Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookhead at a low part of our trench, so Mr. Ramsay jumped up at once and went and dressed him. That was what caused his death. He knew it was a very dangerous part, but that was always his first thought, the safety of his men. So Mr. Ramsay gathered together all sandbags which were lying about, and started to put them up. It was while doing that that he was struck by a sniper. As soon as he fell I was beside him, for he was only working at about a few yards from me at the time. I got out his field dressing and bandaged him up the best I could, then I sent for the Doctor, who arrived a few minutes after; but he was beyond all aid. We made him as comfortable as possible until the end. He was unconscious the whole five hours and passed away peacefully. It was a great blow to his platoon for they thought the world of him, and myself I knew had lost a great friend and good master. He was taken away at night by the stretcher-bearers and buried in Estaires with full military honours, and laid to rest beside our dear old Col." [Grave No. 524.] He had been a devoted student of field Zoology, and especially ornithology, from his earliest childhood, and had amassed a great amount of data regarding the ornis of Aberdeenshire. On the more technical side may be mentioned his notes on the moult of the herring-gull and on the collections made by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. He himself had travelled considerably, and had made valuable collections not only of birds but also of mammals, insects, and botanical specimens in various places, notably in Asia Minor in the summer of 1907. In addition to his work on birds, Mr. Ramsay left unfinished a "Revision of the Nereidac," a piece of work which was expected by competent judges who knew its substance to become a classical paper on that group of marine worms. Latterly he had turned to entomology with a view to studying it from the economic side. A list of his published work appears in "British Birds," IX, 1, 1915, p. 17 f., prepared by his friend, Lieut. A. L. Thomson, A. and S.H. He played the Highland pipes well, and was a member of the Aberdeen Pipers Society. He represented Aberdeen University for several years in long distance running and in swimming. [Illustration: =Lewis Neil G. Ramsay.=] =RAMSDEN, ARTHUR=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 6557), 186587, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =RANCE, WILLIAM JOHN=, Petty Officer, 201566, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =RANCOMBE, MARCUS ERNEST WILLIAM=, Private, No. 1593, 1/3rd Battn. Monmouthshire Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of William John Rancombe, of 15, Cwm Cottages, Abertillery, co. Monmouth, by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of Amos Buckle, of Waddesdon, Bucks; _b._ Abertillery, 14 April, 1895; educ. there; joined the 3rd Monmouthshire's Territorial Regt., 25 June, 1913, and prior to the outbreak of the war was engaged at the Six Bells Colliery. He volunteered for foreign service; went to the Front, 16 Feb. 1915; was badly wounded in action near Messines Ridge, 16 March, 1915, and died at Bailleul, on Easter Monday, 5 April following; _unm._ He was buried in Bailleul Cemetery. His Company Officer wrote that he was one of his most reliable and useful men, a thorough good shot, signaller and despatch rider, one who could ill be spared. [Illustration: =Marcus E. W. Rancombe.=] =RANDALL, GEORGE EDWARD=, Private, No. 2093, 14th Battn. (London Scottish) The London Regt. (T.F.), yr. _s._ of Charles William Randall, of Barton Bendish, Alderton Hill, Loughton, co. Essex, Merchant, by his wife, Emma, dau. of Edward Witton, of South Lopham, co. Norfolk; _b._ Norwich, 29 Feb. 1892; educ. Sidcup College; was engaged in his father's business as Managing Director of Hamburg (German) branch and Director of C. W. Randall & Co., Ltd., London; joined the London Scottish, 15 June, 1914; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war in Aug., went to France 15 Sept. with the first batch of Territorials to leave for the Front, and was killed in action at Messines, 1 Nov. following, during the famous charge of the London Scottish; _unm._ Buried there. A window was erected to his memory in Woodford Parish Church. [Illustration: =George Edward Randall.=] =RANDALL, WILLIAM ARTHUR=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 6831, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =RANDELL, CHARLES WESTLEY=, Petty Officer, 1st Class, 196243, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =RANDLE, DONALD=, Rifleman, No. 2916, 21st Battn. (1st Surry Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), yst. _s._ of the late George Beavis Randle, W.G., Manufacturers' Agent, by his wife, Sarah (Shandwick, Hazelwood Lane, Palmer's Green, N.), dau. of the late John Mitchell, of Dorking, Norfolk; _b._ Wood Green, 13 March, 1894; educ. there; was a Clerk with Messrs. Kirwan & Co., Hatton Garden; volunteered after the outbreak of war, and joined the Surrey Rifles in Sept. 1914; went to France, 15 March, 1915, and was killed in action at Givenchy, 25 May following; _unm._ Four of his brothers are on active service; the eldest an officer in A.S.C., another in R.F.C., and two in Royal Bucks Hussars. =RANGECROFT, WILLIAM EDWARD=, Acting Chief Stoker, 283745, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914. =RANDS, WILLIAM FREDERICK=, Rifleman, No. 3057, 1/16th Battn. (Queen's Westminster Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of William Rands, of 108, Florence Road, Wimbledon; _b._ Battersea, 12 Feb. 1892; educ. Queen's Road School, Wimbledon, and on leaving there in 1906 entered the shipping firm of Messrs. McEwan & Co., of 97, Cannon Street, E.C., in whose employ he was when war broke out in Aug. 1914; volunteered and joined the Queen's Westminsters, 4 Sept. 1914; went to France with the first draft; was wounded in action at Armentières 3 May following, and died two days later in No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station; _unm._ Buried in the Bailleul Annex (Grave No. 816). =RANKEN, HARRY SHERWOOD, V.C.=, Capt., Royal Army Medical Corps, elder _s._ of the Rev. Henry Ranken, B.D., Minister of Irvine, by his wife, Helen, dau. of Mathew Morton; _b._ Glasgow, 3 Sept. 1883; educ. Irvine Royal Academy and Glasgow University, where he graduated M.B., Ch.B. "with commendation" in 1905, and became M.R.C.P., London, 1910; was for some time House Physician and House Surgeon, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, and Assistant Medical Officer, Brook Fever Hospital, Metropolitan Asylums Board; gazetted Lieut., R.A.M.C., 30 Jan. 1909, and promoted Capt. 30 July, 1912; transferred to Egyptian Army, Aug. 1911; Member of the Sudan Government Sleeping Sickness Commission, and in charge of the Sleeping Sickness Camp at Yei, Western Mongalla, 1911-14; came home on leave, July, 1914, and volunteered for war service, and was restored to British establishment, Aug. 1914; went to the Front, 12 Aug. 1914, at |