barrieduncan Posted 10 May , 2006 Share Posted 10 May , 2006 Not a pressing issue, but one that has been bugging me since I first read it. The history of the 7th battalion Cameron Highlanders has quite a good account of the attack on Loos and Hill 70. In this section, it mentions that Major Crichton, CO of the 10th Gordons, fell in action. Now, i'v checked the CWGC and I have SDGW for the Gordons (although I don't think this includes officers?) and can find no mention of him. This is what it says in the 7th Cams history: "...Major Barron, 2nd in Command, 7th Camerons, and Major Crichton (10th Gordons) volunteered to go forward and order the advance part, who had charged over the Hill, to retire. Both officers fell in the task, but their orders reached the advanced line, and the men began to fight their way back. Major Crichton was killed outright..." Anyone any idea what happened and who Major Crichton was? Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 10 May , 2006 Share Posted 10 May , 2006 Hi Barrie, For what it's worth, Andrew Rawson says in his book 'Loos - Hill 70' that Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace was C.O. of the 10th Gordons and he survived to mistakenly lead his men off Hill 70,assuming that a relief had taken place when it hadn't. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 10 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 May , 2006 Hi Ian, I must have made the CO bit up myself, sorry. Thanks for clearing that bit up. Still can't work out who Major Crichton was and if he was killed. Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 10 May , 2006 Share Posted 10 May , 2006 Hi Barrie, Not a problem. I'll look around and see if I can find him! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 10 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 May , 2006 I'm sure Major Crichton is mentioned in Niall Cherry's book, Most Unfavorable Ground, either in the main text or the appendix (not sure which) although I dont have it to hand to check. If my memory serves, it doesn't mention anything about his death though. It could be that the guy writing the 7th Camerons history got it wrong, maybe Major Crichton was only wounded and recovered? Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milner Posted 10 May , 2006 Share Posted 10 May , 2006 he has a mic, so he did exist. And a picture of him to, but not free to download. http://www.ww1photos.com/GordonHighlanders.html Medal card of Crichton, Charles Julian Maitland Makgill Corps: Gordon Highlanders Rank: Major 1914-1920 WO 372/5 regards Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 10 May , 2006 Share Posted 10 May , 2006 Barrie, Last week we visited Falkland Palace, Fife. There was a photograph & I think news cutting, on a desk, relative to Lord Ninian Crichton-Stewart who was killed/died in the Great War. I asked and was told that he died in 1915 at Loos. I have looked at SDGW and CWGC but with no success - yet. In one room were some medals in a frame. Like other National Trust premises you can only go so far in the room, but, with bincoulars the group appeared to be DSO, QSA, BWM, Vic, a Coronation , a couple I know not what and lastly possibly a Sudan. Probably not belonging to the above as there was no 14 or 14/15 star - I add this in case it is of any use. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 10 May , 2006 Share Posted 10 May , 2006 Having just seen Phil's reply I am probably wasting your time but will leave the post just in case. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moriaty Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Re Charles Julian Maitland Makgill Crichton - have a look at the Silent Cities web site, Loos Memorial, there is a picture and a biography of Makgill Crichton, it says that he was killed at the battle of Loos. One of his homes was at Lathrisk by Freuchie in Fife a couple of miles away from Falkland Palace, which was the home of Lieutenant Colonel Lord Ninian Crichton Stuart (no relation) who was also killed at Loos, but commanding a Welsh Territorial regiment. Moriaty PS The medals at Falkland Palace belonged to the father of the late Mrs Crichton Stuart, his Great War service was not in France/Flanders and he was later in the Sudan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 11 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Cheers for that Phil, I had a check for him on the MICs but must have missed that one. Stuart, I had come across that guy on the CWGC database but wasn't sure if it could have been him or not. http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...?casualty=62599 Thanks for the help, Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 11 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Hi Moriaty, You posted while I was typing, thanks for the info. Makes me wonder why I cant find any mention of Major Crichton on the CWGC site. I'll need to try and get my hands on the 10th Gordons war diary from the NA to see what it says. Thanks for clearing that up for me, Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 PS The medals at Falkland Palace belonged to the father of the late Mrs Crichton Stuart, his Great War service was not in France/Flanders and he was later in the Sudan. Thank you both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 11 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Moriaty, you are a genius! [edit] Sorry, Phil too http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=735607 Cheers mate, Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Barrie, He is in 15 Scottish Division's History, Appendix I, 10th GORDONS. On page 335. It states: 10th Gordon Highlanders, Battle of Loos, Officers, Wounded & Missing: Major C.S.M. Makgill-Crichton Lieut. R.C. Christison hope this helps Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Barrie, Also, here is the extract form the Scottish National War Memorial site: Surname MAITLAND-MAKGILL-CRICHTON Firstname Charles Julian Service Number Date Death 25/09/1915 Decoration Place of birth Other - 27-09-15. 10th Bn. SNWM roll THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS Rank Major. (Tp.) Theatre of death Unknown Yours Aye Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 11 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Cheers for that Tom. As to Lieut. R.C. Christison, I'm pretty sure I came across an article on him in the Evening times of the period, sure he's a Glasgow lad, unless I'm thinking of someone else . Thanks Barrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Barrie, There was a photograph & I think news cutting, on a desk, relative to Lord Ninian Crichton-Stewart who was killed/died in the Great War. I asked and was told that he died in 1915 at Loos. Apologies for going off thread slightly but exactly a year ago I went on a great trip to the Loos area (thanks Clive!) and one of the party was the grand daughter of Lord Ninian. He was killed at the Hohenzollern Redoubt and buried at Bethune cemetery. Ninian Park, home of Cardiff FC, is named after him - I think his dad gave the club the land. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Barrie, Out of interest, I can only find this name on the SNWM, which I am assuming is the same gentleman: Surname CHRISTON Firstname Robert Colin Service Number Date Death 25/09/1915 Decoration Place of birth Other 10th Bn. SNWM roll THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS Rank Lt Theatre of death Unknown Hope this helps Aye Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom A McCluskey Posted 11 May , 2006 Share Posted 11 May , 2006 Barrie CWGC for the same officer, and he is a native of Glasgow: Name: CHRISTISON, ROBERT COLIN Initials: R C Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders Unit Text: 10th Bn. Age: 24 Date of Death: 25/09/1915 Additional information: Son of Mrs. George Christison, of 2, Kelvinside Gardens, Glasgow. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 115 to 119. Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL Hope this helps Yours Aye Tom McC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrieduncan Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Cheers Tom, nice to know the memory hasn't given up on me yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moriaty Posted 12 May , 2006 Share Posted 12 May , 2006 I mentioned in an earlier posting that Charles Julian Maitland Makgill Crichton had a home called Lathrisk near Freuchie in Fife, Scotland. Here is an extract out of a book "Freuchie through the Years" "The laird of Lathrisk, George Johnston, was a batchelor and died intestate in 1901. This was unfortunate, having regard to his large personal estate, and many landed interests. It appeared that Lieut Charles Julian Maitland Makgill Crichton, a second cousin, was the heir at law, but there were several other claimants, with various interests, and a complicated law suit followed. This was settled within a few months and parties were satisfied. The new laird, a product of Winchester and Cambridge, held a commission in the Seaforth Highlanders, but his succession to the Lathrisk estates cut short his army career for the time being.... Charles Crichton was young, handsome, gregarious, fond of sport and extremely extravagant. In that same year of his succession, Charles attained his majority, and lavish celebrations were organised at Lathrisk. On Friday 30th September there was a dinner for the county families, and the following week dinner was served on the lawn to about 200 guests - the tenantry and local notabilities. The dinner was followed by an At Home and dance. Fourteen years later the laird, by that time a Major in the 10th Gordons, was killed in action on Hill 70, during the battle of Loos, 25th September 1915. He had latterly been living on his estate at Monzie, and a memorial tablet was placed in the church there by his widow." Moriaty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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