Pte 22512 Alexander Millar Reid

• Age: 39
• From: Glasgow
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Alexander Millar Reid was born in Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the 04th September 1875, the son of Adam Reid and his wife Margaret Ballantyne (nee Bowman), both born in Glasgow, and who married in the High Church, Glasgow, in 1862. Alexander had five older sisters, Ann, Margaret, Jane, Winetta, and Grace, an older brother Adam, (another brother William who died young), and a younger brother John.

In 1881 the family, with eight children, is living in Hillhead, Partick, Lanarkshire. His father is aged 40, a drapery commission agent, mother is aged 43, children Ann Buchanan 18, Margaret Isabel 16, Jane Bowman 14, Winetta 12, Grace 11, an older Adam 9, Alexander is 5 and John 10mths.  

His father Adam, described as a warehouseman and commission merchant, of 153 Queen Street, died aged 46 on the 05th December 1886, probate granted 07th February to his widow Margaret, living at 22 Westbank Terrace, Hillhead, Glasgow. Value of Estate £510 3s 1d.  

In 1891 his widowed mother Margaret is living on private means at 6 Westbank Terrace, Govan. Jeannie(Jane) 24, Netta 22, Grace 21, Adam 19, and John 10 are in the household. Alexander is 15, employed as an office boy. They also have a boarder and a lodger. 

In 1901 his mother Margaret, is head of household at 6 Smith Street, Govan, with Jane and Grace. Alexander is 25, employed as a timber measurer. His brother John is 20, listed as a traveller, oil colour.

Alexander Millar Reid appears, with his mother and brother John, on the Glasgow Electoral Roll in 1904 at 34 Smith Street, occupation timber measurer. His brother John is a traveller. Alexander has not been found on the 1911 census.

Alexander married 29 year old Margaret Morrison on the 30th April 1910 in Glasgow. 

Their marriage was reported in the Dundee Courier on Tuesday 03 May 1910; 

REID-MORRISON. —At the Alexandra Hotel, Glasgow, on the 30th April, by the Rev. Arthur S. Middleton, Cambuslang, Alexander Millar Reid to Margaret Morrison, second daughter of late Robert Morrison, Cowal, Cambuslang. 

Alexander has not been found on the 1911 Census but shortly afterwards, on the 29th July, his wife sadly died at 2 Elmwood Terrace, Jordanhill, Glasgow. She was buried on the 02nd August at Craigton Cemetery. 

We do not know when Alexander left Scotland, but he enlisted in Liverpool on 06^th November 1914 as Private 22512, No.2 Company, 20^th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment, giving his age as 37 years and 120 days, and his occupation as measurer, married status widower.  He is described as being 5’ 5 and a half inches tall, weighing 141 lbs, 38" chest, with grey eyes and hair. He stated his religion as Church of England, and next of kin as his mother, Margaret Reid, 50 Munro Road, Jordanhill. The address was later crossed out and replaced with Arnprior, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Alexander shipped to France with his Battalion on 07^th November 1915.  

By the summer of 1916 the Pals battalions are in front line trenches at Maricourt on the Somme. The 20th Battalion were heavily involved in the successful capture of Montauban on 01st July 1916 and also in assisting to clear Trones Wood of the German forces. Following the capture of Trones Wood the Liverpool Pals next objective was the fortified village of Guillemont, held by the Germans.

 On 30th July 1916 the Pals attacked in a thick mist/fog. The day was a disaster as nearly 500 men were killed in action on that day. Alexander was one of those men killed, he was 39 years of age.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is inscribed on Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He was reported killed in the Glasgow Herald on Saturday 09 September 1916: 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Reid, 22512, A. M. (West Kilbride); 

Alexander earned his three medals, which his sister Jane signed for on 29^th November 1921.

His personal effects (1 packet of post cards and photos) were sent to his sisters Grace and Jane, c/o Messrs. Cowan & Grove, Solicitors, 199 Vincent Street, Glasgow.  Grace and Jane also received his £7 10s War Gratuity and effects of £5 11s 11d. 

His younger brother John had emigrated to Canada and served with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. Private 283401 John Bowman Reid was severely wounded by machine gun fire on 27^th September and died of his wounds the next day, 28^th September 1918.  He now rests in Queant Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais.

Their mother Margaret died soon after losing two sons in the war.

Sadly, Alexander has not been found on any memorial.

We currently have no further information on Alexander Miller Reid, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.