Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Kirkee 1914-1918 Memorial | Face D. Kirkee | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.116 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 55C GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
Son of Colonel H. F. Blair, R.E. Indian Army and Sophia Grace Blair husband of Gladys Blair (nee Briggs), of Hylton Castle, Durham.He married at St. Mary Abbots. Kensington, on 31 Jan. 1907 Eleanor Victoria Gladys (76. Campden Hill Court. Kensington. W.). youngest daughter of Col. Charles Briggs, Durham Light Infantry, and had two sons : Harold Neville, b. 8 Feb. 1910, and James Alexander, b. 5 April, 1914.
Education & Career :
Educated at Tonbridge School and Wellington College.
He was Manager at Lacons Brewery, Great Yarmouth, and from 1897 to 1907 was Captain of the Paddington Volunteers, afterwards being for two years Adjutant of the O.T.C. Yarmouth Volunteers, having also a company of the Church Lads' Brigade to drill and captain from 1899 to 1913.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 5th Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) |
1/5th (Angus and Dundee) Battalion August 1914 : in Arbroath. Part of Black Watch Brigade, unallocated to a Division. 2 November 1914 : landed at Le Havre. 13 November 1914 : attached to 24th Brigade in 8th Division. 18 October 1915 : converted into Pioneer Battalion to same Division. 6 January 1916 : converted back to infantry and transferred to 154th Brigade in 51st (Highland) Division. 29 February 1916 : transferred to 118th Brigade in 39th Division. 15 March 1916 : amalgamated with 1/4th Bn to form the 4/5th Bn. |
| Action : India & Imperial Policing |
At the start of the war it was important to bring Regular Battalions back from their 'Imperial Policing' role in India and the FarEast. These troops were replaced by Territorial and other Garisson troops.
Detail :
Probate record: BLAIR, Alexander Neville of Scroby, Great Yarmouth. Lieutenant, 5th Battalion, Royal Highlanders. Died 13th March 1917 at Bombay in India. Probate London 23rd March to Hugh Francis Blair-Imrie, Captain Royal Highlanders C.M.G. and Arthur Bowen Rendel esquire. Effects £4213 18s 2d.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Bowyer No. 1036 E.C. | Oxfordshire |
| Joined : | Malling Abbey No. 1063 E.C. | East Kent |
| Joined : | Old Wellingtonian No. 3404 E.C. | London |
| Joined : | Lodge of United Friends No. 313 E.C. | Norfolk |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
29th October 1901 | 26th November 1901 | 20th December 1901 |
Listed as a 23 year old Brewer resident at Chipping Norton in 1901 when initiated into Bowyer Lodge No.1036, but resigned in December 1907.
Founder member, petionining and joining Heroum Fillii Lodge (later Old Wellingtonian Lodge) No. 3404, London at its consecration in 1909. The last contribution in the lodge register was made in 1917, and he is recorded as "Killed in action".
Shortly after he joined Malling Abbey Lodge No 1063 on 16th February 1910, resigning from this lodge 3 years later on the 19th February 1913.
Joined Lodge of United Friends No. 313 from Old Wellingtonians 4th March, 1914, whilst resident in Great Yarmouth. He was listed as a Brewery Manager and aged 35. His war service is recorded and shows "Died on Active Service March 1917."
Alexander was also a member of the Royal Arch, and was exalted into Bowyer Chapter No. 1036, Chipping Norton
27th December 1904.
He was a Past Master in the Craft attaining rank in Oxfordshire in 1905 of Provincial Grand Steward.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley