AGS Magazine June 1918 by AGSFP Association

Vol. XXI., No. 3.

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CONTENTS. PAGE WAR HONOURS AND REWARDS TO PRO PATRIA MORTUI

F.P.'s ..

THE TRADITION OF THE SCHOOL (VERSE)

.. 129

• •

•

• •

.. 134

• •

.. 147

NOTES ABOUT OLD BOYS

• •

148

BON RECORD (VERSES)..

• •

.. 159

• •

•

.. 160

• •

•

.. 164

MEMORIES OF THE OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL ..

DEATH OF MR. SAMUEL POPE

A HUMANIST'S OFFENSIVE

• •

.. 177

" SECRETS OF THE SUBMARINE"

• •

•

• •

.. 181

FLYING

• •

.. 182

•

• •

.. 183

• •

GENERAL CAREY'S FORCE

•

THE ARMS OF THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL

• •

SCHOOL NOTES

••

• •

••

RANDOM NOTES ..

• •

••

185

191

188

THE LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY, SCHOOL TENNIS, SCHOOL CRICKET 194 SCHOOL OFFICIALS

THE FORMER PUPILS' CLUB

. •

••

195

••

196

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LUNCHEONS, Prices Moderate.

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Interamna Borealis ("The Northern Town between the Rivers")

Being Memories and Portraits from an old University Town between the Don and the Dee. By W. KEITH LEASK, M.A. Eight Illustrations and Portrait of the Author. 6/- net.

By Post 6/6 net. Some Opinions of the Press.

The Times, which has given the book two long and two short notices, says :—" Mr. Leask writes with a happy grace of delineation. He knows well the work of James Boswell, and he has the Boswellian instinct for remembering and recording the words that give the key to character and thought." The Morning Post says :—" To old alumni this book with its illustrations will be a veritable treasure-house. The dedication has its poignant memories ; the notes are little works of art ; even the index, with its long string of names, makes one re-echo the cry of another son of Alma Mater on a similar occasion : 'This to me reads like a perfect novel."' The Graphic says :—"Aberdeen graduates all over the world will revel in this delightful book, while educationists generally will find in it many an inspiration." The British Weekly says :—" Whimsical and wayward as it often is, it is strongly individual, and that quality is so rare and so precious that its presence disarms criticism. The Glasgow Herald says :—" Its pictures of Aberdeen and of Aberdeen University worthies, legends, and traditions are priceless, and will bring mingled joy and pain to many a heart." The Scotsman says :—" It has nothing narrow-minded or parochial in its outlook, and will quickly and pleasantly engage the consideration of anyone interested in the study of academic life. ' The Dundee Advertiser says :—" Not merely for the personality of the writer himself, but also on account of the great number of well-remembered, well-loved people and places which he mentions will Interamna Borealis be a source of endless pleasure to many readers." The Aberdeen Free Press says :—" Old admirers of Mr. I.e.sk's picturesque pen will be glad to have this handsome volume, and doubtless many new readers will here make acquaintance with a writer who has delighted successive generations of students." The Aberdeen Journal says :—" Mr. Leask's book, with its humour, its keen insight, its unfailing shrewdness, and its altogether delightful ballads, will he welcomed with loyal heartiness to the shelves of all graduates and alumni of the University of Aberdeen." The Banffshire Journal says :—" There are provided a number of beautiful illustrations, including a capital portrait of the author. The whole forms a work of the greatest merit." The Inverness Courier says :—" We cannot imagine any Aberdeen student of the last forty years who will not desire to possess the book, and who will not find in its pages an inexhaustible well of happy memories."

THE ROSEMOUNT PRESS, ABERDEEN. Books on SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL, EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL, SUBJECTS, AND FOR ALL EXAMS. OTHER AND

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Aberbeen 5rammar Sci?oot Maga3ine. Vol. XXI.

JUNE, 1918.

No. 3.

The "Magazine " is issued under the auspices of The Former Pupils' Club, In June and December. All communications with regard to the "Magazine" should be addressed to the Editor, Theodore Watt, M.A., 10 Moray Place, Aberdeen, and not to the Grammar School.

War Honours and Rewards to F.P.'s. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. The following were reported in the last issue of the Magazine as having been awarded the D.S.O., and since then the statements of service for which the decorations were conferred have been published in the London Gazette and are reproduced here :— Thomas Davidson* (1893-97), Major, Royal Field Artillery (award announced on 27th October, 1917).— "He commanded his battery with brilliant success during the operations under- very difficult conditions. went forward on a reconnaissance after an attack, and obtainedHeinformation as to the dispositions of the infantry which was very valuable to his brigade and established an observation post from which he was able to bring, a withering fire on the enemy during several counter-attacks. continually shown great ability and fearless devotion to duty." He has

Archibald Stirling Kennedy Anderson (1900-06), M.A., M.B., M.C., Temporary Captain, R.A.M.C. (award announced on 18th January, 1918)."Under heavy shell fire he led forward a party of stretcher-bearers and collected 25 wounded men who were lying within 50 yards of the enemy line. He set a splendid example of courage and self-sacrifice."

James William Garden* (1886-95), Lieut.-Colonel, Royal Field Artillery, was awarded the D.S.O. on the King's day. He is a member of the Society of Advocates in Birthdeen, and a partner in the firm of Messrs. DavidsonAberand Garden, Aberdeen. Alfred John Williamson* (1897-1902), M.D., (Acting Lieut.-Colonel), R.A.M.C., was also awarded theCaptain D.S.O. on the King's Birthday. He is in command of a Field Ambulance. • Indicates Member of the Former Pupils' Club.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

Henry Jackson Butchart* (1890-99), Major, Yeomanry, services was on the King's Birthday awarded the D.S.O. for of member a and Aberdeen, in advocate in Egypt. He is an a family which is famous in the athletic annals of the School. Jameson Boyd Adams (1893-94), Lieutenant-Commander (Acting Commander), Royal Naval Reserve, was gazetted D.S.O. on 7th June— the Royal Naval Siege Guns on shore in Flanders " For services with March, 1918. He has on many occasions disfrom August, 1916, to played the greatest gallantry and devotion to duty, and set a high example of cheerfulness, thoroughness, and keenness."

He was awarded the Croix de Guerre last year. BAR TO THE MILITARY CROSS. Donald Fasken Stevenson (1902-03), M.C., Second Lieutenant (Temporary Captain), Yeomanry and Royal 1917, Flying Corps, was reported in the Magazine of October, The Cross. Military his to Bar a as having been awarded decorafollowing statement of service for which this additional tion was conferred appeared in the London Gazette of 7th March :— gallantry and devotion to duty in obtaining " For conspicuouscarried out by our troops which necessitated his

photographs of a raid than 1,000 feet. On flying through our barrage at a height of less machine. He was under another occasion he brought down a hostile eventually forced was and heavy fire from the ground the whole time, shot through." to land behind our lines owing to his petrol tank being

MILITARY CROSS. reported in recent issues of the Magazine were The following no account as having been awarded the Military Cross, but The available. time the at were gallantry of their acts of conferred statements of service for which the decorations were rehave since been published in the London Gazette and are produced here :— Second Harry George Coutts* (1908-13), TemporaryOctober, 18th on announced (award Corps Lieutenant, Tank 1917).— and devotion to duty when in command

" For conspicuous gallantry difficulties he reached his objective of a Tank. In spite of considerable good the position by getting out his and drove the enemy out, making near by. He then went back crew, with their guns, in shell-holes infantry who, with his assistance, took himself to bring forward some remaining with them till dark, assisting over the position, he and his crewcourage determination this strong in the consolidation. By hisresisted alland efforts at capture, was taken point, which had previously with practically no loss."

Second LieuWilliam Taylor Barron Joss* (1909-14), (award Reserve Special Fusiliers, tenant, Northumberland 1917).— October, 18th on announced wire, patrol sent to reconnoitre the enemy " When in charge of ayards, on reaching the wire the patrol was across a distance of 800

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

131

heavily fired on and retired after sending a volley of bombs into the enemy posts. He carried one wounded man to a shell-hole 100 yards away, and another from the shell-hole 600 yards to his own lines, being all the time under heavy artillery, machine-gun, and rifle fire. His gallant behaviour undoubtedly prevented an identification being obtained by the enemy."

Alexander Ogilvie Gray (1903-09), Second Lieutenant (Acting Lieutenant), Royal Field Artillery (award announced on 19th November, 1917).— "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while in charge of two trench mortar guns. When the guns were firing in a barrage in a very advanced and exposed position, an enemy shell buried one of the guns and its detachment. Under very heavy machine-gun and shell fire he extricated the gun and its detachment and succeeded in getting them into action again and completing his barrage programme. He set a fine example of pluck and determination."

Douglas John Kynoch (1908-11), Second Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders (award announced on 19th November, 1917).— "He was the only surviving officer in the company; he took all objectives in spite of heavy casualties, and reorganized two companies into a defensive position. His conduct throughout was magnificent."

James Stewart McConnachie (1897-1900), M.B.,Captain, R.A.M.C. (award announced on 19th November, 1917).— "He was in charge of a divisional collecting post during an attack, and organized and carried out the evacuation of the wounded under heavy fire, in the course of which his post was several times hit. He carried on his work during several counter-attacks by the enemy, and set a splendid example of coolness and courage."

John Bruce* (1896-1903), Lieutenant (Acting Captain), Royal Engineers (award announced on 18th January, 1918)."He planned and supervised the laying of all artillery communications prior to and during the operations. He showed the greatest energy and resource, and under difficult conditions successfully directed and maintained the communications of the divisional artillery. On two occasions he personally conveyed the operation orders to all concerned over difficult and confused country at night. He did gallant and consistent good work."

William James Johnstone* (1903-14), Second Lieutenant, Cameron Highlanders, was awarded the Military Cross on 18th January. The London Gazette of 25th April stated :— "With two sections of his platoon he captured a `pill-box,' killing many of the enemy and taking seventeen prisoners."

Francis Rennie Daniel* (1905-14), Lieutenant, R.F.A. ; Douglas George Robb* (1899-1902), Captain (Acting Major), R.E. ; and Simpson Shepherd* (1890-97), Temporary Captain, R.E., were awarded the Military Cross on the King's Birthday. PROMOTIONS. To be Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel. Alfred Forbes Lumsden (1887-?), D.S.0., Major, Royal Scots, received on the King's Birthday the reward of Brevet •

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

Lieut.-Colonel, with effect from 3rd June, 1918, for distinguished service in connexion with military operations in France and Flanders. He was awarded the D.S.O. on the King's Birthday last year. Alexander Ogilvie (1880- 81), Major (Temporary Lieut.Colonel), T.D., Royal Engineers (for services at home). To be Brevet Major. Eric William Harcourt Brander* (1894-1901), Captain, Gordon Highlanders, received on the King's Birthday the reward of Brevet Major, with effect from 3rd June, 1918, for distinguished service in connexion with military operations in France and Flanders. He is on the General Headquarters Staff and has been repeatedly mentioned in dispatches. Patrick Ashley Cooper* (1896-1901), Captain, R.F.A. (for service at home). MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES. Henry Frederick Lyall Grant* (1888-95), Major (Temporary Colonel), D.S.O., Royal Garrison Artillery, was mentioned as a member of the Staff in the dispatch of 30th May, 1917, from Major-General Hoskins, late Commanding-inChief, East Africa Force, published on 7th March, 1918. Before going to East Africa he was on the staff of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Robert Morrison Easton* (1894-1904), M.B., Captain, Indian Medical Service, was mentioned in the dispatch of 11th October, 1917, from Lieut.-General J. L. Van Deventer, Commanding-in-Chief, East Africa Force, published on 7th March. In the early days of the War he was on a hospital ship in the Mediterranean, and latterly has been serving both on sea and land in connexion with the East Africa campaign. Robert McPherson Barron (1882-88), Major (Temporary Lieut.-Colonel), Indian Medical Service, was mentioned in the dispatch of 2nd November, 1917, from Lieut.-General Sir Stanley Maude, Commanding-in-Chief Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, published on 12th March, 1918. He received the D.S.O. on last New Year's Day. The following were mentioned in Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig's dispatch of 7th April, published on 20th to 25th May :— Eric William Harcourt Brander* (1894-1901), Captain, Gordon Highlanders—on General Headquarters Staff. Arthur Dymock*; (1887-95), Major (Temporary Lieut.Colonel), Army Ordnance Department—on General Headquarters Staff.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

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133

Matthew Hay (1893-99), Temporary Captain, Royal Artillery—on General Headquarters Staff. Thomas Ogilvie* (1884-87), C.M.G., Lieut.-Colonel (Temporary Colonel), Gordon Highlanders—on General Headquarters Staff. James William Garden* (1886-95), T.D., Major, Royal Field Artillery (T.F.). Robert Mackay Ledingham* (1897-1909), Captain, Royal Field Artillery (T.F.). William Maurice Grant Dawson* (1905-07), Temporary Lieutenant (Acting Captain), Royal Engineers. Alfred Forbes Lumsden (1887-?), D.S.O., Major (Temporary Brigadier-General), Royal Scots. Douglas Meldrum Watson Leith (1903-10), M.C., Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders [since killed in action, see p. 137]. John Mackintosh (1904-10), Captain, Seaforth Highlanders. Charles Cook Reid* (1895-1906), Captain (Temporary Major), Gordon Highlanders. Charles Watt* (1894-98), Captain (Temporary Major), Army Service Corps (T.F.). Archibald Stirling Kennedy Anderson (1900- 06), D.S.O., M.C., M.B., Temporary Captain, R.A.M.C. Allred John Williamson* (1897-1902), M.D., Captain (Acting Lieut.-Colonel), R.A.M.C.(T.F.). The following were mentioned in General Plumer's dispatch from Italy of 18th April, published on 30th May :— Donald Bruce Rae* (1886-94), Temporary Second Lieutenant, Army Service Corps. Archer Irvine-Fortescue* (1892-97), M.B., Captain (Acting Lieut.-Colonel), R.A.M.C. MILITARY MEDAL. Norman Watt Duffus* (1904-05 and 1912), Private, Gordon Highlanders, was in April awarded the Military Medal.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

PRO PATRIA MORTUI. " So they gave their bodies to the commonwealth and received, it the each for his own memory, praise that will never die, and with bones grandest of all sepulchres, not that in which their mortal glory their where men, of minds the are laid, but a home in remains fresh to stir to speech or action as the occasion comes by."—THUCVDIDES, II, 43.

Seaforth 3obit %von MootlyA (1904-10), M.C., Captain, 25 years.

Highlanders, was killed in action on 18th April, aged He graduated in Arts at Aberdeen University in 1914, with first class honours in Classics, and thereafter joined the staff of the Aberdeen Daily Journal as a sub-editor. He was one of the School Company of the Gordons, but was time-expired in the spring of 1914. When war broke out he rejoined the Gordons and passed with them through the earlier stages of the campaign. He got his commission in the field in August, 1915, and was posted at once to one of the regular battalions of the Seaforth Highlanders, going with it through very severe fighting. In December, 1916, he was awarded the Military Cross in recognition of having "led his company in the attack with great courage and initiative, capturing the position and maintaining it against very heavy odds for five hours." Last year, when only 24 years of age, he was gazetted as Acting Lieut.-Colonel whilst commanding a battalion, and subsequently reverted to the rank of Acting Major, whilst serving at headquarters of a battalion. Regarding his death, his Colonel wrote : " He was instantaneously killed when within less than 100 yards of the enemy. The enemy attack had been defeated by the gallantry of his company and one other. He was on the enemy side of the canal firing at them to cover the withdrawal of a few of his men who had got isolated on the far bank. The enemy attack could not break our line, and they had been thrown back by the steadiness and withering fire of our men. He behaved with the utmost coolness and with a total disregard for his own safety as he had always done. All ranks feel his loss deeply." 3ames Mouolas iBrowe (1907-10), Sergeant, Signal Section, Royal Engineers, died on 4th May from wounds received on 12th April, aged 23 years. Prior to the War he was an apprentice with Messrs. Lumsden & Davidson, advocates, Aberdeen. In October, 1914, he joined the School Company of the Gordons, but after a very short time was transferred to a Signal Company of the Royal Engineers. He crossed to France in May, 1915. In July, 1916, he was commended for bravery, and in November of the same year gained the Military Medal at Beaumont Hamel. During the retreat after 21st March of this year he fell on 12th April and was posted as wounded and missing. From information I

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine. •

135

subsequently received it appears that he lay in the open throughout the 12th, and was taken into a house at night by two Germans, who treated him kindly for two days and dressed his wounds as best they could. On the third day the place was shelled by the British, and after some hours of loneliness, Sergeant Brown was delighted to hear a fellow-countryman calling at the door. He was taken as soon as possible to a casualty clearing station, where, despite all the devoted attention of the doctors, sisters, and the boys from his old Section, who were stationed only a few miles away and visited him daily, he passed peacefully away on 4th May. A fellow-signaller writes of Sergeant Brown that he was without doubt one of the most popular men in the Section. " He was an ideal comrade, always ready and willing to help a pal in distress, ever cheery, happy, and smiling, and withal so sympathetic and discriminating. He became practically indispensable, and I fear we were apt to take advantage of his good nature, but if he thought so, he never showed it by word or deed. He was a man, moreover, who had the courage of his convictions, and throughout the whole campaign I have never known him act but as a gentleman ; and, although condoning the faults of others, he himself led a blameless life. We loved him and we respected him." 1Xtilltam George 13ruce* (1901-13), Lieutenant, Royal Engineers, killed in action in France on 25th April, received his whole education at the Grammar School, and, at the breakingout of war, was a student of the first year at the University of Aberdeen. While at School he was an enthusiastic member of the 9th Scout Troop, gaining most of the badges obtainable, and becoming in due course a King's Scout. In the spring of 1914, he, with some others of the Troop, joined the Signal Company of the 4th Gordons, then commanded by Captain Johnston, and at Easter, 1914, he went to the depot at Fort George for a course of training with the regular troops there. In September, 1914, he left Aberdeen with the Gordons, but some months later was transferred to the Royal Engineers, and, in May, 1915, he received his commission as Second Lieutenant in that arm. He was posted to a Divisional Signal Company composed almost entirely of men from Aberdeen, and he remained with it for over two years. In July, 1917, he was promoted Lieutenant, and soon afterwards he was detached for special training with a view to his going abroad. He went to France in November, 1917, and was actively engaged from the first. He was home on leave in March last, and, though he had had his due share of the experiences of those serving at the Front, he was eager to be back. He was, shortly after his return, appointed Signal

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

Officer to a Brigade of Artillery serving at one of the hardest the parts of the line, and, on the morning of 25th April, in one to preparatory enemy the by shelling midst of a terrific of their greatest infantry attacks, he was instantaneously killed.

WILLIAM GEORGE BRUCE.

JOHN LESLIE CHALMERS.

M.C., Captain, Royal Joint lestie Cbalmers* (1901-03),27th March, aged 26

Irish Fusiliers, was killed in action on years. An intimate friend writes as follows :— "Exactly two years after the notification of the death of his elder brother [WILLIAM HAMISH CHALMERS (1901-03), 2nd Lieutenant, Punjabis, Indian Army] came the sad intelligence that Jack Chalmers had also, like his brother, been killed in action. Captain J. L. Chalmers was in Ceylon when war broke out, but before many weeks elapsed was on his way home to join the Colours. His training in the 4th Gordons and in the O.T.C. attached to St. Edward's School, Oxford, where he had completed his education, made his application for a commission immediately accepted. He was in Dublin till April, 1915, when his division left for the ill-fated expedition of the Suvla Bay landing at Gallipoli. He was shot in the face at the capture of Chocolate Hill, and after recuperating in Ireland, he rejoined his regiment in France in April, 1916. He saw continuous service there till his death on 27th March, 1918. He was wounded in the Somme fighting of 1916, and was gazetted M.C. on 18th February of this year.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

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"Jack Chalmers was a cheery soul, and his bright nature cheered many a gathering of F.P.'s, and in these stern days of war he kept up the spirits of his men and fellow-officers under all circumstances. His happy disposition was reflected in the regiment which he was so proud to belong to, where " ' Men from Galway, Louth, and Meath Went to their death with a jest in their teeth.'

"The two brothers Chalmers are a fine example of how Scots heard in the farthest parts of the Earth the call of their motherland and cheerfully gave their lives that their country might be free." J. G. K. 3obn Enutbar Jfarqubar (1897-1900), Private, was killed in action on 21st May, aged 33 years. c3orbon 3ames lbutcbeson* (1909-15), Lieutenant, Royal Air Force, died in hospital in France on 27th May, from wounds received in action, aged 20 years. He joined the Air Service on 26th April, 1917, and received his commission as a pilot in August. On 2nd February, 1918, he was sent to France and was wounded on 25th April. At the School he held the Dr. William Lorimer Bursary, entitling him, after one year's attendance there to a four years' course in Arts at Aberdeen University. In Classical VI he gained Mr. Murison's English Essay Prize, and the second prize in Mathematics and French . An intimate friend writes: "His character was unfolding itself within recent years, and I could see the fine qualities he possessed—an honesty of purpose in life, rare grit, and above all, unselfishness and goodness." Ebwarb Ulbtte 3rphte* (1908-15), Second Lieutenant, R.F.A., was killed in action on 27th March, aged 20 years. After leaving the School he started in medicine at Aberdeen University and had completed his First Professional Examination. He joined the Edinburgh University O.T.C., entered an R.F.A. Cadet School in January, 1917, and was gazetted in June, 1917. After being some time in England undergoing a special course, he was sent to France in February of this year, where he acted as reconnaissance officer to his battery. )ouglas Abelbrum 'Matson Lettb* (1903-10), M.C., Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, was killed in action on 21st March, aged 26 years. He graduated M.A. at Aberdeen University in 1913, and B.Sc.(Agr.) in 1914. His intention was to enter the Indian Forest Service, but on the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders. He crossed with his battalion to France in February, 1915, and in the following September received his commission. In the Magazine for 1915-16 two contributions from his pen appeared under the title "With the Gordons at the Front," the first written from the point of view of a private, and the second from the

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contributions he gave point of view of an officer. In these experiences. For over varied his of a very vivid narrative and was France, in three years he served almost continuously the autumn of 1917. in only, slightly time, wounded for the first M.C. He was a On New Year's Day, 1918, he was gazetted sports both of the in part active very a took keen athlete, and the School and the University. Leith, the In a letter referring to the death of Lieutenant General commanding his brigade said :— about 4,000 to tell. . . . Our Headquartersinwere " There is but little huts with a very lived we where road, sunken a in line, yards from our front The enemy attack go to in the event of a bombardment.

large dug-out to at about an hour before daylight, commenced with a heavy bombardment I was Just as daylight was breaking, single and we all moved into the dug-out. situation, when a the gauge to possible was it if sae to outside on the road above 25 yards from me. There was no onelater a shell burst right in the road somethought nothing of it. A few minutes ground whom I could see and I also at the time, and staff came to me to say he had been out captain of splinter A large front of my hut had found Lieutenant Leith. passing themy must near the heart, cutting his belt. Death from the shell had struck him whole we were heavily shelled during the it was nave been instantaneous. Thoughonly one which struck our road, and Headthe of that day, that one shell was casualty in the further any had we that day not until the following back to a village I f miles away, and quarters. At dusk his body was carried following morning." he was buried in the cemetery there the

D. M. W. L. expected Douglas Leith to everyone Somehow almost been a thought survive the War. Surely there has seldom been otherwise has it But wish. the by more eagerly fathered School lost Grammar the decided. On the 21st March, 1918, of its own most faithful one and F.P.'s one of its most beloved friends. captained the Rugby During his last year at School Douglascharacteristic of him. Club, an office he held in a manner junior among games organized he enthusiasm With unobtrusive boy any encouraged classes as well as senior, and helped and interest practical same The learn. to who showed keenness the Summer Term, when in the School he displayed duringfind him patiently teaching would every Wednesday afternoon would have been nature beginners to swim. His modest a hero "Doug." what known he had seriously perturbed Leith was with the School in general. brought a double Four happy years at the UniversitySchool never lost its degree and an athletic "blue." But the place in his affection. School Company When war broke out it was the Grammar With his inprivate. a. joined—as he of the Gordons that had been honours other his (to record sporting and tellectual have might he XV), 1st F.P.'s the of added the captaining too modest and was he but ; asking the for commission had a until he was too conscientious to undertake any responsibility commission The it. for perparedness complete his certain of

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h:VINI.

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finally came to him in the Ypres salient in August, 1915, and called him home for his training with the third line battalion.. Within five months he was again in France. Then followed over two years' unbroken service in the field, during which he earned the confidence, admiration, and affection of officers and men alike. He loved his battalion and division, in whose glorious fortunes he shared at Beaumont Hamel, Arras, Cambrai, and during the Flanders offensive of autumn, 1917. On more than one occasion he refused offers of work which would have brought him safety and accelerated promotion. His sense of duty was too high to be contented with anything less than the utmost service he could render. Owing, perhaps, to his singular diffidence about his own doings, official recognition was slow in coming. After about eighteen months in the field he became Intelligence Officer to his Brigade, and in the Honours List at the last New Year he was awarded the Military Cross for a continuous record of hard work and self-sacrifice. After his death his Brigadier wrote of him: " It is difficult to describe how much we all miss him in the Brigade. His superior in bravery I shall never find. In battle his physical strength was wonderful. At Cambrai I sent him forward to gain information regarding the situation. He found his own battalion fighting to gain possession of a village. He took charge of a platoon which had no officer and fought with it till the village was ours, returning then to me with the most valuable information. At dusk he was out again on the front, finding out where everyone was and how the battle was going. In those twenty-four hours he had probably covered over twenty miles, but his fighting spirit was so high that he showed no outward sign of fatigue. . . It is the loss of comrades such as Douglas Leith that makes us set our teeth and fight on until we win." Of his kindliness, his unfailing sympathy, his hatred of the hypocritical and the pretentious, his individual and unexpected humour, there is but little space to speak ; so with that last sentence of his Brigadier's let this brief and insufficient appreciation close. He himself would have desired no finer H. epitaph. Itennetb flbc1ver (1899-1901), Captain, Cameron Highlanders, was killed in action on 27th March, aged 36 years. After spending two years at the School he passed to Edinburgh University, where he graduated M.A. At the outbreak of war he held the position of Science Master and Master of Method in Dunfermline High School. He enlisted early in the War in the Seaforths and was soon promoted sergeant. In recognition of his marked abilities he was later given a commission, and posted to the Camerons.

"In the days before the War," says a newspaper notice, "Captain McIver was one of the best known political speakers in Scotland, and his services were

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I niiN I.. BOOTH.

DOUGLAS

a J. PATTERSON.

I IA tHi1" \\

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eagerly sought after at every election throughout the country. He was recognized as one of the foremost exponents of Land Reform in Scotland, and his brilliant powers of oratory, his fervent Celtic enthusiasm, and thorough grasp of every subject he dealt with, made him a formidable opponent on the platform and in debate. Captain McIver had been asked to stand as Liberal candidate for several Scottish seats, but his first and only love was West Perthshire, for which he was adopted as prospective candidate in February, 1914. The seat was then held by the Marquis of Tulfibardine, now Duke of Atholl, a great landholder in the constituency with powerful territorial influence, and the popular commanding officer of the Scottish Horse, mainly recruiting in the county. The burning questions in the Division were Land Reform, Home Rule—Scottish and Irish, and other problems of social reform. The fight in prospect was ideal for Mr. McIver and he lost no time in wooing the favour of the electors. During the winter and spring Mr. McIver completely covered the whole constituency and addressed meetings in every district. By his powerful oratory and argument, based upon a complete grasp of his subjects, he made decided progress and won the admiration and respect of friend and political foe. Captain McIver was in the midst of a caravan tour of his constituency when war was declared and politics ceased. "Mr. McIver was President of the Young Scots Society and was never tired of advocating the principles—now so near to fruition—for which that body stood. He was also a prominent member of the Executive Council and of the Education and Propaganda Committee of An Comun Gaidhealach. Fluent in Gaelic and English, Mr. McIver's fame as an orator and lecturer was not confined to Scotland, for on the invitation of prominent Scotsmen in Canada he completed a very successful political tour in Canada in the summer of 1912, and in 1913 gave a number of lectures in Ireland. The same year he was offered the Chair of Education in Pretoria College, South Africa. Mr. McIver felt, however, his work lay in furtherance of Scottish Reform and he declined this lucrative post."

lbarrp II:Gilliam Mackintosh Mackay* (1910-14), Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders and Royal Flying Corps, was killed in action on 6th March, aged 20 years. He was one of the original members of the School Company of .the Gordons, and received his commission in November, 1915. After a period of active service on the. Western Front, he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of last year. With regard to the circumstances of his death his pilot wrote :— "'Mac,' as he was always known to the boys here, had been my observer ever since he joined the squadron, and his death is a great loss to his country, as he was one of the finest observers we have ever had. He and I had flown together for over four months, and had between us brought down nine Hun machines. He was the bravest man I ever met, and I shall call your attention to a most sublime action on his part, when he knew he was mortally wounded, that probably saved my life. Only the day before, we were in England. Joking together we passed the remark that things were getting a bit slow, and that when we got back we should ' look for trouble.' Well, to come to actual facts—we were returning from a raid over the enemy lines when we found ourselves intercepted by three squadrons of German machines, numbering thirty in all. The odds, of course, were out of all proportion, but we decided to—well, the best we could. It was a splendid fight, and we shot down three enemy machines before poor Mac was hit. He was firing over the tail of the machine at four Huns that were attacking close in, when he suddenly fell back. He looked round at me with a laugh I shall never forget, then dragged himself up by the gun mounting and gripped his machine-gun again. I was at the mercy of the Hun who had shot Mac, and who had come close up before I could turn again, and was pouring in a terrific fire at me. Well, Mac took careful and deliberate aim, and fired about ten rounds only, when I saw the German pilot throw up his hands to his head, and the next instant plunge downwards out of control. We were now being fired on by about ten enemy machines, and several of my controls were shot away, so I simulated an uncontrolled spin to earth. I managed to fall out 4,000 feet lower, and immediately dived for our own lines. I managed to reach the aerodrome safely, but poor Mac had only just time to shake hands and whisper 'Tell them at home it's all right,' before he died on his way to hospital. He was actually hit by twelve bullets, and

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CYRIL G. JOHNSTON STUART.

I \ , 1 ES DOUGLAS BROWN.

WILLIAM PATRICK MACLEOD.

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how he kept on shooting I don't know. He was buried to-day with military honours, and so long as I am here his grave will be kept green. Don't grieve for him, as he died the bravest death it was possible to die—giving his life's blood for his country with a smile on his lips. He was a Hero."

Willa in Patrick ilbacleob* (1904-o5), Lance-Corporal, Seaforth Highlanders, was killed in action in Mesopotamia on 5th November, 1917. He graduated M.A. at Aberdeen University in 1910, and was for a short time on the staff of the Aberdeen Daily Journal. Thereafter he was English Master successively in the Higher Grade School, Newburgh, Fife, and in Jedburgh Grammar School. He enlisted in the Seaforths in September, 1914, and went to France with his battalion in May, 1915. In October of the following year he was drafted to the Seaforths in Mesopotamia, and fell there during the advance on Tekrit. While at the University he was sub-editor of Alma Mater, and president of the Debating Society and of the Literary Society. He played rugby for the F.P.'s. John Smolt Macpherson (1909-11), Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, died of wounds on 15th March, aged 20 years. Before the War he was apprenticed to a firm of engineers in Aberdeen. He enlisted in the Gordons at the age of 17, and having received his commission early in 1915, went to France on his 18th birthday, in September of that year. Twice severely wounded, he. was, on his second return, struck by an aerial torpedo, and died after two months of great suffering. His younger brother, CHARLES F. MACPHERSON (1910-11), is an officer in the Royal Air Force. 7:Douglas Wartb 3obn Patterson* (1909-15), Second Lieutenant, Seaforth Highlanders, was killed in action on 16th April, aged 20 years. He enlisted at the age of 18, and received his training as an officer in the Edinburgh University O.T.C. When commissioned, he was posted to the Seaforth Highlanders, and at the time of his death had been with his battalion at the Front for over a year. George Gorbon Vougtas Scott (1907-09), Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, died at Edinburgh on 22nd April, aged 22 years. He had seen over three years of active service on sea and land. Having served as an apprentice in the Royal Naval Reserve on the Training Ship " Mersey," he was called up on the outbreak of war as a midshipman to H.M. Auxiliary Armed Cruiser " Otranto," and was present at the action off the Chilian coast in the beginning of November, 1914, when the " Monmouth " and "Good Hope" were sunk, and thereafter at the Falkland Islands battle. Later he joined the R.F.A. and went to France with the City Artillery Brigade. He served there till December, 1917, when he was sent home on sick leave, having been wounded and gassed. Extracts from some of his letters written on the "Otranto" appeared in the Magazine of February, 1915.

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Peter %baw (1888-91), D.S.C., Lieutenant-Commander, R.N.R., died on active service on 21st April, aged 36 years. From earliest boyhood his ambition was to be a sailor, and at the early age of 14 he was apprenticed to Messrs. George Thompson & Co., serving for four years on the "Pericles," one of the sailing ships of the Aberdeen line. Later in life he joined the Cunard Company, and was 2nd officer on the " Lusitania," and 1st officer on the "Franconia." At the outbreak of the War, holding a commission as Lieutenant, R.N.R., he entered the Royal Navy and for the first year served as Lieutenant on H.M.S. " Marmora." In 1915 he was sent with a prize crew to the West Indies, and later with a draft of men from Canada to England. After this he was for some months in command of a torpedo boat, and assisted in the operations consequent on the bringing down of the first Zeppelin, at the mouth of the Thames. In 1916 he was appointed to the command of a destroyer, and he continued in command of her till the time of his death. In 1917, in recognition of his gallant services in submarine warfare, he was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Commander and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Later he was mentioned in dispatches. Many gallant actions are to his credit, including the saving of hundreds of lives at sea. He served his country well, and his death, to quote the words of the King in his message of condolence, was a real "loss to the Navy." The late Lieut.-Commander was a son of Mrs. Arthur Clyne, of Cholmley Lodge, West Hampstead, London, and a stepson, therefore, of ARTHUR CLYNE (1863-68). 'Robert fraser Simpson (1899-1906), Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, was killed in action on 21st March, aged 28 years. There then passed away a young man of much promise and engaging personality. After leaving School he entered the office of his father, ex-Baillie Simpson, North British Granite Works, Aberdeen, as draughtsman, by-and-by striking out for himself a career in the advertisement line, very successful in inception and practice. He was making rapidly "good," to use the American phrase, when the War broke out. A natural artistic taste and training, a rapid seizure of the points the advertiser wished emphasized, and sound commercial instinct being all his in great degree. A keen territorial in the gallant 4th Gordons before he was mobilized in that fateful August, he proceeded to Bedford with the regiment. He received his commission in June, 1915, and as Assistant Adjutant was well known in Aberdeen for some time. Then he kept coming and going between England and France, later joined his battalion at the Front, and was there for the last two years nearly. Peace-lover he was, but a strenuous soldier at duty's call : cool, patient, and endowed with much Scots "canniness" and common sense, but generous withal,

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he was an example for boys of all ages. The story of two little incidents in his career in France, as told by eye-witnesses, illustrates what has just been said of him. Up at Ypres he found himself, along with some other officers, dumped down to sleep in a tent well within sound and range of Hun gunfire. The novel conditions kept the others awake all night popping in and out of the tent, but Lieutenant Simpson lay down and fell asleep, waking next morning with the calm exclamation : " It's a mercy we're a' spared !" Again, in "No Man's Land" a large collection of shovels and other tools had perforce to be left owing to a sudden advance of the enemy, who as• suddenly retired to their trenches. During the night the Lieutenant on his "own," and with a picked party of men, crawled out, put ropes through the openings of the handles of the tools and as quietly as could be---which, however, was not very quietly—pulled the lot back to their first owner's trenches, heavy fire notwithstanding. The writer, a much older man than he, knew him well and has not over-estimated the character of one who was a credit to the Grammar School. D. I. W. Cpril George 3obnstoit %tuart* (1904-09), Lieutenant,. East Yorkshire Regiment, was killed in action on 17th April, aged 25 years. On leaving School he joined the staff of the Northern Assurance Company, Aberdeen, and remained there for several years, during two of which he was a trooper in the Scottish Horse. Receiving an appointment in the Pelmadulla Tea and Rubber Company, he went out to Ceylon in November, 1913, but returned to this country in the autumn of 1914, and, after a period with the Scottish Horse, obtained a commission in the East Yorks in May, 1916. He was sent to France and was wounded in the left arm at Festubert. On recovering, he was attached to the Royal West Kent Regiment, and served at home for several months as acting captain and assistant adjutant. He was eventually transferred to his former regiment, the East Yorks, and was killed while serving with it in France. 3ames Matter Stewart trbomsott* (1911-14), Lieutenant of a Trench Mortar Battery, was killed in action on 12th April, aged 21 years. Shortly after the outbreak of war he joined the London Scottish, and in June, 1915, obtained a commission in the Gordons. In December last he was badly gassed, and was thereafter in hospital in this country. When the German offensive began in March he obtained permission to rejoin his unit, although he had not fully recovered. His death was caused by the bursting of a shell. Numerous letters from those who came in contact with him at the Front testify that he was utterly unselfish and very solicitous for the comfort of his men, even trying to cheer them up in the midst of their hardships.

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tougb Eleganber Mark* (1909-12), Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, was killed in action on 14th March, aged 23 years. When war broke out, he was in his third year at Aberdeen University and was reading for honours in English, with the intention of entering the ministry. He tried hard to join the University Company of the Gordons, was rejected three times, and then went straight out to Banchory and enlisted in the local battalion. After twelve months in the ranks he received his commission, and thereafter, for more than two years, was on active service in France. "His work as a soldier," wrote an intimate friend, " he regarded as part of his service in the Kingdom of God, and he moved from one to the other with the unconscious ease and eagerness of his nature. He loved all God's creatures—the sun and the trees and the hills round Banchory—and his heart was drinking in the lessons that would have made him a great divine and a great human, for he saw goodness everywhere." Ebwarb George 1Xlisbart* (1902-13), Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, died on 21st April of wounds received in action, aged 21 years. Prior to the War, he was learning farming, and enlisted in October, 1914. In the following year he received his commission, and in June, 1916, he crossed to France. After a short time he was invalided home, but went back to the Front in March of this wear. He was wounded on 18th April, and died three days later. 3ames IDawbarit Nonni), Lieutenant - Commander, R.N.V.R., who was killed in the Zeebrugge raid on 23rd April, was a pupil at the School for a short period in 1891. He was 44 years of age. The Tradition of the School. They are a noble and a chosen band, Who over all the "far-flung battle line," In Flanders' fields or on the foamy brine, 'Mid Afric's jungle, on Euphrates' strand, On India's shores or Syria's desert sand, In air, in prison camp, by treacherous mine, Perished for freedom's cause. Their names shall shine Like stars, and on our Roll of Honour stand They shall while ages run ; full well they showed " As if they had been studied in their death, To throw away the dearest thing they ow'd As 'twere a careless trifle," as a breath Of wind which passes by—their life's one rule, The grand tradition of the good old School. R. D. S. (Classical V.).

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NOTES ABOUT OLD BOYS. The dates given in parentheses after names indicate the sessions of attendance at the School. ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. Knight Commander (K.B.E.). John Duthie (1871-73), of Cairnbulg, Senior Assistant Director-General of Voluntary War Organizations, was appointed K.B.E. on the King's Birthday. He is a member of the English Bar, having been called at Lincoln's Inn in 1882, and also farms 750 acres of land in Aberdeenshire. In 1909 he was elected by the London County Council one of its representatives in the Port of London Authority, and was reappointed in 1913. Officers (O.B.E.). Alexander Thomas Cruickshank* (1882-87), M.A., advocate in Aberdeen, has been appointed O.B.E. in recognition of his work as chairman of the Aberdeen Central War Savings Committee. F.P.'s will, of course, regard the honour as a tardy acknowledgment of the work Mr. Cruickshank did in connexion with the new School Playfield ! Ernest Andrew Ewart (1882-83), Captain, R.A., has been appointed O.S.E. for his work in the Propaganda Branch, Aircraft Production Department, Ministry of Munitions. He served in the Boer War in Lovat's Scouts, and thereafter was in the service of The Times, London, until 1908. For the next four years he was in Australia and New Zealand, and immediately prior to the War was in business in London. Peter Chalmers Mitchell (1879-80), Captain, T.F. Reserve, M.A. (Aberd. and Oxon.), D.Sc., LL.D., F.R.S., secretary to the Zoological Society of London since 1903, has also been appointed O.B.E., but no indication is given officially as to the particular services he has rendered. Perhaps his special knowledge of camouflage in animals has been turned to account in these days. James Charles Philip* (1886-89), M.A., D.Sc., Professor of Physical Chemistry in the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, is another of the O.B.E.'s. He is one of the secretaries of the Chemical Society, and is a brother of Mr. Bentley Philip, Grammar School.

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Member (M.B.E.). Alister Mackinnon (1896-99) has been appointed M.B.E. for his services as Senior Assistant Inspector of Munitions, Cincinnati District, Ministry of Munitions. Prior to the War he was engaged as an engineer at Buenos Aires. For over two years he has been engaged as an inspector of munitions in the United States, in which capacity he frequently travels as much as 3,000 miles in a week. 11 th June, 1918, was the centenary of the birth of Alexander Bain (1835-36). In this connexion an interesting notice appeared in the Aberdeen Free Press. Professor Bain entered the School in the year his life-long friend Professor DAVID M. MASSON (1831-35) left it. One of his classfellows was General JAMES N. YOUNG (1831-36), who died only last year. James C. H. Macbeth (1881-85) has compiled the Marconi International Code in four volumes, each volume in three world languages. The code is intended for cheap and easy telegraphy and is also a lexicon for international correspondence to facilitate business information. The languages dealt with are English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Dutch, Japanese. The volumes are marvels of ingenious compilation and are published at the price of £4 4s. each, by the Marconi International Code Co., Ltd., Marconi House, Strand. Henry Laird* (1882-85), who for a considerable time has been chief assistant in the accountant's office of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company, has just been promoted accountant and cashier. He entered the service of the Company in 1889. John Rae* (1882-85), Treasurer of the Bank of Scotland, was one of the members of the committee appointed by the Government in March to inquire into the question of bank amalgamations. Robert Walker* (1852-57), M.A., LL.D., recently resigned the office of Registrar of the University of Aberdeen, to which he was appointed on 10th March, 1877. His resignation was accepted on the understanding that his name be retained on the list of the University Staff with the title of Registrar Emeritus. Dr. Walker will thus continue to rank as the senior official of the University, whose service he entered as Assistant to the Professor of Mathematics, on 6th November, 1866.

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Alexander M. Kellas (1881-84), B.Sc., Ph.D., who has made several journeys of exploration to the mountains of Sikkim, in March delivered a lecture before the Royal Geographical Society on " The Possibility of Aerial Reconnaissance in the Himalayas.' He said that the immense height and icy crests of the Himalayas might cause the most adventurous airman to pause. Was it possible, he asked, to fly over the Himalayas ? The only point which need be considered would be to what height an airman could rise. If the peaks above 24,000 feet were excepted, and one assumed that an airman would fly 1,000 feet above the mountains to lessen the danger due to the winds that often sweep across the ridges, it might be said that an airman could cross the range at 25,000 feet. Mr. H. G. Hawker, the British airman, had reached an altitude of 24,408 feet, and Dr. Kellas suggested that the main range of the mountains could be crossed between the Great Himalaya and the Ladakh range at 15,000 to 17,000 feet. The aerial explorer of mountain ranges might find it necessary to descend suddenly, and methods of landing and starting would have to be worked out. Landing on snow on many mountains would in places be easy, but to rise again would be another matter. On many mountains of the Himalaya range fields of snow were met with in positions which were almost inaccessible, and an airman once landed might find himself marooned. "Boyd Cable" (1882-83) has recently added to his lengthening list of war-books Front Lines—lines from the Front, about the Front, and dedicated to the Front. The book is published by Mr. John Murray. Alexander Findlay* (1882-91), M.A., Ph.D., D.Sc., F.I.C., Professor of Chemistry in the University of Wales, has followed up his book on Chemistry in the Service of Man with another entitled The Treasures of Coal Tar, which was published a short time ago by Messrs. Allen & Unwin. In it he discusses the production and utilization of coal tar, and indicates the almost infinite variety of materials, dyes, drugs, perfumes, explosives, etc., for the manufacture of which coal tar is the raw material. George Stevenson Middleton* (1863-68), M.A., M.D., LL.D., was at the April meeting of the General Council of the University of Glasgow elected an assessor on the University Court. Adam Walker* (1868-69) is at present Provost of the Royal Burgh of Banff. George Leslie Smith Thompson (1906-10), M.A., B.D., who has been acting as assistant in Rubislaw Parish Church, Aberdeen, has been elected minister of Perth Congregational Church.

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Ritchie Doughty Lyon* (1907-13), M.A., has been appointed assistant in Rubislaw Parish Church, Aberdeen. For the past nine months he has been assistant to Colonel the Rev. James Smith in St. George's-in-the-West Parish, Aberdeen. Sidney Knight Finlayson (1896-1909), M.A., B.D., who was ordained last October, was in February inducted to the charge of Maryculter United Free Church. Robert Nicol Paton* (1898-1904), M.A., B.D., has just been elected minister of Lochgelly Parish Church. He was ordained minister of the Parish of New Byth in 1913. George Murray Farquharson Foggo* (1881-86), who was engaged in farming in the Orange Free State from 1911 to 1914, served under General Botha as a Lieutenant in the South African Mounted Rifles, 1914-15. After a further period of farming, he returned to England in July, 1916, and was for a short time engaged at Woolwich Arsenal as a Government Inspector of Shells. He now holds an appointment in the Bank of England. George Watson Cobban (1864-66), inspector of agencies, Great North of Scotland Railway, retired in June after 52 years' service in the employment of the Company. Douglass Alexander Mortimer* (1895-99), who qualified as a solicitor in 1908, and has been in the service of Messrs. Harrisons & Crosfield, Ltd., since 1912, first at Medan, Sumatra, and thereafter at Kuala Lumpur, F.M.S., has been invalided home, and arrived in this country in February. Two other F.P.'s with Messrs. Harrisons & Crosfield at Kuala Lumpur are Andrew A. Willox* (1893-1900), and Robert F. O. Saunders* (1893-1903). In a letter recently received from Adam A. Ritchie* (1903-08), M.A., B.Sc., now a principal in Aitchison College, Lahore, India, an incident is related that may prove interesting to the readers of the Magazine. "The students," he says, were having a ' hares and hounds' paper chase. I was leading the latter and was crossing a bridge spanning a stream very much swollen by recent rains, when one of our native masters shouted out to me ' Sir, he's drowning.' I immediately turned round and saw one of the younger students in the middle of the stream. Of course I rushed to his rescue, but he sank twice before I got near him. How I got him out I don't really know. I can't swim, and I was well out of my depth. Luckily at the time I was wearing sandles with long nails in the soles, and these prevented me from slipping far. Ultimately, with the assistance of a native master, the student and I got upon land again, none the worse of the dip. I feel I have now discovered how difficult it is to define bravery. I don't think I am a

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brave man, but immediately I saw the lad in danger my one object was to catch him. I did not fully realize the danger I was exposing myself to, for I acted upon the spur of the moment." At the Spring Graduation of Aberdeen University degrees were conferred on the following Old Boys :— Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)— George Horatius WICenzie (1907-13), M.A., with special distinction in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)— John Macpherson* (1900- 03), M.B., Major, Australian Army Medical Corps. William Linton Millar (1898-99), M.A., M.B., Captain, R.A.M.C.(T.), Salonika. Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.) and Bachelor of Surgery (Ch.B.)Ian George Innes* (1905-08), M.A., B.Sc., B.Sc. (Agr.). Alexander Ritchie* (1907-13). Claud Alexander Barron* (1881-87), C.I.E., Indian Civil Service, was in February gazetted Lieutenant-Colonel and to command the 5th Punjab Light Horse (Indian Defence Force), as from 1st April, 1917. This corps was formed last year under the Defence of India Act to take the place of the old Volunteer Corps of Punjab Light Horse, in which he held the rank of Major from November, 1915. John Tower Sorley (1904-17), who was awarded the Former Pupils' All-Round Trophy last June, was in February gazetted Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps. Ian George Innes* (1905-08), M.A., B.Sc., B.Sc.(Agr.), M.B., who graduated in medicine in the spring of this year, has been gazetted Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. Charles Duncan Peterkin* (1893-1905), Major, Gordon Highlanders, Special Reserve, was in April gazetted an Administrative Commandant (graded as Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master-General), vice Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Ogilvie* (1884-87), C.M.G., Gordon Highlanders, Special Reserve. Rudolf William Galloway (1902- ? ), M.B., Lieutenant (Temporary Captain), R.A.M.C., was recently promoted Acting Lieut.-Colonel whilst in command of a medical unit. William Bisset* (1895-1903), M.C., Lieutenant (Acting Major), Royal Engineers, has relinquished his commission on account of ill-health. He was awarded the Military Cross in January, 1916.

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Herbert Watson Findlay* (1900-13), Sapper, Royal Engineers, was posted missing on 25th March. Unofficial information regarding him leaves little hope that he is still alive. John Herbert Taylor* (1909-12) has recently been gazetted to a commission in the Royal Engineers. Prior to the War he was an apprentice engineer in Aberdeen. Cecil Valentine Robertson* (1897-1906), having been invalided from the Army, now holds an appointment as assistant in the Labour Division of the Food Production Department, Ministry of Food, London. Arthur William Scott* (1910-13) was in March gazetted Second Lieutenant in the Army Service Corps Motor Transport, and has been posted to a company in Egypt. He enlisted in the A.S.C.M.T. in September, 1916, and last year was attached to an M.T. Driving School, first as a corporal instructor, and later as a special tester. William Murray Moffatt (1906-09), who before the War was a trumpeter in the Scottish Horse, and has seen active service in Gallipoli, Egypt, and Salonika, has received a commission in the Hussars. Harry Graham Simpson* (1899-1912), Captain, M.G.C. (the eldest son of the Rector), is reported wounded and missing since 27th May. He went out to France for the fourth time on Easter Tuesday, after having been in charge of a school of revolver practice in England. Alexander Hepburn Mitchell* (1913-14) is a driver in the A.S.C.M.T., British Salonika Forces. He went to Salonika over a year ago, and after a short time was drafted with the Royal Serbian Army. Lawrence Gilling Smith* (1909-15) has recently received a commission in the Royal Air Force. Norman Mackenzie* (1888-90), M.A., minister of St. Andrew's U.F. Church, Auchterarder, has recently returned home after a year's absence as a chaplain with the Forces in France. Eric Douglas McDonald* (1909-13) has been promoted Lieutenant, and is serving in France with the Canadian battalion he accompanied from Canada in 1915. Alexander Albert Rae Smith* (1909-16) is engaged as a wireless operator in the Royal Air Force, and is attached to the Headquarters of an Army Brigade in France. Alexander May Gold* (1906-12), after a short time in France, was posted to the Royal Scots Fusiliers, arriving in Egypt early in 1917. He joined his battalion in the Sinai Peninsula and took part in the advance into Palestine. " What

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more a relief it was," he writes, "to be off the desert and once not was fighting The hills. the amongst the green fields and particularly severe, but we had many hardships to endure, the many worst being the intense heat and the lack of water. Our difficulties, however, were surmounted in a most marvellous Gaza, manner. . . . Early in March we arrived before again and time advanced We stronghold. Turkish great the Our cornfields. waving the across in the face of terrible fire, plains the across thundered see, to sight glorious a cavalry, was one to the Turkish flanks, yet all in vain, for the position second the during wounded was He strength." immense of Alexin hospital in was and year, great battle in April of last came commission his September In Cyprus. in and andria was He it. decline to had he through, but, being disabled, Works in of Foreman Military a appointed afterwards shortly the Royal Engineers. PRISONERS OF WAR. to be The following F.P.'s have recently been reported prisoners of war :— HighJohn Hamilton Bell (1908-14), Sergeant, Gordon landers. William Nicoll Buyers* (1906-10), Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, attached Trench Mortar Battery. Newell Burnett Cran (1910-11), Private, Rhodesian Corps. Highlanders. Ian Cumming* (1907-14), Captain, Gordon R.A.M.C. John George Elder (1900-05), M.B., Captain, GorLance-Corporal, (1892-94), Grassick Andrew Smith Highlanders. don HighGraham Henderson (1906-12), Lieutenant, Gordon landers. M.C., M.B., James Stewart McConnachie (1897-1900), R.A.M.C. Major, Reginald Charles Mackie* (1903-14), Second Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery. Gordon HighJohn M`Leod* (1903-15), Lance-Sergeant, School. landers, son of Dr. Charles M'Leod, Grammar Gordon Alexander Milne* (1911-13), Second Lieutenant, Highlanders. Alexander Ross Murray* (1903-13), Second Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders. Second John Charles Edward Murray* (1904-14), Highlanders. Gordon Lieutenant, Light Kenneth Reid* (1901-04), Lieutenant, Highland Infantry. Lieutenant, Norman Keith Robson (1900-13), Second Highlanders. Gordon

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OBITUARY. John Milne (1852-53), M.A., D.D., for 34 years minister of the parish of Newlands, Peeblesshire, died in the last week of May, aged 79 years. He graduated M.A. at Marischal College in 1857, and was licensed to preach in 1861. He was presented to the parish of Kirkurd, Irvine, in 1870, and after ten years went to Greenside Church, Edinburgh. Since 1884 he had been at Newlands. He owned ,-a large private library, and contributed many articles on Oriental subjects to Chambers's Encyclopedia. L.! Colonel James Forbes Beattie (1852-55), M.A., M.D., died at Insch, on 27th March, aged 76 years. He graduated M.A. at King's College in 1860, and M.D. at Aberdeen University in 1863. In the latter year he joined the medical service of the Army, and in 1864 was sent to India and appointed assistant surgeon to the 79th Cameron Highlanders. In 1871 he was transferred to the staff and was stationed at Netley. He embarked in November, 1873, for the first Ashanti Expedition, from which he returned in 1874. Then he was stationed at Glasgow. He was promoted surgeon-major in 1876, and returning to India three years later, was stationed at Karachi. In 1880 he was in Afghanistan, being present at the disaster of Maiwand on 27th July of that year, and was shut upin Kan dahar from 28th July till the city was relieved on 1st September. Next year he was stationed at Mhow, and was able to visit Australia. He embarked at Bombay in August, 1882, for Egypt, and was at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir on 13th September. After a shor t period at Aldershot he left for Egypt, taking part in the Nile Expedition in October, 1884, and being afterwards appointed to the charge of the base hospital at Cairo. He returned to England in 1886, and in the following year was appointed Assistant Professor of Military Medicine in the Army Medical School at Netley. He was promoted brigade surgeon in 1888, retired from the service on account of bad health in 1890, and in 1893 was gazetted brigade surgeon lieut.-colonel. After the present War broke out he rejoined the service, and was appointed president of one of the Government Enquiry Committees. After finally retiring from the service he was promoted colonel in October last year for war service. John Edmond (1856-58), of Kingswells, Aberdeenshire, advocate in Aberdeen, died at Eastbourne on 12th April, aged 72 years. He served as a law apprentice with his father, Dr. Francis Edmond, and was admitted an advocate in Aberdeen in 1880. He was a partner in the firm of Edmonds and Macqueen, and subsequently in the firm of Edmonds and Ledingham. He continued in the practice of his profession until 1895, when he retired and went to live in the south of England.

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James Collie Gray (1859-63) died at Aberdeen on 5th May, aged 72 years. In his early days he went out to Ceylon, but returned to this country to join his father in the management of salmon fishings on the coast. In this undertaking he was so successful that after some years he retired, and until his death lived first at Portlethen and then at West Cults, helping in the quiet, unostentatious way which was part of his very nature, many lame dogs over stiles which would otherwise have proved insurmountable obstacles ; and to-day, though to the general public he preferred to remain unknown, there are many who will miss a friend who was always ready with never-failing sympathy and unstinted kindness in time of need. Hugh Henderson (1864-66), M.A., died at Glasgow on 2nd March, aged 69 years. On graduating in Arts at Aberdeen University in 1872 he became classical master in Alston College, near Preston, and two years later head master of Summerhill Public School, Newmachar, Aberdeenshire. In 1875 he was appointed head master of Old Aberdeen Public School, and in 1884 rector of Lanark Grammar School, where he continued for 30 years. Alexander Findlay Milne (1871-73) , M.A., M.B., Lieut.-Colonel, late of the Indian Medical Service, died at Morkeu, Cults, on 29th May, aged 62 years. He graduated M.A. at Aberdeen in 1877, and M.B., with highest honours, in 1880. In the following year he joined the Indian Medical Service, and retired in 1911 with the rank of Lieut.-Colonel. While in India he served mostly in the Financial Department, Government of India, as Deputy Assay Master and Assay Master in His Majesty's Mints, Calcutta and Bombay. Latterly he lived in retirement at Cults. Alexander Sangster (1872-74), proprietor and occupier of the estate of Stonehousehill, Hatton, Aberdeenshire, died there on 21st March, aged 60 years. William Stewart Foggo (1878-82) died at Vernon, British Columbia, on 1st April, aged 55 years. For 15 years he practised as a solicitor in Aberdeen, and thereafter, in 1909, he went to Canada and engaged in fruit-farming at Coldstream, Vernon, B.C. He was a fine all-round sportsman, excelling in angling and tennis. Norman William Anderson* (1881-84), M.D., died at Zaaiplaats, Transvaal, on 10th March, aged 47 years. He graduated M.B., C.M., at Aberdeen in 1893, and M.D. in 1902. Prior to the War he was in medical practice in Aberdeen, and in the autumn of 1914 he received a temporary commission in the R.A.M.C. Ernest Colwell Maguire (1881-86), M.D., who had been in medical practice in Brighton for a considerable time, died there on 10th June, aged 48 years.

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Norman J. Wilson Blackett (1882-89) died at Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon, on 11th December, 1917, aged 42 years. He went out to Ceylon in 1894, and some years later he became proprietor of Tavalantenne tea estate, Ramboda. Charles Mitchell (1882-85), of the Diamond Jubilee Estate, Malacca, Strait Settlements, died at Colombo on 29th May, aged 41 years. He was a tea planter in Ceylon for over ten years, and thereafter went to Malacca. Michie F. G. Cumming* (1883) died at Aberdeen on 14th March. On leaving the School he entered the office of Messrs. Robertson & Lumsden, now Lumsden & Davidson, advocates, Aberdeen, and for more than 20 years acted as cashier to the firm. Last year he entered the service of Messrs. Davidson and Garden, advocates, in a similar capacity. He was a talented musician, and was organist and choirmaster of Greyfriars Parish Church from 1894 to 1915. Robert James Barron Wright (1897-99), M.B., R.A.M.C., died at a military hospital at Catterick, Yorkshire, on 13th May, aged 35 years. After graduating in medicine at Aberdeen University in 1904, he practised at Insch and subsequently at Forgue. He was commissioned in the R.A.M.C. some time ago, but was never on active service. Captain IAN A. K. BURNETT. Ian Burnett [whose death in action was recorded in the last issue of the Magazine] entered the service of the Trustees of the British Museum in the Department of Printed Books on February 14, 1910. As often happens when a Scot is thrown among a group of Southerners, his colleagues found him at first a little "prickly." He had also had the experience, unusual in our recruits, of having done some library work before he came to us, and was inclined to criticize severely rules of cataloguing which happen to have been drawn up nearly eighty years ago, so that the need of preserving some uniformity in the largest catalogue in the world makes it harder than he at first realized to change them. But his good humour, his appetite for work, and his readiness to take his full share of the less pleasant " duties," soon caused him to settle down as a happy member of a Department which for many years has been a very friendly one, and he quickly made his mark in it. Before long I was amused and delighted to hear that he was essaying a feat which I myself in my early days had just failed in, and which only one man, he also of Scottish descent, John Macfarlane, who died as head of the Imperial Library at Calcutta, as far as I know, had achieved—the writing a thousand title-slips for the General Catalogue in a month. To write as many as 800 in compliance with our elaborate rules needs

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exceptional quickness as well as industry, but Burnett turned out his thousand with a few to spare, and every senior man in chate ofa special bit of work began to covet him as a helper. In the end he volunteered for a rather dull and very irritating job which had been begun by a man of his own standing, who was transferred to another Department when it was scarce halfway through. The job was the preparation of a special Handlist of a great mass of Sale-Catalogues, beginning with the earliest English book sale in 1676. As the work progressed, fresh batches of these kept on turning up in different parts of the Library, and the incorporation of the new entries into sections already regarded as finished constantly postponed its completion. Burnett stuck to his task with humorous wrath but real patience, and after he went to the War I was able to finish it up, so that when he returned home on one of his leaves he found the completed volume awaiting him, and remarked how far away it seemed from his new job. After our day's work was done Burnett' s way home lay North and mine South, so that I saw nothing of him outside the Museum. His younger colleagues tell me that he was a fine talker at tea, and better still over a pipe in the evening. He had read more widely than most English university men, and was interested in scientific as well as literary subjects, and most of all in social ones. It is a great regret to me that I never had a long evening with him, but I seemed to get to know him and was led to ask his help with very happy results. I had taken a leading part in founding a small dining-club for the senior librarians of libraries for research, and had to write a paper suggesting its aims. A stammer, which cannot always be conciliated, obliges me to find a reader for any paper I have to write, and I usually ask the help of some one of my own age. Burnett was much too young to be a member of our club, but somehow my inkling that he had in him the making of a great librarian led me to associate him with it in my mind, so that his personality dominated it more than my own. In the end there came out a mixture of jest and very grave earnest of which, when he kindly took on the task of reading it, he made a great success, without any suspicion of how much he had had to do with it. That happened in the winter before the War. A year later I was realizing that, without disparagement to others, he was by far the finest fighting man our Department had sent to the Front. Like all the finest fighting men, he hated the War, and yet as soon as he got over being gassed, or being wounded, he wanted to be back and in the thick of it. He was a fine man as well as a fine fighter, and his defiant blue eyes and extraordinarily winning smile are among the Museum memories which I am least likely to forget. . ALFRED W, POLLARD,

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MARRIAGES. MILNE (1876-79).---At 15 Louisville Avenue, Aberdeen, on 6th June, ALEXANDER MILNE,' M.B., C.M., late Assistant Commissioner of the Hudson's

Bay Company, to Jessie, second daughter of William Webster, retired farmer, late of Towie-Barclay, Auchterless. PETERKIN (1893-1905).—At the South United Free Church, Aberdeen, on 6th June, Lieut.-Colonel CHARLES DUNCAN PETERKIN,' The Gordon Highlanders (T.F.), Advocate in Aberdeen, to Netta Macgregor, adopted daughter of Thomas Jaffrey, Ingleside, Rubislaw Den South, Aberdeen. HAY (1895-1902).-At St. Mary's, Cadogan Gardens, London, on 16th May, Captain J. C. HAY, second son of Professor Matthew Hay, Aberdeen, to Mary Monica, (laughter of John Liddell, Sherfield Manor, Basingstoke. VEREL (1896-99).—At Citadel Garrison Chapel, Cairo, on 24th January, Captain RAYMOND VEREL,* R.A.M.C.(T.F.), elder son of J. B. Verel, of Bridgeton, St. Cyrus, to Muriel Maude Gregory, Q.A.I.M.N.S.R., daughter of the late M. C. Gregory, Birmingham. GLEGG (1898-99).—At St. Ninian's Parish Church, Aberdeen, on 20th March, WILLIAM COWAN GLEGG,' Captain, R.E.(T.), elder son of J. C. Glegg,' 60 King's Gate, Aberdeen, to Effie Graham, elder daughter of the Rev. Maxwell J. Wright, M.A., minister of St. Ninian's. CASH (1898-1900).-At St. Peter's, Eaton Square, London, on 2nd March, IAN THEODORE BRIGHT CASH, Lieutenant, West Yorkshire Regiment, younger son of Professor Theodore Cash, Aberdeen University, and Mrs. Cash, to Audrey Margaret Read Hardy, twin daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Percival Hardy of 24 Chester Street, London, S.W. SNOWIE (1899-1901).—At John Knox Parish Church, Aberdeen, on 9th April, HERBERT LINDSAY SNOWIE,' The Gordon Highlanders, T.F., to Jean Booth, second daughter of the late Archibald A. Brown and Mrs. Brown, 79 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen. STEWART (1899-1906).—At Cairnbank, Bearsden, on 15th May, PHILIP WILSON STEWART,* M.A., M.B., Ch.B., Lieutenant, R.A.M.C., to Marie Elise, elder daughter of E. Duvoisin, Cairnbank, Bearsden. MACKINTOSH (1900-02).-At Boston Spa Parish Church, on 14th March, Lieutenant W. R. MACKINTOSH,' D.S.C., R.N.R., youngest son of the late W. R. Mackintosh, Kirkwall, to Gwendolen, youngest daughter of the late John Wordsworth and Mrs. Wordsworth, Rivermead, Boston Spa, Yorkshire. GORDON (1901-06).-At St. Peter's Church, Sunderland, on 16th March, JAMES GORDON,* marine engineer, eldest son of James Gordon, 42 Grosvenor Place, Aberdeen, to Joanna (Jock), second daughter of Captain A. W. Yell, 18 Whitehall Place, Aberdeen.

Bon Record. Bon Record ! Bon Record ! Tower, locks, and gleaming sword, Scotland's cross, an open volume, And the proud scroll—Bon Record. Lantern of the northern shore, Youth's great guide from days of yore, Shielded by thy kindly radiance Forth to battle shall we pour. Bon Record ! Bon Record ! etc. Near or far where duty calls, Mem'ries of the stately walls, Comrades we shall ever cherish Constant till the darkness falls. Bon Record ! Bon Record ! etc.

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Death of Mr. Samuel Pope. The death took place at 28 Victoria Street, Aberdeen, on 30th April, of Mr. Samuel Pope, who for well-nigh half a century was a member of the teaching staff of the School. He had reached the ripe old age of 80 years. Born in Cornwall, Mr. Pope came to Aberdeen, a boy of 14, when his father was transferred as mail guard from the Gloucester to Bristol mail coach to the "Defiance," which ran between Aberdeen and Inverness. Mr. Pope attended Ledingham's Academy in Correction Wynd for a time, and then, entering the Sheriff Clerk's office, he rose in due course to be chief clerk in the wills and executry department. When his father returned to his native county of Cornwall, having retired on a civil service pension, Mr. Pope, then a young man, remained behind in Aberdeen. In November, 1867, he was appointed writing master of the Grammar School by the Town Council, and the subscribers of £100 and upwards towards the cost of the School. He entered on his duties on 3rd December of that year, the Rector at the time being Rev. William Barrack. In these days writing was an optional subject, taught for two hours daily, for which a separate fee was charged, and paid in full to the teacher, who had no fixed salary. This made for efficiency in teaching, and Mr. Pope's classes, which were open to the whole School, were well attended and reported on favourably at the annual prize distributions by the members of the Town Council deputed to act as examiners. In 1881, when Mr. Alexander Martin retired from the rectorship, the School curriculum was entirely reorganized, and Mr. Pope was appointed by the School Board to the combined office of drawing and writing master. Gradually the teaching of writing diminished, and latterly his whole time was devoted to the teaching of drawing, in which he spared no pains to make himself thoroughly efficient and to keep abreast with the latest developments. In this connexion it is worthy of special mention that, when over 60 years of age, Mr. Pope attended the evening classes in the Art School and gained the A.C.T. Certificate of South Kensington. This he did so that the boys might have the benefit of being taught in the later methods, which he felt he was not competent to impart without himself undergoing the practice which made for perfection. To become a pupil again at 62, to mix in class with boys and girls, demanded, it will be agreed, a very real courage which not many would have shown. In the. Art School he took his place quite humbly, and his presence there was a source of pleasure to his fellow students. On 17th October, 1908, Mr. Pope was entertained by the Former Pupils' Club in the Palace Hotel, when Professor

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William L. Davidson presided, and Mr. Alexander Mackie, in a particularly graceful speech, proposed the toast of the evening. Rather more than two years later he was the guest at a dinner held specially in his honour by the London Section of the Club. On this occasion the chairman was Professor A. F. Murison, a former English master of the School, who appropriately proposed the health of his former colleague. After almost 45 years of patient and faithful teaching, Mr. Pope retired on Prize Day, 28th June, 1912, having broken, by four years, all previous records for length of service within the School. On the previous day presentations were made to him by the pupils then at the School, and by the teachers ; and in the following November he was again entertained by the Former Pupils' Club and presented by the Members with a cheque for 100 guineas. Mr. R. Gordon Nicol, C.E., occupied the chair, and Bishop Anthony Mitchell, in a memorable speech, made the presentation. The toast of Mr. Pope's health was drunk with Highland honours amid a scene of intense enthusiasm. Mr. Pope estimated that at least 6,000 pupils had passed through his classes at the School, and it can safely be affirmed that there was not one who regarded him otherwise than with esteem and affection. The following tributes have been written by two who were pupils of Mr. Pope, the first in his earlier days, and the second more recently. The death of Mr. Pope recalled to thousands of " Old Boys" one of the most genial and kindly men that ever lived. His handsome presence, his firm and active step, and his boundless energy, all live vividly in the minds of his former pupils. No master ever merited and no master ever gained more of the genuine and unaffected love of his pupils. When I remember him in the late "seventies," he was the "writing master," in the first-floor room in the south-west corner of the building—the room below being occupied by the Rev. James Legge, Classical Master, another kind and genial soul. In those days great pains and trouble were lavished on pupils in making them good writers, but the best of us paled into insignificance when we compared our handwriting with that of our dear master. In my class the facile principes of writers were James Smart—the well-known rugby football player—and James Hadden, but even their "copperplate" writing left much to be desired when we saw it alongside Mr. Pope's.

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Mr. Pope was too kindly a man to preserve strict discipline, but the class was always well behaved ; no one could be unruly or rude in Mr. Pope's presence. Boys will be boys, of course, in every classroom, but they loved and respected their master of the Writing Room too deeply to cause the least sign of want of discipline. He ruled his classes with a rule of love and kindness, and no one was known to have taken advantage of his kindly nature. I still think I can hear his cheery voice : " Punish Charles " ! The punishment came—a knock over the knuckles with the black ruler—but in most cases the punishment did not "fit the crime." Mr. Pope could not be hard or harsh even in punishing rowdy boys. Then we remember, too, Mr. Pope's garden between the School and the street, before the Denburn was filled in. The garden was a model in every way, and Mr. Pope spent many a hard but happy hour in keeping it in such order. We boys envied his "button-hole" flower that he invariably carried in his coat. We knew he had planted and tended the plant with the same loving care that he gave to his pupils. Now he has gone to his well-earned rest, leaving not one single enemy behind. A beautiful and useful life has been closed, but his pupils will never let his memory fade. He was one of nature's noblemen—a true man, a warm friend, a kindly C. W. S. master. Ave ! Samuel Pope ! What memories are conjured up! Can we ever forget the grand old man who carried himself like a soldier ? Of recent years we never thought of him as retired : in our eyes he was so essentially an institution, so apparently a fixture for all time at our School. One could never imagine dear old "Sam "—I speak in reverence—getting older. He was unchanging as year after year went past. That sunny smile of his was one to lighten at once the burdened heart of many a disconsolate schoolboy. The Drawing Class ! How I longed for the hour to come round and for the joy and pleasure of a " break" in the day ! The wild, unrestrained whoops of delight that went up from a horde of young ruffians let loose from a miserable braingrappling spell of version, deduction, or essay! The race along corridors ! The impatient hanging round the door of the Art Room—that room so packed with the wonders of ancient Greece and Rome ! The approach of the much-loved figure !—Yes, he had left the key in the Masters' Room !—Down those flights of stairs the favoured messenger would go, many steps at a time, doubtless to be justly chastised by some ascending master who had suffered from the onslaught.

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Was it "model," "freehand," or was it, oh joy ! an hour of clay-modelling ? At last the class would settle down. The execrable smudgings began to develop—develop in such a manner as to break an artist's heart. But " our" artist was immune. It is engraven in my memory how he would settle down in a chair, take pencil and rubber, and revolutionize the dreadful effort. His unlimited patience and masterly helping hand were things to marvel at and emulate. I can well remember how he would move on to the next chair, leaving with you some trite pun or rhyming "gag," one for every scapegrace. "Brown, Brown, settle down!" " Smith, you myth !" "Walker, Walker, what a talker! " " Theodore, give me more ! " Then would come a moan of interruption and despair from across the room, "Sir, I can't draw this !" " I know you can't, but try, my lad, try ! " Do you harbour a memory of the mysterious turret-room, that forbidden chamber full of wonders, and the little winding staircase ? How some wretched youth would creep up unnoticed, and how his truancy was soon discovered by a terrific rumbling roar and final crash, as a "sphere" or " cylinder" burst through the half-open door and dashed across the room ? Woe betide the luckless rascal, for our master was a man of justice ! Then out of School! Never a Wednesday cricket or " rugger" match but found him there as a keen champion of our cause. Did you ever visit him at his home ? With what pleasure he would pilot you round his little flower garden, so carefully tended by a loving hand. Then his hospitality, and fishing stories to follow ! Why, it seems but yesterday that I met him, armed with rod and basket, making for the river near Braemar, where he spent so many angling holidays. Many a fine grilse fell to his cunning. Dear old master ! Indeed a memory to cherish, the memory of "guide, philosopher, and friend," a true gentleman. L. J. S.

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A Humanist's Offensive ; Or.

What I Did in the Great War.

(Continued.) LEAVE.

There is no love like the first love, and no leave like the first leave. Consider. This is our first attempt to link up with the old life. How far from it we seem to have travelled even in a few months ! Can it really be going on as usual, we wonder. That old world has to take stock of us in our new role, to measure us, and to pronounce judgment. There is almost a feeling of shyness in the first encounter. We are just schoolboys once more, returning home for the first holiday ; and there is so much to tell and to be told, so much to see and be seen, on both sides so much to ask about. The khaki wear has transformed the outward man certainly, and something also of the inner. There has come home, not a miles gloriosus we hope, but certainly a vir, of freer, more erect carriage, confident, claiming his right of way. This leave, too, has a charm of its own. It has been won on merit. Other leaves we shall "wangle," as only home-sick soldiers can "wangle," but this leave is a concession to our progress in our studies. It is just a bare week-end, from Friday tattoo to Monday reveille, and the journey is Wales to Aberdeen. In other days we should have seemed mad to attempt it ; not now. The Cambrian Railway bears us off on the first stage, a happy band of brother Scots, making the air vocal with " Annie Laurie" and " Ye'll tak' the high road, an' I'll talc' the low road." No music-hall ditties this time ; it is the " auld Scots sangs" we sing now, with sure homing instinct. Into the hub of things at Crewe we speed, to find an airraid in progress. Delay; discomfort; a midnight meal snatched at one of those blessed " Rests" which are open day and night ; the train at last ; corridors piled high with slumbering khaki ; no matter, we can stand. Yonder is our North Star, " of whose true-fix'd and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament." By Stirling we get a seat in a compartment ; but still we sit tense. Long before Stonehaven is reached the snell North Sea air is in our nostrils, a vitalizing breeze. Over the last shoulder of the Grampians we sweep, down into our northland nook. Here is the bay, the lighthouse, the river— Home! A VISITOR TO HUT 11. It was big Sandy who gleefully bore the visitor into the hut, big Sandy the " grouser," who never was satisfied with his dole of porridge or "spuds" ; and the visitor was Dundee Mac's

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little girl. "Mac" had been in hospital, and his wife and child were staying in the neighbourhood. The three were passing the hut when we were all at tea, and nothing would satisfy Sandy but to show the " wean" round the hut where her dad lived. It was a picture to paint— the big artillerymen clustering about Sandy, and the little child perched on his shoulder, looking around with big eyes of wonder. As by magic the atmosphere of the hut changed. The strong Army speech melted into gentle, caressing words, at least from the married men. For now, if not at other times, it was clearly seen who were family men and who not. The fathers vied with each other as to who should next dandle the child, while the single men stood back, awkward but benign. "A collection, boys," shouted Sandy, and we rummaged for our precious "bawbees," to " hansel" the " bairn." Then Sandy bore back the child in triumph to her anxious mother, and the breath of home faded from the hut. Has not Bret Harte a story about a child arriving in a rough mining camp and becoming its little princess ? My own comment was : "and a little child shall lead them."

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That is one of the symbols a fully-qualified signaller may wear, and it means " Telephonist." " Tock," of course, is how we pronounce it in our Morse code ; for, as the Sergeant-major says, we must stick to our " fanatics." Well, you will say, surely any one can use a telephone. Personally, I'm not too sure of that. Even in civil life I could a tale unfold, the once or twice the innocent-looking instrument took me in its grip. But a field-service telephone is certainly not an article to tackle lightly. I have seen smart business men reduced to sheer impotence by the Army method of procedure, men who have "hello'd" all their lives, so to speak, and who have been accustomed to pick up a 'phone as other folks pick up their knife and fork You see, we aren't allowed to say "Hello" on the Army telephone—at least in the signalling school. We have our own peculiar method of rapprochement, which, for "Dora's" sake, I shall not divulge. But that it needs special training even to speak a message correctly on the 'phone, according to "Tock Emmar Esses "—which is simply T.M.S., Training Manual Signalling—let one small instance prove. In giving the date " 14th," for example, we do not say "fourteenth." Oh, dear no ! What the sender says, and the receiver faithfully repeats, is " Figures—one four tock aitch fourteenth "—Savez ? I have seen many a signaller have to pick his head off the ground for inadvertentently saying " fourteenth." Then there is the Message Form, " A" or "C", on which I have heard a Scotch M.A. discourse for two hours at a stretch,

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with few repetitions, except when he swore, but with considerable dilation of the veins of his forehead. I should not have believed there was so much in an ordinary telegram form. But now my eyes are opened, and I never send off my periodic requests for forty-eight hours' extension of leave without a touch of professional pride from knowing all that is meant— and it is far more than meets the eye—by " Prefix," " Code," and " Reference Line." My own first experience with a field telephone was, as usual, piquant and explosive. I was trying to get into communication—" cme," for short—with a fellow on the other side of the room, but without success. What he was shouting, and much that he was thinking, I knew, without putting any receiver to my ear. His face, too, was a study in incipient apoplexy. Sinking my own voice to its profundissimo, I poured honeyed words into the microphone. Still no result. Then the sergeant came on the scene; failed too; was, like Othello, "perplex'd in the extreme "—till he found I had not troubled to connect the wires on the wall to my instrument so as to make a circuit, whereupon he unpacked his heart with expletives both loud and deep. Later, our class officer blandly remarked that we were not doing a wireless "stunt," and I smiled a wan smile. In camp it falls to us in rotation to act as telephonist for the day at the adjutant's office. The military voice we discern all right, but we often fail miserably in regard to the Post Office girl telephonist's heady treble. She does not surrender without a struggle. It is a duel between English sprightliness and Scotch doggedness. "Assistant," she says. " Can't make you out," we reply. " Assistant," she emphasizes, and dourly we remain dumb. Then, "slowly, that I may take it in," come the sweet tones, " A for apples, S for sugar, S for sugar, I for ink, S for sugar, T for tipsy, A for apples, N for nothing, T for tipsy—ass-ist-ant, compray?" "Oh, assistant, you mean," we delightedly exclaim. "Yes," she says, "now we'll get on." " Provost-Marshal," whereupon the pantomime is repeated, until one of the regular staff comes to the rescue, and we wonder if we shouldn't be better in the Labour Battalion. In the field our Signalling Officer, for our comfort, tells us that when we cannot get a message through among ourselves, it is always open to us to send it by post ! Not but what we get our own back sometimes, when we insist on sending the message de rigeur. Not for nothing have we mastered the subtleties of the Preamble and the Reference Line. That is the point in a Punch cartoon which every signaller should have as a souvenir of the War. An old coastguard fellow is at a telephone in a cabin by the shore, and evidently sore distressed. Eyebrows and beard bristle, and

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he gives vent to his feelings thus : "Not so much of yer *ack, ack, ack, and yer ole Pip Emma ; wot's the bloomin' message ? " MAGNUM ITER—TOUR DE FORCE. The tour O.H.M.S. has decided advantages. It is not spontaneous, the exemptionist would sneer. Well, if it is a tour de force in one sense, it is a tour de force in another. This, I fear me, is to indulge in double entendre, but let be. Let me tell over the amenities of touring O.H.M.S. There are no dining-cars on trains nowadays. There's a war on, you see. But for lads in khaki there are at the big stations perambulating buffets, ever ready to dispense tea, coffee, and buns. There are Soldiers' and Sailors' Rests, where you are asked whether you will have pies or sandwiches. We are almost "spoon-fed." And yet there's a war on. There's the rub ! It's because there's a war on. The time of disillusionment has yet to come —after the War, when we shall have to shout for our refreshments and pay for them too. Now we have everything gratis. Therefore, I want neither Cook nor Polytechnic tour. Give me a decent tour O.H.M.S., khaki, iter magnum, tour de force— what you will—waited on hand and foot, that's the tour par excellence. PARADE. With one of its flashes of insight into the heart of things Punch has shown a cartoon in which two Tommies home from the trenches, grimy and pack-laden, are depicted standing and looking with detached wonder at a parade of full-dress guards. " Look at the soldiers, chum," says one to the other, and without sarcasm. He simply does not think of himself as one with them. The reality is so different from the show. Herein I find much to moralize. War is not and never will be an anachronism. Strife, struggle, is inherent in man, perpetual. But the soldier of peace-time, the parade soldier, was certainly an anachronism, one of the most flagrant yet picturesque anachronisms in this "great wide wonderful world." Think of the extraordinary, bizarre garb he wore, the flummery of it all, shining buttons, pipeclay, belts, shako, and then wonder why we did not laugh it out of existence, instead of regarding it all with perfect seriousness. It is the old story. Life is simple, death is simple. But we insist on camouflaging either, till it is almost unrecognizable. War is a reality, and when it comes we dress men simply in drab uniform and set them about their business as quietly and quickly as possible. But there is the standing Army, with all * For the benefit of the uninitiated we may say that " Ack, ack, ack " is the phonetic for A A A, which is the symbol for full stop. " Pip Emma " is simply P.M., as seen in 9 P.M.

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its artificial rules and regulations, its manifold devices invented to occupy the professional soldiers in the piping times of peace, and not even the stern reality of war can get these sloughed entirely. There is still such a thing as parade, still the shining of buttons, the making oneself uni-form, and spick and span at that, still saluting and "eyes right "—or left. Which is the moreTsensible way.Zofi doing guard, for instance— W. W. Jacobs' night watchman with his pipe, comfortably seated in a sheltered corner, swathed in plentiful clothes, with eye vigilant ; or that stilted; miserable soldier, with rifle and bayonet on shoulder, marching up and down before a guardroom, devoid of all interest, standing " at ease " occasionally, occasionally " presenting arms " ? It comes back to this that in this world there is nothing, however inherently absurd, which, if done by man seriously and with solemn aspect, his fellow-man will not take with equal seriousness and solemnity. This is the excellent folly of our life. Take the very word "parade" itself. What does it connote in civil life ? Ts it not something done for show, appearance' sake ; something which, if you do, you do with a deprecatory or almost apologetic smile ? What does it connote in military life ? The most solemn and serious business of the day. " You are on parade now." " Parade, 'shun." Carrying coals, doing "fatigues," you are on parade still, and must therefore be ready to go through the process of saluting and swivelling your head to right or left, as the case may be, when you meet an officer. What is tolerated with a smile in civil life is treated as of awful seriousness in military life. One may admire the honesty, the naive honesty of the Army, which frankly confesses that the main part of its work is simply "parade" and "for parade's sake" ; but "parade" is like " uniform," one of those terms on which one might speculate for ever : it is so infinitely suggestive. HUT 11. that gathered there, and yet it fellowship goodly It was a was just one of those chance conglomerations of individuals which occur in these soldiering days. There were men from the Orcades and Ultima Thule, sons of Devon and Hampshire, Glasgow, Dundee, Highlands, Lowlands, and Midlands ; and gradually they had fused into a brotherhood. There were the most diverse types, university men and handicraftsmen, shopkeepers and policemen, journalists and journeymen, and each a living personality. What scenes they conjure up ! Speakboy, our orator, who never let a member of the hut depart for the guns without some words of farewell--one sees him yet, in his striped pyjamas, mounting the table, towards " lights out," to voice his own and fellow-hutmen's regret at the departure

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of the particular member of our company. There was big Sandy crying out for more " spuds "—" it's not good enough this, boys "—or, at bedtime, romping round the hut in scant attire, seeking his lost pillow. There was Jamie, from the estate-agent's office at Pitlochry, sad-visaged, who was known as " The poor soldier," from the night he was overheard in his sleep to exclaim—" I'm a poor soldier." There was Bobby, the Motherwell barber, cheery, lighthearted, but at times desperately home-sick. Which of us will forget his " wha daur meddle wi' me ? " rebuff to the Sergeant-major, when the latter wished him to be his barber-in-ordinary ? Yet he had the tenderest of hearts, and of the many songs he led there was one peculiarly associated with him : " The little shirt my mother made for me." " Pip," our Irish wit, had played many parts in life, and was ready still to try others. He had a rich, musical voice, and could give inimitable renderings of burlesque Italian opera— " Icecreamy tapioca," or " If I catch that bounder Spagoni, The bounder I'll slay. He shall die, he shall die, Hititiddleyitititititi— He shall die."

There was the Tewkesbury editor, a pillar, too, of the Y.M.C.A., and always first on parade. There was " Cliff," the debonair Londoner ; "Sammy," who, before going to bed, used to declaim, " Gentlemen, I have stood in this market-place for the last forty years" ; and Rory, who used to set, as a test to the English lads in intelligibility as well as phonetics, " Fa fuppet the loonie ? Fa fuppet the loonie ? Gin I kent fa fuppet the loonie's lugs, there'd be some fuppin gaein." The Humanist, with his long, solitary walks, and correspondence voluminous even in a hut richly epistolary, was regarded with amused wonder. He was recognized as " a chiel takin' notes," but his real title to fame was as "The Midnight Mail," from his notorious habit of sallying forth, after "lights out," to go to the post. But time would fail to describe in anything like adequate manner the various personalities in that hut. HALLOWE'EN. Hut 11 was predominantly Scotch. You had only to listen to the songs to know that. The curious thing was the Englishmen seemed to think they were rather privileged to be admitted within the charmed circle. Vacancies in the hut were bespoken beforehand, and it was very difficult for any but bona fide Scots to get entrance. The Hut was known for its social qualities. There had been weekly whist-drives, and now it was resolved to celebrate Hallowe'en in the good old style. We had ducking for apples in the great wash-bucket, heads butting and ramming each

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other as, with mouths agape, we groped about in the water for the elusive fruit. Then we had a big ripe apple suspended from a rafter by a piece of string, and as it bobbed about we waltzed round, seeking to snap it with our teeth, but ever finding it recede from our lips in a manner most tantalizing. But perhaps the most farcical item of all was when we were ranged solemnly round the tables, which were laden with jamsmeared buns, each of us having to gobble one bun without laying finger to it, the winner to be the man who had first swallowed his portion. There were some good starters in this, fellows who had competed in porridge-supping competitions, and the maxillary action was magnificent. One lad managed to cram the whole of his bun into his mouth, till his cheeks bulged and bulged ; but then he found he had left no room to masticate. But most tragic of all were the faces and snorts of those who found their buns plentifully dosed with pepper and mustard. These found their innocent-looking buns veritable pieces de resistance. The evening ended with the Scotchmen's anthem, "Auld Lang Syne." THE PASSING-OUT SUPPER. The usual thing was for all those passing out from the School at the same time to have a supper in the neighbouring village, and entertain the sergeants and sergeant-major as their guests. But this did not approve itself to the members of Hut 11 who were now about to quit the Signalling School. They had no great desire to hob-nob with their instructors, and their real cronies were those of their own hut, whe were not ready for passing out yet. Finally, they hit on the happy idea of having a Hut 11 jollification, to mark the first big gap in the brotherhood that had served their Army apprenticeship together. It was held on a Wednesday, our half-holiday, and the preparations were great. It was truly a magnificent feast we sat down to at six o'clock that evening. There was even H.P. sauce. Sandy, beaming from behind a huge pie he was about to carve, excelled himself. He called for a grace, and Tewkesbury, by request, responded. Then we fell to, in the true Homeric style, and ate and drank till we had removed from us the desire to eat or drink more. In the same matter-of-fact manner we set to and washed the many dishes and plates of the feast ; and then, with a good conscience, and in jovial mood, we gathered round the central stove to enjoy an evening of song and sentiment. Speakboy was in his glory as chairman. He gave the word that everyone was expected to make some contribution to the evening's programme, and we should just take our turn as it came round the circle. None failed to respond. Speeches,

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songs, recitations, funny stories, reminiscences--nothing came amiss. Now and then, as some more bashful member pondered his thoughts, the others, to give him time, struck up the great hut chorus :" Sing me a song of bonnie Scotland, Any old song will do. Round the old camp fire, A rough and ready choir, Will join in the chorus too. ' Ye'll tak' the high road, An' I'll tak' the low road,' A song that we all know, To remind the boys o' bonnie Scotland, Where the heather and the blue-bell grow."

A favourite cue was to give one's first impressions of Army life and of those amongst whom our lot had been cast. There was an insistent demand for the corporal to tell his first impressions of us, but he was not to be drawn. With charming naivete Englishmen told how they had met Scotchmen for the first time in their lives, and really they had found them quite decent fellows. The rugged sons of Caledonia reciprocated the sentiment, and "all went merry as a marriage bell." Frank, from Torphins, dissolved the company in laughter with his : " Boys, as the minister said, I winna ca ye gentlemen, I ken ye ower weel for that." The Humanist, emerging for once from his dreams, both made a speech and sang a song. He said the feast reminded him only of one other, the Strathcona banquet, some dozen years ago, at his northern University. A nonsmoker still, he would keep, as then, one of the cigarettes of the evening as a souvenir. As it was something of a farewell meeting he would give them the toast of his native city, BonAccord, "Happy to meet, sorry to part, happy to meet again" ; and as they would be soon going forth to the field of battle, he would sing the song that for him summed up :the whole spirit of high romance and adventure :— " The trumpets sound, the banners fly, The glittering spears are ranked ready; The shouts o' war are heard afar, The battle closes thick and bloody; But it's no the roar o' sea or shore Wad mak me langer wish to tarry ; Nor shout o' war that's heard afar, It's leaving thee, my bonnie Mary."

Charlie sang his masterpiece, " The Farmer's Boy," and as we sipped our coffee, which had been standing steaming all the evening at the stove, Jack sang "The end of a perfect day." So we passed out, and Hut 11 knows us no more. Some of the men are already "out there." Whether we shall meet again in that great post-bellum reunion planned that night, is now on the knees of the gods.

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YORKSHIRE. The last days of December found us trekking eastward .to the dales of Yorkshire, the great emporium of trained signallers. Hither they came from their various schools in Scotland, Ireland, England, and Wales ; and there were many interesting reunions of comrades who had joined up together, but who had been sent to different schools to train. Here we were ratified and sealed as trained signallers. We found the various tests comparatively easy after the high standard required of us in our training schools, and we, men of Harlech, passed out en bloc as first-class signallers. During the month we were there we had a capital series of lectures on telephony. Besides this, we revised all that we had done in our training schools, and made ourselves well-founded therein. We had gas-drill, heliograph, knotting, and map-reading. There was an all-night " stunt " in O. P's realistically cold and damp, when we buzzed through messages and "shoots" by the score, or sent them by lamp. But on the whole there was a considerable slackening off from the tension of the training school, and we appreciated the change accordingly. " AFTER GRADUATION—WHAT " ? That was the stage we were at now, and there were two main possibilities, either to go overseas direct as reinforcements, or be posted to batteries, more or less matured, and await their completion in respect of gunners and training. A big draft of signallers was standing by, ready to go, when we arrived. On New Year's Eve, when we were all seated in the Baptist and Congregational Recreation Hut—the " B and C," as it was popularly called—listening to a tip-top concert, and feasting on plateloads of cake till we were fain to turn away our heads, our hearts and other repositories being too full for speech, the word came for the draft. They rose and filed out, with a hearty god-speed and handshake from the chaplain and his fellow-workers. It was quite in the manner of the "sound of revelry by night " in " Belgium's capital" a hundred years ago ; and, as then, the innocent revels went on, despite the exit of those bent on the stern business of war. It was a dramatic introduction to the new stage we had reached. Certainly we were nearing the Real Thing. CAMP ON THE DALES. My first impression of Yorkshire was wakening on the Sunday morning, after a good night's rest, to the strains of " Ye gates, lift up your heads " and " The Old Hundredth," sung, tenor and bass, by two Scotchmen, as they made up their soldier beds. My most lasting impression was of the intense

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cold of the month of January in that land of hill and dale. We had a snow-blizzard, and the cold was desperate. Coming from the far north, I had a reputation to live up to, and conceded that it was almost as cold as we had it up in Buchan, but, entre nous, 1 " hae ma doots." There was nothing for it but to eat and walk, walk and eat, morning, noon, and night. But one night I shall never forget when, after a two-mile walk through snowdrift, I arrived in our hut to find my couch camouflaged in a wreath of snow. Grimly I recalled a passage in Xenophon, the translation of which by " Puggie - used to tickle us boys immensely : " and he suffered many things the hands of the snow." RICHMOND CASTLE AND EASBY ABBEY-SAXON SERFS,

The old-world town of Richmond, with its steep, cobbled streets and Frenchgate, is still eloquent of early Norman days. Its castle, in a wonderful state of preservation, with its great square tower, is situated on the precipitous slopes rising sheer out of the Swale, and its rugged strength reminded me much of Edinburgh Castle and its Rock. From the top of the tower one had a magnificent view of the Yorkshire hills and dales, right away to the great Minster at York. Near by I was shown the Cumberland monument, fQrsooth ; but promptly said I wished no monument of him. I left the castle, ruminating much on that olden life, its self-sufficiency, its aloofness from the outer world, the manlier of men who lived then, and how they must have employed thousands of Saxon serfs to erect that great building. So I wandered along the bank of the Swale towards the ruins of Easby Abbey, and lifting my eyes to the opposite bank, I beheld history repeating itself, Saxons, in their multitudes, toiling at the great works they have once more been set to build. I recalled the words of Ecclesiastes : " And there is no new thing under the sun." The Abbey is situated, as all these old abbeys and cathedrals are, in some of the loveliest scenery. Those old monks had a rare eye for nature. In the Swale, which runs close by, I saw a farmer driving his horse and cart, sure proof that here had been the abbot's ford. This life, too, was complete in itself, and it must have been a rare asylum for the humanist and thinker of those days. Castle and Abbey—they epitomized all that was noblest and best in that great rejuvenescence of our land which resulted from the coming of William the Conqueror. THE DOWNS. By the end of January most of us were posted to batteries at various stages of readiness, My destination was in the land

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of the Downs. Several batteries were in process of formation here, and the gunners, N.C.O's, and officers were all overseas men, "wounded 'eroes" every one, and giving a wonderful breeziness and reality to all that they did or said. The formality and preciseness of the Welsh training school seemed very remote now. Even we signallers began to expand a bit. We began to develop our own little mannerisms and tricks in our work, and, in short, acquired individuality. As in Yorkshire, the pace was easy. Life was too real now, we were too close to the centre of things, to be over particular about minutiae. That was well enough in the school : we were now with men. OUR BATTERY. Every soldier sincerely believes that his battalion, battery, or unit is the finest in the service. Till it has gone out and fought he does not wonder at the War not being finished. Or if it has been out and fought, that explains why certain great deeds have been accomplished. The forming up of these batteries recalled to me the days of "The White Company," of Samkin Aylward and Hordle John. There were some magnificent specimens of British manhood among these men, all with their blue and red chevrons, their emblems of gold, and several with the most coveted distinction of all—the red, white, and blue Mons ribbon. There was one quartermaster, a giant of a fellow, who had represented Britain in swimming at the Olympic Games. There was a sergeant of ours, one of Britain's champion heavy weight lifters, a man who could lift with one hand the great barbell that Donald Dinnie could only lift with two hands. They had all been in the maelstrom, and they had come forth, still strong and vital. They exhaled life and high spirits. The officers, too, were all overseas men, men who had earned their commissions by sheer pluck and ability. There was no stand-offishness with them. One recalled as in a dream the dignity and aloofness of our instructor-bombardiers at the training school. These officers of ours joked and chatted with us, offered us cigarettes—no boon to me, I grant, but I took the will for the deed—and took their place alongside of us at " jerks." A series of football matches was organized between the various batteries, and officers and men shared in the rough camaraderie of "footer," as if to prove Wellington's saying about his good old Waterloo having been won on the playingfields of Eton. THE PANTECHNICON ARMY. There will be no domestic servant problem after the War. Our stay in the Army has solved all that. Clarinda will merely say to Algernon, and Mary to John: " I want the floors wet

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scrubbed to-night or in the morning" ; and Algernon, rubbing his pince-nez, and John, fingering his pipe, will meekly say : " Very good, sir." There is nothing that we cannot do—fetch coals, polish stoves or boots, peel potatoes, scrub floors, clean windows. To-day we have been gardening, that is to say, removing all the grass growing round our huts, for a space of two feet. We are king's gardeners, and wish to put up new badges for all these arts. " Flittings" take us merely a matter of two hours. We are truly an army of " all the talents." It is when I see all this and experience it that I realize the Army has had nothing like its due as a career. It wants " booming." Few of us will ever leave it now, it has become so endeared to us by innumerable domestic ties. It is truly " a home from home." The fathers of the next generation will pay a premium to get their sons into the Army. All the talk about Spartan training and so forth is the mere eye-wash of sentimentalists. Nowhere is one more spoon-fed, nowhere is the legislation for us more grandmotherly. I have spoken of this already, but fresh proofs are always coming up for notice. We know we shall have sausages on Thursday. Sooner do we expect the Huns to goose-step into our camp than that our Thursday sausages should fail. And no Daily Mail "stunts" on Botulism have affected our appetites in the slightest degree. A What the Army really wants to do is to employ some of us humanists, men with the seeing eye and appreciative taste —connoisseurs in sausages, so to speak—to go round the country and really wake it up to the merits of the Army as a " cushy" career. Take, for instance, the pay. On nothing are there more foolish and erroneous ideas. Let me state a few simple facts. In eight months my pay as a ranker has gone up fifty per cent. I like to phrase it thus. In what other profession has one the same or anything like the same rise ? If schoolteachers could get a scale like this, they would indeed be happy. Twenty-five per cent of that increase was for qualifying as a specialist. The Army appreciates the specialist, if School Boards do not. The other twenty-five per cent. was given automatically—just as we do things in the Army—on the completion of six months' service. And in civil life we meekly ask an increase at the end of ten years 1 We pay no taxes ; we never know the indignation of ratepayers ; we do not even make a return of Income Tax, much less pay it. And what is the prospect still before me ? At the end of a year I receive an increment of one denarius per diem. That sounds all right, doesn't it ? Think then what I shall be earning if this really turns out to be a Thirty Years' War ? Clearly the problem after the War will be how to get the men to demobilize at all.

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How TO END THE WAR. Not that I, as a true Scotchman and Aberdonian besides, could be expected to wish it to end just yet. I have not had my free Continental Tour yet, not to speak of a sail to the Mediterranean or the Far East. Still, some people want the thing finished, and it surprises me that the plan I am to suggest has never occurred to any of those clever gentlemen, Messrs. Chesterton, Bernard Shaw, or H. G. Wells. Mr. Hilaire Belloc is to be excused, on the ground that he is still working out the date when the last German reserves will be exhausted. Perhaps it is because I am more acquainted with the true inwardness of things. Anyhow, here it goes. It only needs the armies on both sides to go holus-bolus "sick," or to do " fatigues," and voila ! Neither Sir Douglas nor Foch nor even " Lud." could carry on. " Lud." would just have to wire Foch : " Sorry, old man, but can't put up a barrage to-day. All my men have gone sick or are doing fatigues. Nothing doing." Generalissimo Foch would reply: "Ditto here. Will report later." If this were to continue for a number of days who knows but that the world would suddenly clothe itself and come to its right mind ? I give the idea for what it is worth. DEMOBILIZATION. Every now and then, when the War seems to be looking its worst, we are treated to a demobilization scheme, and our spirits rise accordingly. We have to tell our age, our religion —they ask us all that when we go sick—what we were in civil life, and what station we should like to be taken to by rail. I always volunteer to walk—though that is really to infringe one of the unwritten laws of the Army, " never volunteer for anything "—but finally submit " The Joint" as my favourite station. Then we are grouped in categories for demobilization, some forty-one in all, No. 1 to be let go first and so on. We all like to know our valedictory group. When I heard that agriculture was No. 1, I was not surprised to find the humanists were Group 41. Humanism and Agriculture are always wide as the poles apart, in spite of all the Georgics, whether of Virgil or Mr. Prothero. The occasion is always one for jesting. The miners and iron workers, and even the commercial clerks assure us humanists we are being kept for the great Museum of War Relics. But I maintain that the Army authorities, and particularly the sergeant-majors are so captivated with us, that they wish to retain the delicious aroma of our presence in their midst as long as possible, TERTIARY JOHN,

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Memories of the Old Grammar School. By an Old F.P.

You have been good enough to ask me, Mr. Editor, to write to the Magazine something of what I recollect regarding the Old School in my time, now upwards of sixty years ago. You have more confidence in my being able to make such recollections interesting or useful nowadays than I myself have ; but as the foundations of my future life were laid in that humble building in the Schoolhill, and as a simple statement of how that was done may be helpful to some, I am glad to make it. The woodcut at the top of the Magazine cover shows exactly what the appearance of the School was from the street, with the gateway and enclosing railing in front. To the right is the room of the First Class, to the left that of the Second Class, and between these, with belfry above it, the entrance to the Public School, which extended along the whole building from west to east. Behind the Public School, and entering from it, was, to the left, the room of the Third Class, and to the right that of the Fourth and Fifth Classes. The last was much the largest of the four, and had need to be so, as both these Classes were taught by the Rector together. " Together," does some one ask ? "Impossible !" No, it was not impossible, it was done and was done efficiently. As you entered that room from the Public School, a passage went straight up to the other end of it ; on the left were the seats (or the " factions " as we called them) of the Fourth Class, and to the right those of the Fifth, the highest Class, and the Rector's desk. These "factions" were just rude seats with book-boards in front, and industriously ornamented with letters indicating the "nomina stultorum" of those who carved them. We had a classical line of poetry (?) which we used to repeat to prevent harm being done to those venerable bits of furniture. It was " Q141 saltavit* super the factions, Solvit a saxpence" ! Into this seat of learning came eager disciples from far and near, the near ones, from Aberdeen and thereabout, entering early and going right through the classes ; the far ones coming in at various stages, and some only for the quarter before the Bursary Competition in the end of October. How did we country boys get there ? There were no railways yet, so there were but two alternatives—either on foot or by coach. The late Sir Robert Hamilton told me that they who were Orkney boys came by boat to Lossiemouth and then walked the rest of the way ; and Dr. James Robertson, the founder of the Endowment Scheme, used to ride from Broomhill to Deer, stayed with a relative, went on next day and caught the coach ' Various reading—jumpamt. Authorities differ !!

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at Ellon. The coach, however, where it was available, was the general mode of locomotion in my day. If the weather was good it was a delightful one. To bowl along behind four high-stepping horses, tossing their heads and jingling their harness, as if they gloried in their strength and speed, with the blasts of the guard's horn urging haste on the part of those whom it concerned, and the country unfolding itself picture after picture—why, one felt braced up and cheered, body and soul. But in a dreary day of mist and rain, or perhaps, worst of all, in a day of bitter cold, with the wind in the east off the North Sea, and especially off the Black Dog of Belhelvie, one could only sit and shiver and suffer. A good Samaritan sometimes was to be found. On one such day I sat miserable on the coach to Aberdeen. At Ellon a gentleman wished to get an inside seat, but the inside was full. He had to climb up and happened to sit beside me. I suppose he had seen my condition, at any rate he took a fine warm travelling rug he had and carefully wrapped it round us both. How I felt to that gentle, good, fatherly man I can never tell ; but those who knew him will not be surprised when I mention that he was the late Mr. Yeats of Auquharney. I got to know him afterwards under other conditions. This will never do, however ; I must get on to the Grammar School, and I trust those who may read my reminiscences will forgive my using the first person so much. I tried to use the third, as for instance : " the writer remembers," " the experience of the writer convinces him," and so on. It would not do, it would have suffocated me ; therefore you must just let me tell my story as I can. The Parish School I had to attend was taught by a kindly man who did his best for me ; but he had just one drawback, he could not teach. He got some ten boys to start a Latin class and in a short time all had given it up except myself. Not long aftenvards I, too, stopped it and took to farm work. Friends of the family, especially my own minister's wife and a neighbouring minister, urged me not to stop my education, and I was persuaded to begin again. Finding I was making no progress worth speaking of, I told my father and mother, who were both very anxious that I should go on, the position I was in. They had had many claims to meet, but resolved that they would do their utmost to let me go to the Grammar School, and after harvest I went. My father accompanied me to arrange about lodgings, etc., for I was only fourteen years of age. This having been satisfactorily accomplished, we went to call on the newly-appointed Rector of the School. Dr. Melvin had recently died and one of the teachers, a young man formerly parish schoolmaster of Gamrie, had succeeded

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him. We were told that this new Rector lived in a cottage "out Rosemount way." After a short search we found it. I passed it the other day and it looks still the same ; I recognized the very window of the room in which I first saw him who, next to that of my home, was to be the most potent influence in my after life. He received us kindly, asked the usual questions, and advised that meantime I should join the Third Class. The classes, he said, would be re-arranged after the Bursary Competition, and regular work begin then. All other arrangements having been made, my father returned home and I was left alone in my attic ! Very much alone, I sat and . . . But I must hasten on in my story. The Third Class, which was the Rector's before his promotion, was taught by an interim master until a successor could be appointed. The appointment soon followed and was bestowed on Mr. John Brebner, an excellent teacher, who afterwards greatly distinguished himself by reorganizing the whole system of education in the Orange Free State. I have but a hazy memory of the weeks spent in finding my way then. I have, however, a very distinct memory of the disorder which prevailed under the former master and the complete discipline administered under the latter, with no effort but that of his strong personality. Then came the Competition and the shifting of classes, when the Third became the Fourth, and we migrated into the Rector's room. Now I must be quite candid about myself. I was far behind my classfellows : so far that, after we entered the Fourth Class, my exercises were unexaminable ; indeed, my first one that escaped that Slough of Despond had 68 errors in it. It was indeed a period of despondency. I knew so little and that little badly, and I was for ever falling into deep pits by the way. Looking back now, I do not know how I "carried on." I often thought of giving up altogether, but could not face the heartbreak it would be to the folks at home. So I managed to work on and work hard until one blessed day the clouds broke up and the sun shone out. It was in this way. Passing the end of the "faction" where I was sitting—far down the class—the Rector said : " Will you be so good as wait a moment and see me after dismissal ? " I could not even reply. Was this the end ? Was he out of pure kindness to tell me that I had better give in ? Well, at any rate, I should be out of this horrible suspense. I waited as desired, and this is what he said—his words are as distinct in my ears to-day as they were that day 63 years ago: " I wished to say to you that I know how you are placed. You have been badly taught. Indeed, it would have been better you had not been taught at all, you have so much to unlearn. But you are working ; go on; don't despond; work on and you will conquer and succeed."

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I could not speak ; I could hardly look my gratitude and relief, and I left that old dreary room to enter a new world. Aye, but it took time. When the Fourth Class became the Fifth after the following Competition, I was little more than half way up ; but before the Competition of 1855 matters had mended. One summer Monday morning, when the result of the versions was read out, my name came first and it was a moment or two before I could realize I had to go into the first " faction" opposite the window, beside the Rector's desk. As we were going out that day he signed to me to wait. I did so. " I am glad," he said, " to see this. I told you so." That was all he said ; but it was his doing and many a like deed he did. Can you wonder how I loved him while he lived, and how deep in my heart his memory is cherished? He died Sir William Duguid Geddes, Principal of the University of Aberdeen, my friend all the years along ; but I like to think of him as our Rector of the Old School, standing in his desk, or striding backwards and forwards along the passage between the classes (he never sat), full of enthusiasm, inspired and inspiring, rousing in the dullest of us something of his own admiration for the wisdom of the Greek or the lofty courage of the Roman. He taught us Latin and Greek and English Composition, and Geography and History, and goodness knows what else ; but beyond, and far above all these, he taught us what Duty is. He was not afraid to tell us of our responsibility for the life God had given each of us, how we might make it high and noble in the fear of Him and service of each other ; or a poor, withered, wasted thing, fit only to be cast out and trodden under foot. " Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well," he would exclaim to a careless lad. "Let each tomorrow find us farther than to-day" was a favourite quotation. But what gave his words their supreme power was that we knew not only that he urged these things on us, but that, like the parson in Chaucer— " He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve." (To be continued.)

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" Secrets of the Submarine." * This is a book that ought to be in the hands of every past and present pupil of the School. It is written by an F.P. (he was at the School in 1885-87) who is a recognized authority in naval science, and has for the past seventeen years been in daily touch with every phase of the development of the submarine throughout the world, as he tells us in his preface. For some years before the War he directed the construction of submarines for Britain, so he writes as one with authority and not as one of the weekly or monthly "scribes" who thrill us with their imaginary tales ; and he once more illustrates the saying that truth is stranger than fiction in this altogether fascinating book. To put it briefly, our F.P., who like some new planet has just swum into our ken, has produced a work written for the general public without tedious technical details. And when we mention that his designs for underwater craft have been adopted by two European Powers, we can with confidence follow his reasoning and adopt his conclusions. We learn from his pages, if we did not guess it before, that British submarines have penetrated the German minefield right up to the entrance of Wilhelmshaven and have been within torpedo range of German warships lying there at anchor. Why were the warships not torpedoed ? The answer is given in these pages. Every question that the ordinary man can put regarding the submarine is answered here in a clear and succinct way. "How is.the torpedo fired submerged, and how can the tube be reloaded ? " "Is the submarine rendered hors de combat when her periscopes are shot offs? " "Can the crew escape alive from a sunk submarine? " "What are telephone buoys ? " " How far can one see under water ? " " What of the tell-tale spots of oil and bubbles of oil rising to the surface? " These and many other fascinating questions are fully answered in the book, always with a reticent discretion. The mechanism of the submarine, delicate as that of a watch, with all the elements of design in hull, power plant, and equipment, is fully discussed in a way to hold the attention. Last, but not least, Mr. Hay has given us much information as to how the submarine has influenced the naval policies of the Great Powers, regarding which he tells us that in a conversation with von Tirpitz in 1911 the latter said that he was not at all certain that submarines were an essential part of Germany's naval programme ! • By MARLEY FOTHERINGHAM HAY. With sixteen illustrations. Published by Skeffington & Son, Ltd. Price 3/6 net.

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Flying. The art of flight I would fain designate the wonder of the world ; possibly because the other older wonders are unknown to me. To do justice to the noisy aeroplane a Kipling is necessary; but Kipling happens to be busy at present ; therefore, without attempting to go beyond my depth in the pursuit of Kiplingisms, I will attempt to give a general idea of the sensations of flying, and I may indicate some of the dangers that follow in the wake of the aeroplane. Let us imagine Mr. Tremble about to navigate the air for the first, and, perhaps, last time. He sits in the back seat of, say, an Avro. He is coated with coat of fur and leather, helmet ditto, gloves and goggles. He hears, but is too full of conflicting emotions to understand, the formulae that pass between the pilot in the front seat and the mechanic who is swinging the propellor. The roar of the engine fills poor Tremble with vague uneasiness ; the backwash from the propellor almost chokes him. He sees the pilot give the all-clear signal ; sees the mechanics scuttle for their lives ; then feels the machine career along the ground, while the tail swings up to a horizontal position. The machine has left the ground without Tremble's knowledge, and keeps on at a steady, good-climbing angle. Not until the pilot brings the machine level does Tremble realize that he is in the air. That up-and-down motion gives our novice a very faint indication of what air-sickness is like. The pilot now decides to "bank." Over and round swings the machine, but to Tremble it is the earth that seems to move. This is a trouble the beginner encounters : the earth below seems to assume most startling positions. A few trips up, however, enable him to see things as they really are. The pilot now does a glide. The engine is shut off, and down goes the nose. This is Tremble's most horrible experience. Perhaps Tremble, like many another, has had a fall in his dreams. This common or garden glide when first experienced is an exaggeration of the " dream-fall" ; it is a creepy feeling indeed. In straight, level flight there is no sensation at all, not even of motion, as Tremble discovers. The air-speed indicator is showing one hundred miles an hour, but the machine appears motionless ; down below the fields pass underneath very slowly. Tremble is very glad when he finds himself on terra firma again, for it would not be fair to put him through the heighttest on his first flight. This height-test means climbing to twelve thousand feet, and in these lonely altitudes performing all the usual stunts—looping, spinning, diving, vertical banks, and "Immelmanns," with, perhaps, a tail slide. There are sensations in these-sensations that are not enjoyed at first.

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There are many dangers attendant on flight : the engine may " konk" ; the petrol tank may catch fire owing to an inlet valve giving way ; the wings may crumple up in a dive ; the ailerons may be torn off in a tail slide ; and worst of all the pilot may lose his head. That is the greatest peril. These dangers, however, must not discourage recruiting for the Air Force ; they should rather stimulate the real stuff to come forward : danger is an incentive to daring spirits. I may add that Aberdeen has supplied its quota of airmen, as every other part of Scotland has. Come along, Grammarians, and aspire to something that is " like nothing on earth " ! J. A. S. (1914-17).

General Carey's Force. A former Vice-President of the F.P. Club writes as follows:— " I wonder if you would like a short account of the muchfamed Carey's Force for the Grammar Magazine? I was a member of Carey's staff and had a very interesting experience. " On the evening of the 25th March the situation on the Fifth Army front was as follows : All available Divisions were holding the Line and no reinforcements were likely to be available for at least four days. These Divisions had been continually in action since the commencement of the German attack on 21st March. " General Gough decided that it was essential for the safety of Amiens to hold the Line known as the Amiens Defence Line, which had been dug and wired by the French in the autumn of 1915 when the Highland Division was in that part of the Line. Unfortunately, after the German retirement in 1917, much of the trench had been filled in and wire salved to clear the ground for agriculture. "A conference was held at Army Headquarters late at night on the 25th, and it was found by employing various Army Headquarter troops, troops from Army Infantry Musketry and Sniping Schools, and some U.S.A. Railway Construction Engineers, that a total of about 2,200 all ranks were available to hold a line eight miles long. The Line was just east of Villers Bretonneux. " On the morning of the 26th I received orders to report as staff officer of this force at Villers Bretonneux, and on reporting I received orders that I had to arrange the rationing, water supply, supply of Lewis guns and ammunition for the force ; also to organize the transport necessary. The force had detailed to it about ten motor lorries, under the command of a Canadian A.S.C. officer, who was invaluable and rendered services which made the success. of the show possible, We had .

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also about twenty G.S. wagons available. The drivers of the G.S. wagons were C3 men, and they were called upon to do duty under the most trying conditions, and stood the test magnificently. "Later that day Major-General Carey took over command, and we christened the force by the name it came to be known by. "Meantime one of General Gough's A.D.C.'s had organized a round-up of stragglers and selected all Lewis gunners, so that we very soon had a large force, with a considerable proportion of trained Lewis gunners. All these were sent to the Line, and when we had got our guns, they were sent up to the Lewis gunners. " In the time at our disposal everything had to be done at very high pressure. We arranged a party of stragglers under four very useful Royal Scots fellows to fill the drums of the Lewis guns with S.A.A., so that each Lewis gun was sent up complete with drums ready for action. Another party filled petrol tins with water, which were sent up to be distributed all along the Line. Rations were drawn by both horse and motor transport and dumped right up in the Front Line. One motor lorry ran up so far that the drivers saw the Bosch and were fired at, but managed to escape. "Everything was organized for resisting an attack by the evening of the 26th. The task set the force was to hold on for four days, when the Line would be taken over by a Division. As a matter of fact it held on for eight days, except for a small part of the southern part of the Line, which was shelled out of trenches and withdrew to another line a little further to the west. " Part of the success of the force was due to the detachment of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps which we had. They were fearless and untiring. One lot had some armoured cars. These they ran up as far as they dared, took out the guns and placed them in suitable positions. There they waited until they could get a good bag of Bosches, packed up their guns, and retired to a safer position to avoid the shells which would presently arrive. A grimy young subaltern used to turn up after dusk asking for more ammunition and rations. As soon as he got the authority and was told where to draw them, off he went to look for a fresh position. "As Villers Bretonneux had been evacuated and the civilians had left calves, pigs, rabbits, and poultry, and as these had to be killed to prevent them falling into the enemies hands, those who had means of cooking had a pleasant change from the usual ration. "Of course nothing succeeds like success, and we did a little more than was required of us,"

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The Arms of the Grammar School. These have been recently revised and registered by the Lyon King-of-Arms and his official emblazonment and description, beautifully coloured and engrossed, is now framed and hung in the Hall. As a specimen of the quaint language of heraldry, of special interest to our readers, we quote the blazon in full :— "To All and Sundry whom these Presents do or may concern, We Sir James Balfour Paul, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Doctor of Laws, Lord Lyon King-of-Arms, send greeting. Whereas George Mackenzie Esquire, Advocate in Aberdeen, Chairman, and the remanent Members of the School Board of the City of Aberdeen, as Managers of the Aberdeen Grammar School, with consent of Henry Fife Morland Simpson Esquire, Doctor of Laws, Rector of said School, have by Petition dated the first day of November current prayed that We would grant our Licence and Authority unto them as Managers of said School and to the said School, to bear and use such Ensigns Armorial as might be found suitable and commemorative of Doctor Patrick Dun, Principal of Marischal College, who in 1631 mortified the lands of Ferryhill for the benefit of said School and was its chief benefactor, Know ye therefore that we Devised and Do by these Presents Assign, Ratify and Confirm unto the Petitioners, the School Board of the City of Aberdeen and to their Successors in office as Managers of the Aberdeen Grammar School and to the said School, the following Ensigns Armorial as depicted upon the margin hereof and matriculated of even date with these Presents in our Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, viz. :—Per pale, Gules, in the dexter a tower triple

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towered Argent masoned Sable, and in the sinister a sword paleways proper hilted and pomelled Or between three padlocks of the second, over all on a chief of the last a saltire Azure charged with a book expanded Silver : and in an Escrol below the shield this Motto 'BON RECORD.' In Testimony whereof these Presents are subscribed by us and the Seal of our Office is appended hereunto at Edinburgh the sixteenth day of November in the eighth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Fifth by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, etc., and in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and seventeen." J. BALFOUR PAUL, (Signed) Lyon.

THE LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN,

23rd May, 1918.

Dear Mr. Editor, Though the Grammar School coat of arms received official sanction only in November last, it has been in use for a generation. In March, 1884, the late Dr. James Moir, who was then Rector, asked me to devise an appropriate coat for the School, which should symbolize at once the intimate connexion that had always subsisted with the Corporation, and the chief event in the history of the School, the bequest in 1631 by Dr. Patrick Dun of the lands of Ferryhill. I, accordingly, suggested that a portion of the burgh arms should be "impaled" with the arms of Dun of Tarty, as recorded prior to the Lyon Register of 1672 ; and that the essentially Scottish character of the School should be indicated by a " chief" bearing a St. Andrew's cross charged with an open book. It is a principle of heraldry—at least of modern heraldry--that " colour should not be placed on colour, or metal on metal." To avoid the placing of an Azure chief on a Gules field, the Scottish St. Andrew's cross, white on blue, has been transformed into a blue cross on a white ground—an allowable inversion. I am pleased to observe that the Lyon has now given his approval to this composition. At the meeting of the School Board in May, 1884, the design was submitted by the then chairman, Principal Salmond and was approved. A rather amusing correspondence on the subject will be found in the columns of the Free Press, 15th to 20th May. The usual "Plain Man" poured scorn upon the "silly proposal" and the "solemn deliberations " of the School Board. The late Mr. Peter Duguid, advocate, a skilled

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herald, called attention to the illegality of the proceedings; and it was pointed out that under the Scots Act of 1672, cap. 21, the employment of unauthorized arms by public bodies subjected the offenders to fine and escheat to the Lyon of all movables on which such devices are represented ; and further, that under the earlier Act of 1592, cap. 125, the members of the School Board were in serious danger of making themselves liable to be "incarcerat in the narrest prisone, thairin to remane, upoun thair awin chargis, during the plesour of the said Lyoun." It was, however, not until 1917 that the Lyon gave audible proof of his wrath. He has now been appeased, and all has ended happily. The method of " impaling," i.e., placing side by side, the arms of co-founders, is not unusual in the case of educational institutions. Examples occur in the arms of Gonvill and Caius College, Cambridge (Gonvill impaling Caius) ; and of Wadham College, Oxford (Wadham impaling Petre). But a more familiar local illustration is found in the arms of the University of Aberdeen, where the dexter half shows the arms of Old Aberdeen and Bishop Elphinstone, the sinister half those of Aberdeen (in part) and the Earl Marischal. The use of only a portion of the bearings of a constituent part of a composition is also quite in accordance with heraldic custom. Thus, in the beautiful coat of Eton, one of the fleurs-de-lis of France impales, on a chief, one of the lions passant guardant of England. The "blazon," or technical description of the Grammar School arms, is interesting as illustrating a principle of heraldic phraseology, which bars the repetition of the name of a " tincture" or colour. Thus we find in succession Gules, Argent, Sable, Or, Azure, but the Argent padlocks are " of the second," the Argent chief is "of the last," and the Argent book is " Silver." Dr. Moir chose as motto the Ciceronian Ratio conformatioque doctrine ; but Dr. Morland Simpson's Bon Record is better. It is not a mere moral sentiment ; the French is as good French as is required in a motto ; and the echo of the Aberdeen Bon Accord is very happy. Sincerely yours, P. J. ANDERSON.

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SCHOOL NOTES. Verily during the past few weeks summer has been upon us in all its glory, and the splendid weather has been anything but favourable for the hard work expected from us in preparation for the crowning torment of the year—the Bursary Competition. The Sixth, however, have faithfully endeavoured to persevere in their task, and considered the last few lines of the poem set in the English paper peculiarly appropriate to themselves :— " June on her triumphal progress goes Through arched and bannered woodlands ; while for [us] She is a legend emptied of concern, And idle is the rumour of the rose." * * *

We are even now in the midst of the torment and, therefore, would crave a little sympathy in our poor attempt to compile a record of the recent events of interest in the School, where, as far as we can gather, there have been practically none. One free morning we ventured down to the School to see if we could glean some surer information on certain points, but as soon as our fell purpose was discovered, the cry arose" A chield's amang you taking notes, And, faith, he'll prent it,'

and we had to withdraw in haste from the presence of the infuriated rabble. * * * This summer again a very satisfactory number of names was given in of those willing to do duty as forestry or farm workers during the holidays. All who went last year thoroughly enjoyed their spell of work, and had the satisfaction of knowing that they were doing something really useful for the country. We had hoped to give our services again, but unfortunately the negotiations with the Aberdeen agricultural authorities have fallen through. Some arrangement, however, may yet be come to whereby employment may be found for the many willing volunteers. * * * Towards the end of the season interest in the Debating Society began to fall off somewhat, owing to the lack of speakers to keep the debates going, but it was revived in an unexpected manner by the discovery of considerable musical talent among the members. Two most enjoyable evenings were spent and the Society thoroughly appreciated the kindness of Mr. Mackenzie Forbes and Mr. G. E. Hay in so willingly coming to its aid ; for the success of the two sing-songs was almost entirely due to them. In addition to the keen enjoyment it affords, the Society fulfils a most useful purpose in cementing the cordial relations of masters and pupils, and further it has

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

1)14

a great influence in keeping up the esprit de corps of the School, and, therefore, every effort should be made to keep it going despite the small numbers in the upper classes. Long may it continue to flourish ! The sing-songs made one wish that Mr. Hendry could once more be back amongst us to carry out his scheme of starting a Choral Society. It was quite evident that there is ample talent in the School. * * * The cricket season is now well on its way. The XI are very fortunate in having two very capable leaders in their Captain and Secretary, as well as one or two others of the chief players of last year. To begin with the scoring was principally confined to the two or three best, the rest being a long way behind, but now these have greatly improved, as the last match clearly shows, and have turned the scales in favour of the School. * * * Tennis this year is again in a most flourishing condition, even greater enthusiasm being shown than last year, which proved so successful. Now that the Club is firmly established, it is becoming more enterprising and has already played several matches. An American Tournament in aid of the Pavilion Fund has been arranged to begin on 15th June. * * * It is with great pleasure, too, that we record the continued and increased prosperity of the Swimming Club. It has a very large membership, drawn mostly from the younger pupils, a fact which promises well for the future of the Club. The prospects for the swimming sports, which by the time this is read will be over, on 14th June, are exceptionally bright, and a most interesting item has been added to the programme, a polo match against the 'Varsity. This is sure to prove an exceedingly popular addition. Great interest has been aroused among the members by the adoption of a badge, specially designed for the Club, which is in future to be worn by the members on their costumes and, in slightly different form, by the Committee. * * * A parallel bars team has been formed out of Middle III, and has been ably trained by Mr. Allan, who, in the absence of Mr. Summers, is carrying on the gymnastic instruction of the Middle School. The team took part in a performance in the Music Hall, before a crowded audience, on Monday, 10th June, in aid of Aberdeen's Red Cross Week. The team is heartily to be congratulated on its excellent display. Some of the School scouts also took part on one of the nights, and a collection made during the Week in all the classes of the School amounted to £12.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

Empire Day was this year celebrated again in the usual manner. After the customary salute of the Flag, the School and visitors entered the Hall and a short service was held. Then Mr, Duncan of the School Board introduced Colonel Lachlan Mackinnon, a former Dux of the School, who delivered a stirring patriotic speech on the duties of citizenship in the Empire. Mr. Mackenzie, chairman of the School Board, proposed the vote of thanks to Colonel Mackinnon, which was accorded with the usual " Grammar" heartiness. Under the leadership of Mr. Soutar the junior choir sang "The Maple Leaf for Ever," and the American Battle Hymn. In conclusion the National Anthem was sung. A collection on behalf of the Serbian Prisoners of War Fund amounted to £11. * * * the staff of the School. Mr. place in change has taken A Charles Harvey Simpson, who has been with us for some time and who proved himself a very popular master, has gone as English Master to Annan Academy, Dumfries. Mr. Simpson is a Former Pupil, and his old School wishes him every success as he now leaves it for the second time. A lady teacher, Miss H. Copland, M.A., has temporarily filled Mr. Simpson's place, and next session it will be taken by Mr. Robert Gordon, M.A. (Aberd.), at present head master of Lintrathen School, Alford. * * * It was with sincere regret that the School learned of the death of Mr. Samuel Pope. Tributes to him will be found elsewhere in this Magazine, but we cannot refrain from giving expression here to the sorrow of the present pupils at losing one who had always held such a high place in their affection, and whom they had so often delighted to honour. It was not the privilege of any now at School to be taught by Mr. Pope, who endeared himself to so many Grammar School boys, but he still remained a familiar figure on all special occasions in the School, and the boys always regarded it as a point of honour that Mr. Pope should receive a special ovation. His interest in the School never lapsed, and on such occasions as the annual Christmas serenade of the Masters, the School regularly remembered Mr. Pope and was always sure of a very real welcome from him. * * * And now we have come to the end of our editorial labours. le was in great fear and trembling that we began to write our first School Notes, and it is with a feeling of relief that we now finish our last, and lay aside the editorial pen with the hope that an abler hand than ours may take it up. Our relief at being thus freed from these duties is far outbalanced, however, by the deep sense of the honour conferred upon us

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in having held the position of School Editor of the Magazine. It is with no such feeling of relief or joy that in but a few days we shall leave these halls, where for a dozen years we have sojourned with continual pleasure. But though no longer at it, our wish will ever be: "Floreat Schola Grammatica Aberdonensis."

Random Notes. Do you know the feeling that overtakes one when one has just lost five shillings, expects with horror a particularly virulent exam. next day, feels out of sorts and disinclined for work, and yet has had one's nose to the organ-grinder--the grindstone, I mean—all day? Now suppose, for one -lurid moment, that besides all this, you were expected, nay, obliged, to plant yourself at a table and try to be funny ! Even a worm or a jug of milk will turn, but the hapless writer of these notes must needs set his teeth, clench his fists, and write, if possible, in that position. We are now approaching the end of the session (indeed, we have been since September last), and the events of each day have become familiar to us all. The rising, the breakfasting, if any, and the hurrying Schoolwards I shall make no attempt to deal with. At School, however, the programme of the day starts with the most interesting item, that is, Hall (time permitting). We are not, unfortunately, in a position to speak of the commencement of this ceremony, but will make some attempt to describe the end. About five minutes after the bell has rung, the stream of entering youths thins out, and there is a pause of perhaps sixty seconds ; then three of the Sixth appear very suddenly and sit down ; immediately after them comes a very small boy, very much scared and highly flushed ; he appears with a jerk, and having lost all self-control, either winks or puts out his tongue at the dignified Upper School, and stumbles his way to the far end of the Hall. The door is just about to be closed, when all at once a weird racket is heard, a hullabaloo suggestive of stampeding buffaloes; when the stamping, thumping and tearing sounds have subsided, three youths enter ; they pant loudly, and their encrimsoned features are dripping with perspiration ; their hair is ruffled, their ties awry, their collars are crumpled and wrenched beyond repair ; they (we hope you recognize them) march with downcast looks to their seats and sit down in a subdued and repentant manner. At last the door closes, only to open again, and admit one more arrival. This time it is the Editor of the Magazine; he appears calm and unhurried ; he is without any signs of his

192

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hasty descent of Short Loanings, and one might think, wrongly, that he had been in the School for at least ten minutes ; he sits down, brushes back his front hair, looks aggrievedly at his watch, and the proceedings commence. The next remarkable event takes place at about ten minutes to nine. At this time of year one would expect the hot pipes to maintain an aloof and literally frigid silence, and so, for the most part, they do. At this moment, however, the pipes outside Room I seem imbued with sudden vigour. They rattle, they clank, they rumble, and, strangest of all, they make curious whispering and giggling noises. These sounds always cease just before the entry of the Banchorites—the Deeside contingent, that is—so we have always supposed that they managed to suppress the unseemly demonstrations somehow ; but we never liked to ask them. The next event is at twenty past nine, when the gardener opens a tin of sardines ; the little woolly dog howls frightfully for a moment in a strangling diminuendo, and by 9.21 every window in the School is shut tight. A few minutes after ten another unusual noise is heard, the sound of a giant sewing machine or a magnified dentist's drill. " An aeroplane ! " cries everybody, and for a minute or so all eyes are turned upwards. The search is, however, fruitless, and presently the classes return to their studies with a sigh of disappointment. Cynical persons have recommended those daily dupes to consult the penny time table about the times of departure of the Midmar bus. Who knows ? Soon after this brief diversion is past, we hear the thudding footsteps of the Man who runs the Marathon round the School. We have never seen him ; but we know his habits well. He invariably runs in the same direction, that is from north to south by the west side ; but his pace is by no means so constant ; sometimes he seems to be round again almost before the sound of his footsteps has died away, while at other times it takes him more than half an hour ; sometimes he makes little noise, running with a long heavy stride, and again he may be heard now and then shuffling past with quick scraping steps, shrieking and hooting as he goes like a cow in a respirator or a paralytic railway engine with a stone in its throat. We hope to see more of him at the next sports. Sometimes it is by no means a case of one person running by. They come, at times, in droves. Now and then a covey of youngsters hurtles past the window with shrill cries of objurgation and appeal. At other times some grave and irreverent seniors slip past on tiptoe with quite audible whispers of warning or thanksgiving for liberty ; while sometimes the

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passers are of another sort, as a certain master discovered on the day of the Central School's drawing examination, when he incautiously showed himself at the window before a troop of damsels whose unseemly clamour he was endeavouring to still. The interval is still going strong ; the bun-fight rages as furiously as ever. An automatic machine has v(apparently) been installed in the Library which certainly lets the librarians " out to grass." This last is a reference to the pathetic beauty of the rural habits of many people in this hot weather. These most bucolic juvenals plunge themselves into the mellow grass of the big field, sipping the honey from the flowers and browsing on the bees that warble by, until it is time for them to return to their labours. We always experience a shock of disappointment when they stand up, for to match their pastoral surroundings they ought to be clad in smocks and so forth. Well, well ! They are at least wiser than those foolish juniors who vainly imagine that the sawed-off end of the old goal-posts is a trapdoor leading to hidden treasure, or those who seek to irrigate the arid wastes of the infants' playground by means of the " bubble-fountain." The usual sources of humour have failed to respond in proportion to the need. The fire-alarm passed in an orderly manner, and the two bold youths who were dispatched in search of the fire failed to report in the obvious manner, "In the boiler-room, sir ! " Empire Day itself went by on laughterless wings ; it is true that the two members of the Sixth who fled the Hall during the singing of the National Anthem, were nearly mobbed by those who considered them either proGermans or would-be insulters of the choir. It is not true that it was the sight of those same two standing rigid like flunkeys beside the no less terrifying collection plates that was responsible for the orderly and almost hesitant exit of part of the audience. The various medal examinations went by peaceably ; nay, even the Bursary Comp. itself provided no thrilling anecdote. We noticed, however, that the gentleman most conspicuous for unpunctuality was one who gets the minimum of practice in being in time for Hall. Finally, the whole School, we may say, is carrying on as in days of yore. The Classicals pore over Xenophon or St. Luke, the Chemists are still pounding glass and twinkling symbols, the Musicians make the corridors resound every Friday. The writer of these notes leans back till his chair overturns and lands him, after a moment of clutching agony, in the fender. The blots from his pen besmirch the rest of the page. Without any reluctance he gives it up as an extremely bad job. It is finished.

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The Literary and Debating Society. 22nd February.—This evening Mr. J. Mackenzie Forbes, M.A., delivered a lecture on Jane Austen before a large attendance of the Society. Mr. Forbes treated his subject with great skill and held the undivided attention of his audience from start to finish. He gave a most interesting and lively description of Miss Austen's character and of her literary work, and read some well chosen extracts from tier books. It had been decided to hold the usual Final SingSong at the close of the lecture, and Mr. Forbes had very kindly agreed to sing, Mr. Forbes sang and several members had also promised to take part. several old favourites such as "The Admiral's Broom" and "To-morrow will he Friday," which were enjoyed to the full by his enthusiastic audience. The meeting was reluctantly brought to an end shortly after 9.30 and Mr. Forbes received the very cordial and hearty thanks of the Society for what was unanimously voted an exceptionally successful evening. 1st March.—Owing to the success of the former Friday, another Sing-Song was held, and this evening the Society was favoured by the presence of Mr. George E. Hay, M.A., who delighted the large audience with several solos. Mr. G. P. Gordon again played very finely on the violin, and many members sang with great acceptance. The number of performers gave variety, and perhaps the best among them were Messrs. Marr, Huss, Murray, and Gordon. A very hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Hay. The accompaniments were admirably played on both evenings by Mr. W. K. Moir. 8th March.—The closing meeting of the season was held this evening in the Hall. Dr. M'Leod presided and introduced the lecturer, the Rev. T. Angus Fraser, M.A., whose subject was " Pictures of Gipsy Life, or with George Borrow through his books." Mr. Fraser is one of the most popular lecturers, and on this occasion he amply maintained his high reputation. Borrow's character, travels, and books were eloquently described, and a large number of exquisite slides depicting gipsy life were shown. At the ck s very cordial votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. Fraser and Dr. M`Leod.

School Tennis. On Saturday, 18th May, tennis commenced with a match at the New Field against 1st 'Varsity. It was a splendid afternoon, and if School had had more practice they would have given the 'Varsity a better game. As it was there were some good sets, but 'Varsity were much superior on the whole. School played 2nd 'Varsity on 29th May, and this time the game was more even. The results of the match were : matches 6-3 ; sets 82-72 for 'Varsity. On Saturday, 8th June, School played Ferryhill at the School courts, but owing to weather conditions the match was not finished. The scores were : matches 4-2 for School.

School Cricket. Cricket commenced with a match at the New Field on 18th May against the F.P.'s. The weather was glorious and the pitch in good condition. F.P.'s batted first and were all out for 29. School in their turn were as quickly put out and the last wicket fell with the score at 24. In the second innings Reid increased the F.P.'s score by some fine hits. The F.P.'s declared at 74 for eight wickets. School also batted much better in the second innings and had hard luck in not winning the match, for they were beaten by only 12. On the following Saturday School played the 'Varsity. 'Varsity batted first and their innings closed at 72. Gordon and Moir opened for the School and formed an excellent combination. Gordon's wicket fell when his score was 37 and when School's score was one lesS than 'Varsity's. Moir made 36. The rest of the team did not make as good a stand, and the final score was 96. On Saturday, 1st June, the School played the Royal Asylum at Elmhill. School were beaten by 22, the scores being 79 for the Asylum and 57 for School. Moir was the highest scorer with 20, and had also 5 wickets for 13. On Saturday, 8th June, School played Woodside at Woodside. The weather was rather showery, but it did not stop the game. School batted well, making in all 138. Thomson was top scorer with 26. Gordon had 25, and Cruickshank 22. Woodside made 104. Moir was the best bowler for the School with 6 wickets for 16. On the evening of Wednesday, 12th June, a match was played against the F.P.'s. The score was : School 121 ; F.P.'s 64. Top scorers for School were G. N. Gordon 48 ; C. Moir 20. 15th June—Kingseat, 41 ; School, 126 for 5 wickets.

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School Officials. -

SESSION

1917-1918.

(James Committee. The RECTOR. Mr. JAMES DAVIDSON. -

President, Hon. Secretary,

M. STEPHEN. D. S. STEWART. R. D. STRACHAN. K. THOMSON. A. M. WALKER. P. J. M. WALKER. J. WEIR.

L. L. Huss. C. N1ACRAE. W. K. MOIR. • T. P. E. MURRAY. J. C. RENNIE. K. M. ROBERTSON. E. SORLEY. R. A. SPARK.

Mr. J. C. KNOX. Mr. R. MACRAE. W. A. BAXTER. C. CAMERON. G. M. DEAN. G. N. GORDON. R. S. B. HERVEY. H. HOPKINS.

Football.

Caphtin,

G. N. GORDON. I Secretary, -

M. STEPHEN.

Cricket. I Secretary, GORDON. G. N.

W. K. MOIR.

Captain,

Swimming. J. C. RENNIE. J. A. MARR. . K. ROBERTSON. Mr. R. MACRAE. Committee. D. COCHRAN. G. GORDON. R. FERRIER. W. MOIR.

Captain, Vice-Captain, Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, I

J. I. C. CROMBIE. J. STIRRAT.

Tennis.

Captain,

M. STEPHEN. I Secretary,

- T. P. E. MURRAY.

Literary and Debating Society. D. S. STM.WART. M. STEPHEN. D. L. THOMSON. R. A. B. JAFFRAY.

President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, -

{

Committee. C. M. DEAN. E. E. REID.

C. B. BISSET. T. P. E. MURRAY.

Reference,

G. N. GORDON.

Library. Miss SINCLAIR.

Lending— M. STEPHEN.

D. S. STEWART. R. A. B. JAFFRAY.

G. M. DEAN.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

The Former Pupils' Club. Report for Year ended 15th April, 1918. The Executive has pleasure in submitting the Report of the Club for the year ended 15th April, 1918. Throughout the year the arrangements made in November, 1915, for carrying on the work of the Club during the absence of the Secretary and Treasurer on war service have been continued and have again proved satisfactory. Membership. In spite of the large proportion of Former Pupils away on active service, the membership of the Club has not only been maintained but has been increased, the number of Members on the Register being 1,499. This is 28 more than last year, and the highest figure yet reached by the Club. During the year 45 Former Pupils became Life Members, and 87 became Ordinary Members. • Of the 74 boys who left the School during the session 1916-17, 43 have already joined the Club. The Executive considers this very satisfactory, especially in view of the unsettling effect of the Military Service Acts on boys who are just completing their School curriculum. It must also be borne in mind that not a few of the boys leaving the School in any one session are too young to be expected to join the Club immediately. The membership of the Club is now as follows : Life Members surviving at 15th April, 1918, 348 ; Ordinary Members, 1,119 ; Honorary Members, 32. Subscriptions. The subscriptions for the year have come in probably as well as could be expected in present circumstances. 147, however, are still unpaid, and the Executive would ask all members who are in arrear with their subscriptions to send them as early as possible, along with their subscriptions for 1918-19. Losses by Death. During the year the Club has lost 40 members by death. These include three of the Honorary Vice-Presidents: Sir

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

197

William Mortimer Clark, K.C., LL.D., for five years LieutenantGovernor of Ontario ; Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Alexander B. McHardy, K.C.B., and Mr. George B. Esslemont, for 10 years M.P. for South Aberdeen—also the senior member of the Club, Rev. George Wisely, M.A., D.D., of Malta. The number of Members who have fallen during the year while on active service is the same as last year, viz., 27, bringing the total since the commencement of the War up to 72. Naval and Military Honours to Members. The following honours and rewards have been conferred during the year on members of the Club :— Victoria Cross-1 (Lieutenant R. G. Combe). C.M.G.-2. Distinguished Service Order-3. Bar to Military Cross-2. Military Cross-24. Croix de Guerre-1. Mentioned in Dispatches—upwards of 40. The Magazine. In spite of the greatly increased cost of production, the Magazine has been issued regularly and has been maintained at the normal size. As usual a large proportion of the available space has been devoted to F.P. personalia, and no effort has been spared to make the War record of the School as complete as possible. The F.P. Memorial Pavilion. While the scheme for erecting a Pavilion in the new Playfield as an appropriate memorial to those of the School who have fallen in the War has not been pressed, subscriptions amounting to over £75 have already been intimated. Club Medals. The Club presented Silver Medals to the best English and Science Scholars at the School, and also a Silver Medal in Mathematics. The Club All-Round Trophy was awarded to John Tower Sorley,

ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL FORMER PUPILS' CLUB. Abstract of Revenue and Expenditure Account for Year ended 15th April 1918. EXPENDITURE.

REVENUE. I. Cash in hand and Invested Funds at 15th April 1917 £693 4 14 II. Subscriptions— Life Members— Admitted during year - .694 IO O Additional Subscriptions received during year 5 5 O Ordinary Members— - 13 to O Arrears recovered Subscriptions paid in advance _ 20 7 6 during year paid during Subscriptions - 97 1 5 O 1917-18 231 7 6 III. Miscellaneous— Interest, Discount, etc. - £33 9 9 Memorial Pavilion Fund—Dona- 63 11 O tions received Recreation Ground Fund—Dona5 5 o tion received 102 5 9 £1,026 17

4.4

I. Magazine I I. Miscellaneous Expenditure I I I. Working Expenses IV. Depreciation on InvestmentsV. Cash in hand and Invested Funds Aftfilicable asfollows :— £502 6 6 Capital 20 O II " Roll of Old Boys" Fund 131 17 Byron Statue Fund 74 1 o 6 Memorial Pavilion Fund Recreation Ground Fund 5 5 O 16 o 241 London Section £750 O Deduct—Deficit for year ended 15th April 1918 £49 8 9 Less—Surplus Revenue 27 14 II at 15th April 1917

£163 16 it 3 to 6 46 3 4 85 o o 728 6 74

21 13 10

£728 6 75 £1,026 17 44

ABERDEEN, 18th June 1918.—We have examined the foregoing Revenue and Expenditure Account for year ended 15th April 1918, compared same with the vouchers, and found it correct. (Signed) BOWER & SMITH, C.A., Honorary Auditors.

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Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine.

199

•

The Club Semi-Jubilee. The Executive desires to remind Members that on 11 th September, 1918, the Club will have been in existence for 25 years. Its foundation was due entirely to the efforts of Dr. Morland Simpson, who this year will complete a quartercentury of faithful service as Rector of the School. From small beginnings and in spite of early vicissitudes the Club has attained a membership of almost exactly 1,500, and has won for itself recognition as one of the chief custodians of the interests of the School. The Financial Statement. The Treasurer's Accounts, of which an abstract is appended, show a deficit of £49 8s. 9d. on the year's working. After deduction from this sum of the balance of accumulated surplus revenue from previous years, viz., £27 14s. 11d., there remains a net deficit of £21 13s. 10d. The deficit for the year is again due almost entirely to the greatly increased cost of printing the Magazine. In view of the facts that the cost of printing and postage would be still greater in the year 1918-19, and that the Club's accumulated surplus revenue has been exhausted, the Executive has decided for the remaining period of the War to restrict the Magazine to two issues in the year, instead of three. The Funds at the end of the financial year amount to £728 6s. 7kd., which sum includes the capital of the Club, and the sums held on account of the " Roll of Old Boys " Fund, the Byron Statue Fund, the Memorial Pavilion Fund, and the New Recreation Ground Fund. These Funds are represented by the following investments, viz.: £250 4 per cent. Debenture Stock of the Scottish Northern Investment Trust, Ltd. (valued at £66 per cent.), £100 on Deposit Receipt with the Aberdeen Trust Company, Ltd., £100 6 per cent. Registered Exchequer Bond (1920), £100 5 per cent. Registered Exchequer Bond (1922), £15 Bearer National War Bonds (1922), and the balance is on Deposit Receipt with the North of Scotland and Town and County Bank, Ltd., in the Aberdeen Savings Bank, and in the London and Aberdeen Treasurers' hands.

200

Aberdeen Grammar School .llagazine.

List of New Members. LIFE MEMBERS. Alexander Clark (1885-89), Selborne College, East London, South Africa. Captain Maurice J. Williamson (1894-1903), R.A.M.C., c/o Messrs. Holt & Co., 3 Whitehall Place, London, S.W. Alexander Wishart Edward (1911-17), "Restalrig," Cults. John Rae (1882-85), Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh. Harry A. Holmes, Jr. (1904-08), "Fairfield," Aberdeen. John B. Holmes (1905-17), "Fairfield," Aberdeen. Second Lieutenant Lawrence G. Smith (1909-15), R.F.C., 31 Devonshire Road, Aberdeen. Adam Alexander Ritchie (1903-08), Aitchison College, Lahore, India. Herbert Ritchie (1905-16), "Heliopolis," Anderson Drive, Aberdeen. Captain John Mackintosh (1904-10), Bank House, Hopeman, Morayshire. Lieutenant William T. B. Joss (1909-14), 26 Loanhead Terrace, Aberdeen. W. G. Robertson (1888-90), Colpy, by Inch. J. B. Ronald (1884-89), Uplands, Woodcote Road, Wallington, Surrey. James E. Lawrie, Jr. (1902-12), 20 Onslow Road, Richmond, Surrey. Captain William Shepherd (1894-1903), R.E., 6 Marine Terrace, Aberdeen. Lieutenant William M. Littlejohn (1901-02), R.E., 33 Cranford Road, Aberdeen. ames Robert Milne (1887— ? ) D.Sc., 5 North Charlotte Street, Edinburgh. ieutenant Douglas H. W. Williamson (1894-1902), c/o Messrs. Butchart and Rennet, Advocates, 1231 Union Street, Aberdeen. A. V. W. Cantlay (1903-10), c/o Messrs. Guthrie & Co., Ltd., Medan. William Ogilvie Fiddes (1904-15), 42 Rubislaw Den South, Aberdeen. W. G. Irvine-Fortescue (1910-13), Kingcausie, Milltimber. Lieutenant George J. Allan (1897-1902), R.E., 36 Foothill Road, Aberdeen. James Gordon (1901-06), 42 Grosvenor Place, Aberdeen. H. J. Lawrence (1901-04), Hoolungooree T.E., Mariani P.O., Assam, India. William F. Cook (1911-13), Waterside, Newburgh. Douglass A. Mortimer (1895-99). Rev. James T. Soutter (1898-1902), The Manse, Whitekirk, Prestonkirk.

ORDINARY M. Williamson (1866-70), 17 Napier Road, Edinburgh. Alexander R. Chalmers (1914-17), 46 Burns Road, Aberdeen. George Gerrie (1910-15), 93 Bonnymuir Place, Aberdeen. Alexander Hepburn Mitchell (19131914), Auchreddie House, New Deer. Lieut. Edward Bimie Reid (1902-13), • R.F.A., Woodbank, Cults. William E. Gordon (1913-17), 102 Broomhill Road, Aberdeen. Thomas William Kennard (1911-16), 28 Mile-end Avenue, Aberdeen. H.

MEMBERS. Private Charles E. Hutchison (19061912), 70 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen. Sec. Lieut. A. W. Scott (1910-13), A.S.C.(M.T.), 11 Deemount Road, Aberdeen. Gordon W. Hunter (1907-16), 15 Carlton Place, Aberdeen. Robert E. Hunter (1907-13), 15 Carlton Place, Aberdeen. Bertie James Grant (1911-17), 121 Clifton Road, Aberdeen. F. K. Chen (1912-14), M.A., 424 Great Western Road, Aberdeen. Robert P. Gammie (1912-17), 30 Rosebery Street, Aberdeen.

Magazine Committee. F.P. Club Representatives— THEODORE WATT, M.A. (Convener and Editor-in-Chief). CHARLES DAVIDSON, M.A. WM. KEITH LEASK I - , M.A. School Representatives— DONALD S. STEWART. DAVID L THOMSON. MAXWELL STEPHEN. GORDON M. DEAN,

Editor, Literary Editor, Sfiorts Editor, Business Manager, -

Established 1859.

Telephone 175o.

FOR --

MILK and CREAM, BUTTER, EGGS, TEA CAKES, SCONES, & OATCAKES, TRY

FINDLAY'S DAIRY, 457 UNION STREET, & BRANCHES, ABERDEEN; Also, THE SQUARE, CULTS.

W. LUMSDEN & SON, 58

UNION

STREET,

itberbecn. GROCERIES, PROVISIONS, WINES and SPIRITS, ALL

HIGHEST

QUALITY.

HAVANA CIGARS in Great Variety. Telegrams: "TRAVELLED, ABERDEEN."

'PHONE 260.

GEORGE ANDERSON, "THE "

IRONMONGER,

STREET,

BROAD

Office exactly opposite.

and "Express"

"Journal"

The recognised Store for .Kerbs and Fenders—all kinds all sizes. Incandescent Lighting a Speciality. 'PHONE 2174. Telephone No. 609.

"Reid,

: Te leg, a Auctioneer, Aberdeen."

JOHN W. REID, nucttoneer, Valuator, an0 fire Z199ess-or, 7 CROWN STREET and 63 LOCH STREET, ABERDEEN. SALES

WEEKLY_

Established 1883.

Grammar School Specialities. Navy Serge Football Shorts, wide cut, 4/11, 5/11. Coloured Cashmere Jerseys, Newest Colours, 5/6, 5/11, 6/6, 7/8. Cream Viyella Jerseys, Buttoned Shoulder, 4/6, 4/11, 5/6. White Wincey Shirts, detached Collar, 3/11, 4/8. White Repp Shirts, Polo Collar, 2/11, 3/6, 3/11. ' Navy Serge Eton Caps, Piped Red, White, Blue, 1/114, 2/8. Self-Navy Serge Eton Caps, 1/114, 2/6. Grammar School Cap Badges, 21d. each. Red, White, Blue Knitted Ties, 60. each. Red, White, Blue Elastic Belts, 61d., 1/- each. Navy Cloth Tennis Jackets, Corded Red,White, Blue, 5/11,6/6,6/11. Boys' White Eton Collars, various depths, 71d. each. Youths' Soft Collars, Double or Polo style, 60., 74d., 84d. each. Youths' White Starched Collars, double style, various depths, 81d. each.

JOHN FALCONER00 FAMOUS FOR A CENTURY& QUARTER FOR

QUAUTY&YALUE I

HE ROYAL ARCADE I ABERDEEN

M. H. SINCLAIR, SEED AND BULB MERCHANT AND

FLORIST,

347 Union Street, ABERDEEN. Telephone

SPECIALIST IN ALL KINDS OF FLORAL WORK.

1121.

CHOICEST FLOWERS ALWAYS ON HAND.

FOR .

. .

Drawing Instruments and Materials,

R framer ant) TAYLO 9' icture kirti6t6' Colourman, SCHOOLHILL, ABERDEEN. Telephone 2870.

J. GEDDES, tobacco a Cigar Inercbant. All High-clan Tobaccos. Cigars, and Cigarettes in perfect condition may be had at

• lb All kinds of Smokers' Requisites.

A large and varied Stock of Walking Sticks by the best London Makers Solo Agent for the famous Dunhill Pipes.

478

Union Street,

Aberdeen.

, TYPEWRITERS BOUGHT HIR,ED ALL MAKES £3 to £24. 100 In Stock, Pre-War Prices.

REPAIRED, SOLD.

CHARLES H. WEBSTER, 472 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN. 'Phone 505.

All Fresh from Ellon Daily. The Fountainhead for Fine Buchan Butter, Fresh Farm Eggs, Fine Home-made Cheese, Fowls, Chickens, Rabbits, Duckling., Jams (all own make), Honey (in Supers, l lb. and 2lb.), Honey (in nice Tumblers).

MILNE7 Ellon Stall, New Market . TELEPHONE 746.

And Branoh-404

UNION STREET—Tel. 251.

JAMES FYFE & SON, PAINTERS & GLAZIERS, OFFICE & SHOWROOMS, 11 DEE ST. Tel.: Fyfe, Painters.

'Phone 304.

Best Quality of DRUGS, etc., at Lowest Gash Price.

JAMES D. DUNCAN, M.P.S., eboilit3t, IPbarinacii5t,

231 UNION STREET

231

Telephone 311.

WYLLIE

SO N,

247 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN. Agents for Ordnance Survey Maps. Booksellers, Army and Navy Stationers. Circulating Library in connection with Mudie's, of London. Engraving, Bookbinding, and Printing of every description. Fountain Pen Emporium. Premier House in the North of Scotland for the sale of Scottish Publications. Publishers and Proprietors of " The Aberdeen Book.Lover." Telephone 402.

Established 1814.

Telegraphic Address : " Wyllie, Booksellers, Aberdeen."

CAST=OFF CLOTHING. Mrs. M`CALL, 50 UPPERKIRKGATE, ABERDEEN, (Established over quarter of a century)

will wait upon Ladies and Gentlemen, and give Extreme Value for all Kinds of

LEFT-OFF CLOTHING,

OLD GOLD AND SILVER,

WORN-OUT JEWELLERY, SHEFFIELD PLATE,

TRINKETS,

FALSE TEETH,

FURS,

FURNITURE, etc., etc. BANKERS —North of Scotland and Town & County Bank, Ltd.

BUSINESS STRICTLY PRIVATE .

Telephone No. 3002.

M. GERARD, JEWELLER

AND

SILVERSMITH,

411 UNION STREET (WEST).

Engagement and Wedding Rings. JEWELLERY OF EVERY DESCRIPTION; ALSO

Watches, Clocks, Silver and Electro-Plated Goods in Newest Designs, and Large Selection to choose from. Telephone 447.

Printed a, Ptirms' Aberdee

ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL. (Founded previous to 1256.)

Rector—H. F. MORLAND SIMPSON, M.A. (Cantab.), LID., F.S.A. Scot.

The School, which is one of the Secondary Public Schools of Scotland provides for Boys a complete course of study—Elementary and Secondary, Classical and Modern The Lower School receives Boys of the Infant stage and upwards. The School contains excellent Laboratories—Chemical and Physical, Art Room, Workshop, Botanical Garden, Gymnasium, Library, and Reading Room. The situation of the School is open and healthy, within ten minutes of the Railway Station. There is a Cricket Field, and there are separate Playgrounds for the various departments. Boarders are received by several of the Masters. Information as to Fees, Scholarships, etc., is given in the School Prospectus, which may be had free on application to the CLERK of the SCHOOL BOARD, 22 Union Terrace. or to the REnron

ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.

14.

Head Mistress—Miss LUCY I,. WARD, B.A. (Load.) is organised in Three The School, which is one of the Secondary Public Schools of Scotland, Modern and Uni• Departments —a Junior, an Intermediate, and a Secondary—the last combining and Govervarsity Sections. The Art and Music Departments are under highly qualified Masters consisting of an additions, recent The Years. of Five nesses. Pupils are received from the age the most approved elegant Hall, Cookery and Laundry Rooms, and a Suite of Laboratories of School one of the beet description for the teaching of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, make the are provided. equipped in the country. A Library and Reading Room and Luncheon Rooms twelve minutes of within City, of the The School occupies a spacious site in the West End Station. Railway the distance. from a The Head Mistress can arrange for the Boarding of Pupils Information as to Fees, Scholarships, etc., is given in the School Prospectus, which may be had free on application to the CLERK of the SCHOOL BOARD, 22 Unloe Terrace, or to the HEAD METROS.

CAST-OFF CLOTHING & OLD JEWELLERY WANTED.

MacK AY'S, 15

seHoo6HILL,

Give Highest Prices for Ladies' and Gentlemen's Cast-off CLOTHING, OLD JEWELLERY, FALSE TEETH, OLD PLATE, &C. We will call at your residence on receipt of Post Card or Telephone 2812. BUSINESS STRICTLY PRIVATE. BANK REFERENCE. TELEPHONE 2612. Note Address-15 SCHOOLHILL. Bring or send your Cast-ofT Clothing to MacKay's, 15 Sohoolhlll.

When you are in need of ANYTHING in the Chemist's line Telephone 1784, or call at

476 UNION

STREET

(Between Rose Street and Holburn Junction) when your requirements will be attended to.

WILLIAM

Cbetnist

F. HAY,

(From Duncan Flockhart & Co., Edinburgh),

476 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN. (Near Holburn Junction.)

FRED HARDIE ipbotoorapbtc Bata, JI6

UNION ST.,

RBERDEEN,

For every style of In- and Out-door Group, Composite Groups, and General Portraiture, etc., Telephone 851.

At Popular Prices.

The Aberdeen School of Shorthand, Typewriting, and Business Training (C. M. LAWRENCE),

19 & 21 CROWN STREET. Telephone 875.

Established 18,84. /-)

.2Trcotae.

The *use wit17

Perfect Fitting Suits for Boys and Youths.

OU naturally do not wish to pay more for your clothes than is

necessary. At the same time you want to be correctly fitted and get a suit that will hold its shape for months to come. R. K. SMITH'S service of READY-TO-WEAR CLOTHING is so well known that we have no hesitation in asking you to call and see the big variety of styles and fittings we offer at prices that enable you to dress with economy and good taste. Our name on your suit is a dependable guarantee of quality and style—and there is no guess work about the workmanship either.

R. K. SMITH, Ltd., The King's Buildings, II3-II9 Union Street, ABERDEEN. Telegrams

Telephone No. 677.

DUNN'S

"Clothing,

Aberdeen."

'Phone 158.

Service Boot For Comfort. For Durability.

As Illustrated, 39 6

JOHN A. DUNN, 26 and 175 UNION STREET, ABERDEEN. Repairs with either Leather, Rubber, or Gutta-Percha. for the ABERDEEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL FORMER Printed at' THE ROSEMOUNT PRESS, Aberdeen, M.A., Solicitor, at Bridge Street, PUPILS' CLUE (Interim Secretary: STODART M. CHRYSTALL, Aberdeen).

Messrs. MORGAN, Photographic Artists, Miniature painters, anb .Bakers of artistic frames, .

393 UNION

•

STREET,

/ABERDEEN.

Special Cerms to Grammar School Stuaegts.

10 A.M. TILL 5 P.M.

TELEPHONE No. 603.

Have you friends abroad or at the Front ? Are you sending reminders to them ?

OUR SPECIALITIES are known and appreciated — in all parts of the World.

Orders can now be booked for

PLUM PUDDINGS, SCOTCH BUNS, SHORTBREAD, and other seasonable goods. Special Attention given lo Packing and Dispatching.

1\T1\T ..ATSAT_A_Y-

5 and 7 HOLBURN STREET and 173 UNION STREET.

TtLEPHONE No. 1891.

ARCHIBALD MIELLAR, family Grocer and Wine merchant,

456 UNION STREET, 7KBERDEEN. —#—

lre Specialise in: Cooked Gammons, "Sinclair's" Belfast Smoked Hams, "Harris's"

Wiltshire Bacon.

Medicinal Wines—Yibrona, Hall's, Wincarnis, Glendenning's.

W. J. MILNE, Ltd., 251

UNION

STREET,

ABERDEEN. (Opposite Royal Northern Club.) Telephone 1293.

Appointed Agents for Burberry Coats.