In Memoriam - the staff, students and alumni of the University who laid down their lives during the wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945

In World War One a total of 2,852 University staff, students and alumni served in the Great War of 1914-1918, of whom 341 lost their lives. Their service spanned all branches of the Armed Forces. Many enlisted in the University's 'U' Company of the 4th Gordons, others served with the Argyll & Sutherland, Seaforth, and Cameron Highlanders, as well as other army regiments and corps, the Royal Navy, Royal Army Medical Service, and the fledgling Royal Flying Corps. They came from all walks of life, all professions and ages - the youngest to die was only 18, the oldest was 66. Some died in the first weeks of the war, while others, haunted by battlefield illness and the horrors of the Front, lived on for some months after the armistice only to die after returning home.

In World War Two a total of 182 men lost their lives. Their service spanned all branches of the Armed Forces too and there were exceptional numbers, 85, with the Royal Air Force. Soldiers were posted all around the world illustrating the global reach of the war with service in the Medical Branch of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force, Indian Medical Service, Federated Malaya Volunteer Reserve, Indian Mountain Regiment and Kenya Defence Force. They died in places including Malaya, Libya, Java, Burma and Italy, in Japanese prisoner of war camps and on flying operations off Norway and Australia.

Their biographies illustrate the tragedy, sacrifice, suffering, and overwhelming human cost of the two world wars, but also shine with the human qualities of courage, selflessness, and compassion. These are the lives of sons, brothers and friends, as told by those who knew them.

You can read their stories here.

The biographical content has been taken from two University publications, principally from the Roll of Service, edited by Mabel Desborough Allardyce and published in 1922, and the Roll of Remembrance, published in 1952. Supplementary information has been gathered from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The First World War biographies contain images of the men, yet the Second World War biographies do not so an image from the War Memorial Window in King’s College Chapel has been used.

We are looking for images of the men who died in the Second World War (preferably in service uniform) so if you can help or wish to contact us about this resource please email memoriam@abdn.ac.uk