ABERCROMBIE

Cecil Halliday

Lieutenant, H.M.S. Defence, Royal Navy. Lost with his ship 31st May 1916. Aged 29. Born 12th April 1886, Mozufferpore, India. Son of Walter D. Abercrombie (Indian Police) and Kate E. Abercrombie; husband of Cecily Joan Abercrombie (nee Baker), of 22, Cottesmore Gardens, Kensington, London. Scottish Rugby International. Played cricket for Hampshire. No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 10.

Note: H.M.S. Defence was a Minotaur-class armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy, launched in 1907. She was the last armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy. She was the flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Robert Arbuthnot, leading the First Cruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. The other ships of the squadron (H.M.S. Warrior, H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh, and H.M.S. Black Prince) were of a similar outmoded class. While closing for the kill at high speed with the SMS Wiesbaden, drifting and crippled between the German and British fleets, Defence presented a target for the combined firepower of the German battlecruisers, whose proximity was hidden by smoke and mist. After initial damage she was struck by a salvo which blew up her after magazine, triggering explosions on the ammunition rails leading to the broadside 7.5 inch guns. Within seconds, another salvo immediately hit forward, and she blew up in a spectacular explosion, sinking with the loss of Arbuthnot and her entire complement of 903 men.

His profile from Cricinfo - Wisden Cricketers' Almanack :

Born in India on April 12, 1886, was killed aged 30 in the naval action off Jutland on May 31, 1916, while serving as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy on H.M.S. Defence.

He played 13 games for Hampshire in 1913, scoring 126 and 39 on his debut against Oxford University at Southampton, 144 v Worcestershire at Dudley and 165 v Essex at Leyton when Hampshire followed on 317 behind and in a stand with George Brown (140*) he put on 325 for the seventh wicket. In first-class matches that year he scored 936 runs with an average of 35.92. By 1914 he was already away on service, so his fame rests on what he accomplished in a single season. In 1912 he gave an earlier indication of his ability as a free-scoring batsmen when he hit 37 and 100 for the Royal Navy v Army at Lord's.

He also played Rugby football for Scotland.

ALEXANDER

Reginald

Old Etonian. Lieutenant-Colonel, 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own). Died of wounds 29th December 1914. Aged 48. Son of Caledon Dupre Alexander. Served in the South African Campaign. Buried in BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY (NORD), Nord, France. Plot/Row/Section F. Grave 3.

Extract from De Ruvigny's Roll Of Honour 1914-1918 1914-1918:

ALEXANDER, REGINALD, Lieut.-Col., 3rd Battn. The Rifle Briagde (The Prince Consort's Own); b. 6 Sept. 1867; gazetted 2nd Lieut. West Kent Regt. from the Militia, 23 Jan. 1889; transferred to the Rifle Brigade 8 May following; was promoted Lieut. 16 Dec. 1891, Capt. 19 July, 1897, Major 5 April, 1905, and Lieut.-Col. 15 Oct. 1913; was Adjutant to his Regiment from 30 Nov. 1894, to 12 April, 1898; served in the South African War 1899-1902; took part in the operations in Batal March to June, 1900, including action at Laing's Nek (6 to 9 June); operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29 Nov. 1900, including action at Belfast (26 and 27 Aug.), where he was severely wounded, and those in the Transvaal 30 Nov. 1900, to 31 May, 1902; was Commandant at Uitkyk from 22 July, 1901, and afterwards at Olifant's River from 3 Sept. to 20 Nov. 1901 (mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 10 Sept. 1901, and 29 July, 1902]; Queen's Medal with two clasps and King's medal with two Clasps); served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, and died 29 Dec. 1914, from wounds received in action.

Extract from The Bond of Sacrifice Volume 1:

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL REGINALD ALEXANDER, 3rd BATTN. RIFLE BRIGADE, died on the 29th December,1914, from wounds received in action. He was born on the 6th September, 1867, and joined the Royal West Kent Regiment from the Militia in January, 1889. In December, 1891, he was transferred to the Rifle Brigade as Lieutenant, and from 1894-98 was Adjutant of his Battalion.

He was a fair cricketer, very fond of racing and of a most cheery disposition.

He served in the South African War, taking part in operations in Natal, including the action at Laing's Nek; in the Transvaal east of Pretoria, including action at Belfast, being severely wounded. Later he was Commandant at Uitkyk, and afterwards at Olifant's River. He was twice mentioned in Despatches ("London Gazette," 10th September, 1901. and 29th July, 1902), and received the Queen's and the King's medals, each with two clasps.

He obtained his Majority in April, 1905, and succeeded to the command of his Battalion in October, 1913.

ANTROBUS

Edmund

Old Etonian. Lieutenant, No 4. Company, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Killed in action 24th October 1914. Aged 27. Son of Sir Edmund Antrobus, 4th Bart., of Antrobus, Cheshire. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 9 and 11.

Extract from The Bond of Sacrifice Volume 1:

LIEUTENANT EDMUND ANTROBUS, 1st BATTN. GRENADIER GUARDS, who was killed in action on the 24th October, 1914, was the only son of Sir Edmund Antrobus, 4th Baronet, of Antrobus, County Chester, and Rutherford, County Roxburgh, at one time commanding 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards. Lieutenant Antrobus was born on the 23rd December, 1886, and received his commission as Second Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards from the Militia in May, 1908, being promoted Lieutenant in November, 1908.

The 1st Battn. Grenadier Guards formed part of the 20th Brigade of the VIIth Division which was in the centre of our line at the first Battle of Ypres. On the 24th October the Germans made a determined effort to break through on the left of the Grenadiers near Kruiseik, and No. 4 Company, to which Lieut. Antrobus belonged, made a counterattack, driving back the enemy. He was killed while gallantly fighting with his platoon, only one officer and forty-five men of the Company returning unhurt.

Extract from De Ruvigny's Roll Of Honour 1914-1918 1914-1918:

ANTROBUS, EDMUND, Lieut., Grenadier Guards, only s. of Col. Sir Edmund Antrobus, 4th Bart., of Antrobus, co. Chester, of Amesbury Abbey, co. Wilts., and Rutherford, co. Roxburgh, late Grenadier Guards, by his wife, Florence Caroline Mathilde, dau. of the late Jules Alexander Sartoris, of Hopsford Hall, co. Warwick; b. Eaton Square, S.W., 23 Dec. 1886; educ. Eton and in France; gazetted as 2nd Lieut. to the Grenadier Guards from the Militia, 27 May, 1908; became Lieut. 21 Nov. 1908; killed in action at Ypres, 24 Oct. 1914. Buried in the orchard of a small farmhouse in the village of Keghside; unm. Lieut. Antrobus was reported a very keen and courageous officer, and highly popular.

Further information kindly supplied by Marrietta from the Great War Forum.

There is a marble drinking fountain in his memory in the gardens of Royal Hospital Chelsea although it has not been possible to establish the family connection with RHC yet. It reads:

"In loving memory of Lieutenant Edmund Antrobus of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, only son of Colonel Sir Edmund Antrobus of Amesbury Abbey, Salisbury and Florence his wife who fell on the evening of the 24th October 1914 in a counter attack against the Germans a few hundred yards north of Kruisick east of Ypres."

Part of the Antrobus estate included Stonehenge which, in 1898, Edmund's father tried to sell to the Government for £125k, this offer was refused. Sir Edmund then enclosed the ruins and tried to charge one shilling for entrance, this resulted in a mass picket and protests. Sir Edmund also had a run in with the Druids as he tried to get them to pay towards the site's costs. Apparently they put a curse on him. Sir Edmund and his son Edmund died within a year.

ARBUTHNOT, Baronet, K.C.B., M.V.O.

Sir Robert Keith

Rear-Admiral, H.M.S. Defence, Royal Navy. Lost with his ship at the Battle of Jutalnd 31st May 1916. Aged 52. 4th Baronet. Husband of Lina Arbuthnot, of 51, Elsworthy Road, Hampstead, London N.W. Member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 10.

Note: H.M.S. Defence was a Minotaur-class armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy, launched in 1907. She was the last armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy. She was the flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Robert Arbuthnot, leading the First Cruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. The other ships of the squadron (H.M.S. Warrior, H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh, and H.M.S. Black Prince) were of a similar outmoded class. While closing for the kill at high speed with the SMS Wiesbaden, drifting and crippled between the German and British fleets, Defence presented a target for the combined firepower of the German battlecruisers, whose proximity was hidden by smoke and mist. After initial damage she was struck by a salvo which blew up her after magazine, triggering explosions on the ammunition rails leading to the broadside 7.5 inch guns. Within seconds, another salvo immediately hit forward, and she blew up in a spectacular explosion, sinking with the loss of Arbuthnot and her entire complement of 903 men.

ASH, D.S.O.

William Claudius Casson

Lieutenant-Colonel, 23rd Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). Mortally wounded on 15 September 1916, while o/c (Lt-Col) of the 23rd (S) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment and wounded at Loos, 25th September 1915, died of wounds 29th September 1916. Aged 46. Husband of Edith Learoyd Ash, late of 94A, Palmerston Rd., Southsea, Hants. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Buried in ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 53. Also listed on Mill Hill Memorial

Extract from Distinguished Service Order 1916-1923 published by Naval & Military Press:

ASH, W.C.C. (D.S.O. L.G. 14.1.16); s. of W. H. Ash; ent. Middx. R. 28.9.92; Lt. 31.7.95; Capt. 14.3.00; Major 1.5.09; T/Lt.-Col. He died of wounds 29.9.16.

ATKINSON, D.S.O.

Frederick St John

Major, 9th Hodson's Horse, Indian Army. Died 30th November 1917. Aged 35. Son of Amy Caroline and the late Frederick James Atkinson; husband of Lorna Ethel Atkinson, of 8, Cumberland Mansions, Bryanston Square, London, W.1. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Buried in VILLERS-FAUCON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot I. Row A. Grave 16.

Extract from Distinguished Service Order 1916-1923 published by Naval & Military Press:

ATKINSON, F.ST.J. (D.S.O. L.G. 1.1.18); Major, 9th Hodson's Horse. He was killed in action in France on 30.11.18.

AWDRY, D.S.O.

Charles Selwyn

Major, 6th (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment formerly Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. Killed in action 24th March 1918. Son of Charles Awdry, of Notton, Wilts; husband of C. L. Awdry, of Hitchambury, Taplow, Bucks. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). No known grave. Commemorated on POZIERES MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Panel 6.

Extract from Distinguished Service Order 1916-1923 published by Naval & Military Press:

AWDRY, C. S.. (D.S.O. L.G. 2.12.18); Major, R. Wilts. Yeom., attd. 6th Bn. R. Wilts. R. He was killed in action 24.3.18.

Extract from London Gazette 2nd December 1918:

"AWDRY, CHARLES SELWYN, Major, Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, attached 6th Battn. Wiltshire Regt For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed the greatest coolness and contempt of danger in conducting the retirement of the remnants of his battalion, and though greatly exhausted organized a new line of defence during the night. Next day, by his fine example he did much to steady the men of many scattered units."

Extract from Winchester Old Boys Magazine:

MAJOR CHARLES SELWYN AWDRY, DSO

ROYAL WILTS YEOMANRY

MAJOR CHARLES SELWYN AWDRY (C, 1890-1896) was born on March 23rd, 1877 - son of C. Awdry Esq. (COLL., 1861-1865); he was one of three Wykehamist brothers and nephew of the late Right Rev. William Awdry, Bishop of Tokio (Second Master, 1868-1872). He came to Winchester from Waynflete School, played for Lords in 1896 and the same year went up to New College, Oxford. On the outbreak of the South African War he went to the Cape with the Imperial Yeomanry and was mentioned in Despatches. In 1904 he became a partner in the firm of W. H. Smith & Son.

For some years before the war he held a commission in the Royal Wilts Yeomanry and in 1917 was appointed to command the 6th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment. In this capacity he rendered conspicuous service, receiving the D.S.O. and being twice mentioned in Despataches. They were heavily engaged in March 1918 at Bapaume during the Allied retreat of that month, and on 25th Major Awdry was reported missing. He is presumed to have fallen then.

He married in 1908 Miss Constance Lilias Bateson, of Heston, Middlesex: and was a justice of the Peace for the County of Wilts.

Some details and the photograph here are from the Great War Forum