1905,
having passed his Pro-
fessional Examination
in Anatomy with
Distinction. He
was in practice for
some time in Shetland,
later Methlick, then
went to Jamaica where he held a Government
appointment.
On the outbreak of war Russell returned to
this country, was commissioned in the R.A.M.C,
and for some months served as Medical Officer
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