Roll of Honour

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Regiment: 3rd Battalion Scottish Rifles

Biography: Son of William Reid, carpenter ; born Aberchirder, 27 November 1889 ; educated Gordon Schools, Huntly ; entered Aberdeen University as 4th Bursar, 1907 ; graduated M.A. with First Class Honours in Classics and Dr. Black Prize in Latin, 1911 ; third assistant in Latin, 191112 ; Classical Exhibitioner of Oriel College, Oxford, 1912-15 ; Second Class Classical Moderations, Oxford, 1913, and Second Class Literae Humaniores, Oxford, 1915 (B.A.) ; Bishop Fraser Post graduate Scholar, Oriel College, Oxford, 1915 -16; second assistant in Greek, Aberdeen University, 1915-16. Reid excelled in all branches of study, but his true bent was towards English and Classics. His outstanding ability showed itself not only in his record at Aberdeen and at Oxford, but in his contributions to "Alma Mater" which, whether in poetry or in prose, were noticeable for excellence of style and beauty of thought. And yet he was only at the beginning—what he had done "was still but earnest of the things, that he would do". The war came, turning students into soldiers, and Reid threw himself with the keenest enthusiasm into the activities of the Oxford O.T.C. Though still handicapped by the effects of an illness in his student days, he succeeded in 1916 in getting a commission in the 3rd Scottish Rifles, and towards the end of that year went to France, where he fell in action on 22 March 1917.

Date of Death: 22 March 1917

Burial Details: Buried at Guards' Cemetery, Combles, Plot 2, Row A, Grave 7.

Publication: Roll of Service, edited by Mabel Desborough Allardyce. Published 1921.

If you have photographs of anyone listed in the Roll of Honour (preferably in service uniform) or have any questions about this resource, please email memoriam@abdn.ac.uk.