The Glasgow Academy WW2 Roll of Honour From the onset of the second World War in Sept 1939 until the formal end in Sept 1945, the Glasgow Academy suffered a great many losses during the conflict. The following is a list of the former pupils who were casualties and as far as we have been able to, includes information and photographs to tell the stories of these men. In some case, we have little or no information about some of these individuals, so please get in touch if you have anything which could help us fill in the gaps and help us tell their stories. Email: [email protected] 1 Flt Sgt Herbert Philips Adams Biography He was a Sergeant Pilot in the RAF. Herbert Adams, a son of the well-known golf professional, was posted as missing on 9th April of this year (1941). Royal Air Force 17 Jan 1916-9th April Son of David Adams The Chronicle Volunteer Reserve 1941 Esq, and of Margaret Adams, of Bearsden, (RAFVR) Age: 25 Glasgow Image: Memorial New Kilpatrick Church Service No. 745709 2 Captain William Service Aird Biography William, born in Coatbridge, graduated in Royal Army Medical 23 Feb 1912-10th Son of Dr Robert Aird, Medicine from Glasgow University in 1940. Corps May 1943 MB, ChB, and Agnes Following graduation, he joined the medical Motherwell Niven corps and served in India and then in Burma th 77 Indian Division Age: 31 Aird, of Glasgow MB, where he died from dysentery and malaria ChB of Coatbridge, on his way to jail, following capture by the Service No. 195815 Glasgow Japanese. 3 Sgt Alistair William Aitken Biography Alistair Aitken left the Academy in 1940, he played for the 1st XV, and headed the bowling averages in that year. He went on to serve in the Air Force and according Royal Air Force 1924-10th Nov 1943 Son of James and to German reports was attacked when alone by several enemy fighters After ten minutes the Volunteer Reserve Margaret Newall Age: 19 Aitken of Glasgow Sunderland was riddled and fell into the Bay of (RAFVR) Biscay. Service No. 1567438 The Chronicle 4 Major Kenneth Aitken MC Biography At school Kenneth was a talented sportsman and a Prefect. He left the Academy in 1923. Commissioned directly after the outbreak of war, he was at Dunkirk, and subsequently with the Highland Division from Alamein to Sicily and won a Military Cross (MC). He was killed in action near Lisieux in August, 1944 The Royal Artillery 1905-19th Aug 1944 Second son of Hugh CRA of the Highland Division described him as "an officer Wallace Aitken, of outstanding courage and devotion to duty“. 127 Field Regiment Age: 39 The Chronicle Colonial Engineer, and Service No. 98595 Mrs Jessie Eva Aitken Commemorated on the Ranville War Cemetery Roll of Honour, Calvados, France. (nee Robertson) of Glasgow 5 Lieutenant Peter Alexander Biography Peter Alexander, left the Academy in 1942 from the 6th Form. He had been a Prefect, Captain of Shooting, and a Sergeant in the JTC (Junior Training Corps), and had played for the 2nd XV. He was described as of “sturdy character” and th “steady and reliable”. Royal Tank Regiment 1924-19 July 1944 Son of Peter Alexander of A member of the Home Guard while still at school, Service No. 308082 Age: 20 Glasgow, W2 his happy temperament and sterling character will not lightly be forgotten He was killed in his tank at Caen, Normandy. 6 Flt Lieut Alastair Stuart Biography Hamilton Baillie Alastair Stuart Hamilton Baillie, previously reported missing, is now known to have lost his life over enemy territory in June, 1944 He was at the Academy from 1924-31, and played in the 3rd XV He was an only child The Chronicle 1944 On 23rd November 1941 the two men on board this 20 E.F.T.S. aircraft were carrying out a training flight when they encountered a bank of fog. The instructor made a precautionary landing near Weeton, to the Royal Air Force 1914-13th Jun 1944 Only Son of Stuart north of Yeadon airfield but the aircraft ran into a furrow in the field. Volunteer Reserve Fraser Baillie and The aircraft sustained damage to its undercarriage, main planes and Age: 30 Andrewina P H propeller but the instructor and pupil escaped uninjured. The aircraft (RAFVR) Baillie, of Moidart, was repaired. The unit ORB gives the rank of the pilot of P/O but Renfrewshire technically he rose to the rank of F/O three days before this incident Service No. 88430 Husband of Anne although the notification did not come through for some weeks. Baillie RAF Records. 7 Captain David Gavin Balls Biography David Gavin Balls was killed in action at the Haydon Wadi, Anzio. A pupil at the Academy between 1926-37, he left after Vth form. David was a member of the 1st XI and 1st XV, Highland Light 1920-19th Mar 1944 Son of Mrs Margaret being vice-captain of the latter. Captain of his Infantry Balls, widow of Glasgow. House, he was also a School Prefect. A fine record, Age: 24 His deceased father was closed by the supreme sacrifice. Glasgow Highlanders a Banker at the Clydesdale Bank in The Chronicle Service No. 90724 which David followed his He was killed in Italy. father’s footsteps 8 Surgeon Commander Frank Cecil Mayall Bamford Biography Surgeon-Commander Francis Cecil Mayall Bamford (Frank), RN, left the Academy in 1912. He was killed in action when HMS Dorsetshire was sunk by a Japanese air attack In the Indian Ocean on 5th April, 1942. His Captain afterwards wrote of him in moving terms "Seldom have I met a man with more consideration for others and less for himself - He died as he lived--a brave unselfish man" were among the heartfelt tributes penned. Royal Navy 13 March 1900-5th Son of Frank Linwood Apr 1942 Bamford and of Hilda The Chronicle H.M.S. Dorsetshire Alexandra Bamford Age: 42 He graduated MB, ChB from the University of (nee Assafrey) of Glasgow in 1926. He is commemorated on the Glasgow Plymouth Naval Memorial, England. Husband of Beatrice Bamford (nee Train), of Rutherglen, MB, ChB 9 Major Ralph Alexander Walls Barr Biography Ralph Alexander Walls Barr, Major, The Cameronians (SR), serving with the Indian Army, left school in 1938. He was a School prefect and Captain of the Shooting VIII. His modest bearing gave no hint of his remarkable abilities as a marksman. th He was killed in Burma. Scottish Rifles 1920-25 May 1944 Son of George Barr and Isabella Vallance Born in Paisley, Ralph enrolled as an Arts student at Cameronians Age: 24 Barr of Ardrossan Glasgow University for the 1938/39 session, but left to th join up. He was seconded to the Indian Army (Mahar 7 Battalion Lived in Paisley Regiment) in January 1944 and was killed there on 25 May. Commemorated at Taukkyan War Cemetery, Service No. Myanmar. 10 Flying Officer Robert Barr Biography Robert Barr, Flying Officer, RAF, was a son of the manse and spent three years at the Academy before spending a year as a medical student at Glasgow University between 1940 - 1941. RAF 1920-18th Nov 1943 Son of Rev. Andrew He was two years in the Clyde River Patrol, and two Service No. 124815 Age: 23 Barr, Minister years in USA flying. He was, so to speak, on the eve Inverness of operational duties when he met his death. The Chronicle 11 Sgt James Milne Monroe Billing Biography James Milne Monro Billing came to the Academy in 1924, and left six years later from the Fifth Form. It is a year since he was first reported Missing on an operational flight; RAF 1914-20th Dec 1942 Son of Roger Roberts Billing and Florence now, the official verdict is presumed ‘lost’. He Service No. 1118934 Age: 28 was a younger son, and lived in Bearsden. Mary Monro Billing, of Bearsden, The Chronicle Dunbartonshire 12 Seaman Joseph Cameron Blyth Biography Joseph Cameron Blyth came to the Academy in 1933 In his last session (1937-8). He was in the Vth Class, a member of the 2nd XI and 1St XV. His masters were in the habit of summing him up as "A good, keen type'‘ st and such he proved when tested in a bigger crisis than Royal Navy 1922-1 May 1942 Son of James Cameron Blyth, and those of the class-room. The Commander of his ship Age: 20 reports that he was gravely wounded by a fragment of Nellie Lawrence shell during an action with German destroyers, and died Blyth, of Giffnock, soon after the action. Renfrewshire The Chronicle 13 Captain William ‘Bill’ Atholl Brechin Biography William Atholl Brechin prefect and fine athlete, left the Academy In 1940 He played for the 1st XV and the Golf Team. A sergeant in the Officer Training Corps (OTC), he won the Silver Bugle in 1938. Argyll and Sutherland 1921-12th Dec 1942 Son of William and Highlanders Mabel Brechin, of He died of wounds received in the Middle Age: 21 Stinchar, Ayrshire East in November 1942 when he was leading Service No. 180342 a stretcher party to rescue one of his men. The Chronicle 14 Major William Brockhill Biography Former Scout member of the 72nd Glasgow Group. Killed in Normandy, remembered on the Royal Army Ordnance 1917-8th Jun 1944 Son of Frederic George Bayeux Memorial, Panel 18, Column 3. Corps and Margaret Hastie He was killed at sea. Age: 37 Brockhill of Glasgow Service No. 135140 Commemorated in the Scouts Memorial.