Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Booknywhere'"; and in a subsequent letter he added "the specially heroic circumstances attending the last stand of Douglas and his platoon are fully appreciated. I am now on the Divisional staff and have frequently heard the Chief Staff Officer say how well my regt. has done all through, instancing the way Douglas' platoon stuck it to the last man." And Capt. Douglas Johnston, 1st Hampshires, wrote: "On the Aisne he [Lieut. Trimmer] did his work perfectly, and I myself was particularly struck with the quiet courage he showed when on really dangerous patrol work. He was far from well there, but got better before we moved. When poor Major Connellan was struck, your boy dashed out and brought him into cover, and the next day, the 21 Oct., he told me about it. It is unnecessary for me to add that he was extraordinarily popular with his men." Mr. Connellan in a letter to Mr. Trimmer said: "I have heard from Capt. Thurn and I will tell you all that he told me about your son, but I am afraid it is very little. He says, about 28 Oct. he was holding an advanced trench with his platoon in front of Ploegsteert Wood; he was very heavily shelled and attacked by infantry all day, losing most of his platoon. He sent back for reinforcements but apparently there were none to be had, anyhow none were sent. He held his men together and stuck to his trench all day, being finally killed by a shell towards the evening. The remains of his platoon, nine men out of about 40, stuck on and were finally all killed by German infantry, except, I believe, one man who is now wounded and prisoner. The only survivor of his platoon, the messenger he sent back, was killed about two months after. Young Trimmer certainly held his trench very gallantly and I know his name was sent on from the battn." He was a good all-round athlete. When at Aldenham he won the School Mile and Half Mile, in 1910, creating school records in both instances. He was also a good cross-country runner, coming in fourth at the R.M.C. in 1911, and he ran in the 1st Hampshire Regimental Teams in 1912, 1913 and 1914, which won the Aldershot Command (twice) and the Eastern Command, Cross Country Runs. In other sports he was a useful Rugby Football and Hockey player, a plucky swimmer and a good horseman. [Illustration: =William D. M. Trimmer.=] =TRINEMAN, CHARLES FREDERICK=, Staff Sergt., No. 62, 18th Battn. 5th Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, _s._ of the late William Trineman, Gardener; _b._ Exeter, 28 March, 1882; educ. Seaton Council School; joined the 27th Devonshire Yeomanry, and served with them through the South African War, 1899-1902 (Queen's medal with five clasps); afterwards went to Australia; joined the Australian Imperial Force on the outbreak of war; served in Egypt and at the Dardanelles, and was killed in action there, 21-25 Aug. 1915. He had, just previous to his death, given a cooking demonstration at Victoria Barracks, on one of the Travelling Kitchens to be used by the troops, and was then presented with a gold wristlet watch. For many years he was golf professional and groundsman at the Axe Cliff Golf Links. He _m._ at Seaton, Devon, 28 Jan. 1903, Amelia (Southfield, New Road, Water Orton, near Birmingham), dau. of John Harley Boddy, and had a dau.: Nora Amelia, _b._ 13 March, 1904. [Illustration: =Charles F. Trineman.=] =TRITTON, ROBERT EDMUND=, Leading Seaman, 227159, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =TROTMAN, SYDNEY=, Private, No. 3155, 2/3rd Battn. (Royal Fusiliers), The London Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of the late George Hayman Trotman, of Brooklands Lodge, Cambridge, by his wife, Agnes (35, Norwich Street, Cambridge), dau. of Edward Godfrey; _b._ Cambridge, 18 April, 1886; educ. St. Paul's School, Cambridge; was a Clerk; joined 2/3rd Royal Fusiliers, 8 Dec. 1914; left for Egypt, in April, and died of heatstroke at Khartoum, 3 June, 1915; _unm._ Buried at Khartoum. His Commanding Officer wrote: "Your son was buried with all military honours and the Sirdar (Sir Reginald Wingate) has written asking me to express his sympathy to his relatives and the men of his company"; and another officer: "Your son was a good man and soldier, and will be deeply missed by officers and men alike." [Illustration: =Sydney Trotman.=] =TROTT, FREDERICK JAMES=, Stoker, 2nd Class, K. 21850, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914. =TROTTER, ALEXANDER NIGEL=, Lieut. 3rd (Reserve), attd. 1st Battn. The Royal Scots (Lothian Regt.), only _s._ of Alexander Pelham Trotter, of 181, Ashley Gardens, London, S.W., Electrical Adviser to the Board of Trade, by his wife, Alys Fane, dau. of Maurice Keatinge, and a nephew of Lieut.-Col. Sir Henry Trotter, K.C.M.G., C.B.; _b._ Cottesmore Gardens, London, W., 17 Sept. 1894; educ. Packwood Haugh, and Clifton College, where he was a member of the O.T.C., shot in the Bisley VIII, and was one of the best boxers in the school; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 3rd Royal Scots, 21 Dec. 1912, and promoted Lieut. 9 July, 1914; acted as Transport Officer for the 3rd Battn. on the outbreak of war; left for France in charge of a draft of 100 men for the 2nd Battn., 30 Aug. 1914; the Royal Scots left the trenches at the Aisne about 26 Sept. and arrived in position near Bethune 11 Oct., and Lieut. Trotter was killed in action at La Fosse, near Vieille Chapelle, 12 Oct. 1914, while engaged in attacking a wood strongly held by the enemy. The ground over which the British had to advance was intersected by small irrigation canals crossed by plank bridges, on which the officers and men offered a good target. Lieut. Trotter is believed to have been first hit while crossing one of these bridges, and after advancing three-quarters of a mile fell with two more wounds. He was buried on the farm of Zelobes, near La Fosse, north of Bethune; _unm._ His Coy. Commander, Capt. (now Major) F. C. Tanner, D.S.O., wrote: "Everyone is unanimous that Nigel died like a hero, and knowing him I could not suppose it otherwise. I saw him under fire at the beginning of the action"; and a man in his company: "I can assure you all the men were sorry to lose him, for he seemed to have no fear and was a good leader of men." On the cross put up on his grave by the mobile column of the Red Cross, some of his comrades wrote: "A very gallant gentleman." [Illustration: =Alexander N. Trotter.=] =TROTTER, JAMES KEITH=, Lieut. 1st Battn. Gordon Highlanders, only _s._ of Major-General Sir James Keith Trotter, of Aislaby Lodge, Sleights, co. York, K.C.B., C.M.G., by his wife, Alice, yst. dau. of Francis James Crow, of Haughton-le-Skerne, co. Durham; _b._ Malta, 19 Dec. 1888; educ. Wellington College (where he was prefect, 1906, and head of the Rifle Corps), and the Royal Military College Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Gordon Highlanders, 23 Jan. 1909, and promoted Lieut. 15 Oct. 1910; was A.D.C. to his father, Major-General Sir J. K. Trotter, Command |