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1st/5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders 1914 - 1916
 

Frank Souter Runcieman

Farmer, Auchmill. 1/5th Gordon Highlanders 5th August 1914 – 4th June 1915 ; Army Service Corps, March 1916 – October 1916; recalled to 5th Gordon Highlanders, October 1916 ; discharged as permanently unfit 22nd January 1917.  Major. Served – Scotland, England, 4th August 1914 – May 1915 ; France, May 1915 – June 1915; Scotland, March, 1916 – October 1916; England, October 1916 – 22nd January 1917. 

Severely wounded in back and neck by a shell, and buried among sandbags while under way to help a wounded brother officer, and dug out by the Company Sergeant Major, 4th June 1915. 

In command of Turriff Company, 1/5th Gordon Highlanders at mobilization. Joined 2nd Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders as private, 4th April 1899; commissioned 11th April 1900, and promoted Lieutenant 11th June 1904;  continued as such in Territorial Force and promoted Captain 3rd March 1910.  Led his company when the brigade went overseas in May 1915. 

When in hospital at Millbank, London, enjoyed the honour of a personal interview with the King and Queen.  When discharged from hospital he was seconded for service with Army Service Corps, and being a farmer, was sent to the office of the District Purchasing Officer of Supplies at Inverness to superintend the baling and loading of hay and so forth.  

He completed in all 19 years 288 days of service, losing the Territorial Decoration only by 77 days.  As a result of ill health consequent on his wounds, he left his farm at Auchmill in May 1920 and went to reside in Kent.


Source: The War Book of Turriff and Twelve Miles Around.


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Carolyn Morrisey