John Alexander Macrae

Home > All Profiles > John Alexander Macrae

Rank	Second Lieutenant
Medals	British War Medal, Victory Medal
Regiment	Black Watch 11th Battalion attached 8th Battalion
Military Service	1914 Enlisted in the Stock Exchange Company of the 5th Battalion Queens Own Cameron Highlanders. 1915 Gazetted Second Lieutenant in 11th Black Watch in April. This battalion, formed in October 1914, remained in Britain for the duration of the war and was designated a ‘Reserve’ battalion. This fits with the information that Macrae was employed as an instructor in musketry and sniping. From 16th June 1916 Macrae was serving in France and I suspect that it may have been at that point that he was attached to the 8th Battalion part of 26th Brigade (Highland), 9th (Scottish) Division. At the time of Macrae’s death the battalions of this brigade were heavily involved in the Battle of Bazentin Ridge and the efforts to capture and hold Longueval and Delville Wood
Born	c1889
Death	18th July 1916
Circumstances of Death	Killed in action. Macrae died during the fighting of 14th – 18th July. His school obituary records that the trenches where the battalion was stationed were being shelled by the Germans in preparation for a counter attack. 2 5.9 shells landed causing many casualties one of whom was Macrae.
Age	27
Burial	Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 10 A.
CWGC Information	None
Parents	John C Macrae (c1863-1930) & Catherine Macmillan (c1862-1939)
Father's Occupation	Wine & Spirit Merchant
Siblings	Donald (c1893-), William F (c1894-), Catherine F (c1897-)
Spouse	Unmarried
Education	High School of Glasgow
Occupation	Employed by Boyd & Dunn, Stockbrokers, St Vincent Street, Glasgow
1891 Census	Wilton Gardens, Glasgow
1901 Census	19 Regent Park Square, Kinning Park, Glasgow
Home Address	19 Regent Park Square, Kinning Park, Glasgow
Glasgow Necropolis	Compartment Primus Lair 137
Other Memorials	Scottish National War Memorial
Other Information	In 1905 Macrae sailed from Liverpool on SS Oravia to Buenos Aires, Argentina to visit family.
Acknowledgements and Sources	Much of the information on which this profile is based is drawn from various internet sources which are listed below. The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis also wish to make full acknowledgement and thanks for the permitted use of any information or images generously supplied specifically for exhibition, publication or display in connection with The Roll of Honour and accompanying profiles to the High School of Glasgow, Ancestry, and Find my past. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Family Search Scotlands People The Long, Long Trail The Scottish War Memorials Project

Gallery

John Alexander MacRae Monument - Primus

back

Credits

Compiled by Morag Fyfe, Historical and Genealogical Researcher for The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis.

A Registered Scottish Charity: No SC037918
Photographers: Ruth Johnston, Scott Kerr, David Hanlon, John Gair