scotsguards

Robert Frederick Balfour. Born in the first quarter of 1883, baptised on 16th March of that year at St George’s Church, Hanover Square, London. Second child and oldest son of Edward Balfour 8th Laird of Balbirnie [b.1849 Fife d.1927 London] and Isabella Weyman Balfour nee Hooper [b.1859 Boston Mass. USA d.1938 Fife]. The 1891 records him as a visitor to the Lott household - a lodging house, at Grand Parade, Eastbourne, Sussex along with his older sister Alice Georgiana [b.1880 d.1979], younger brother Edward William [b.1884 d.1955] –and who was later to succeed the title to become the 9th Laird after Robert was killed – and younger sister Eva Katherine [b.1888]. Robert would also have another younger brother John [b.1895] who was also a casualty of the war, being killed in action on 21st March 1918 while serving with the Signals Coy of 2nd Bn. Scots Guards at Aras. The 1901 census records him as a boarder at one of the houses of Eton College where he was a pupil. Not found in the 1911 Census – probably because by that time he was already serving in the army. London Gazette entries read; April 1912 – Lieut. Robert F Balfour is seconded for service on the staff. Dated 1st April 1912. April 1912 – Lieut. Robert F Balfour, Scots Guards, to be Aide-de-Camp to Major General W P Pultney C.B., D.S.O., commanding 6th Div. February 1913 – The under mentioned Lieuts. To be Captains....... Robert F Balfour (and to remain seconded) effective 18th Jan 1913. He was killed on 28th October 914 at Gheluvelt, Belgium and is buried in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery between and unknown soldier of the AIF and an unknown soldier of unknown nationality.

1/SCOTS GUARDS were engaged in heavy fighting in early November culminating in an attack by the Prussian Guard on the 11th. The Battalion was overwhelmed at this time according to Ray Westlake's book "British Battalions in France and Belgium 1914" having suffered amongst other casualties 430 ORs missing. "Survivors - Captain Stracey and 69 men, moved back to Hooge" on the 12th.

Service number 8025. His name is on Panel 11 YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

From the CWGC database: AIKMAN, R Rank: Private Service No: 8025 Date of Death: 11/11/1914 Regiment/Service: Scots Guards 1st Bn. Panel Reference: Panel 11. Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/924990/AIKMAN,%20R

There is a brief account of the Battle of Nonnebosschen at: www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/battlef...

The Medal Index Card at the National Archive for Private 8025 Scots Guards is in the name of Robert Aikman. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D1... The Soldiers Who Died in the Great War database records him as born Bradford, although with no place of residence listed. Checking the census for England and Wales throws up only one match of a likely age to be this man. On the 1901 census the 8 year old Robert, born Bradford, was recorded at 23 Lofthouse Street, Bradford, Yorkshire. This was the household of his parents, Robert, (aged 44 and a Stone Mason from Scotland) and Sarah A, (aged 34 and from Bradford). Their other children are:- James............aged 11............born Bradford William...........aged 6..............born Bradford Thomas..........aged 1.............born Bradford The Aikmans also have a lodger, Isaac Painter, a 29 year old Private in the Regular Army. By the time of the 1911 census the 18 year old Robert is married, unemployed and a father of one, living with his mother-in-law at 132 Harris Street, Bradford. His mother-in-law is the widow, Charlotte Devine, (aged 38 and a Housewife from Bradford). His wife is Mary Aickman, (aged 18, out of work and from Bradford) and their son is James Aickman, (aged 5 months and born Bradford). Robert and Mary are stated to have been married a year. Also in the household is Mary's brothers, John Devine, (aged 22 and out of work, although stated to be a Warehouseman when in work) and Frederick Devine, (aged 15 and working in a Wool Warehouse). In such circumstances the Pre-war Army might have seemed a relatively cushy way out.

Republican politician, ambassador to France and later UK, where he died--see Wikipedia article: "After his death (15 December 1912) whilst serving as the ambassador to Britain, his body was returned to New York aboard HMS Natal."

December 21, 1912 See NYT article [December 22, 1912] query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A06E0DF163FE633A... This was in London, the procession was from Dorchester House, Park Lane (Reid's London residence as ambassador) to Victoria Station, from where a special train went to the docks at Portsmouth.

Thanks! We'll add the location to the source data and reload the description.

According to the report in The Times (of London) the coffin was carried on a gun carriage with an escort of Scots Guards at a slow march.

Other Bain/LOC photos related to the death of Whitelaw Reid: