Ronald Campbell Maclachlan DSO (1872 - 1917)

Born 24 Jul 1872 in Newton Valence, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Elinor Mary (Cox) Maclachlan — married 7 Jan 1908 (to 1917) in London, England

Died 11 Aug 1917 at age 45 in France

Biography

Brig. Gen. Ronald Maclachlan DSO was Killed in Action during World War I.

Ronald was born in 1872. He was the son of Reverend Archibald Neil Campbell Maclachlan and Mary Elizabeth Sidebottom.

England and Wales Census, 1891: Living with his mother Mary, six siblings and seven other individuals at The Village, Newton Valence, Hampshire, England. Aged 18 and a scholar.

At the age of 35 he married 37 year old widow Elinor Mary Cox (the daughter of Dr. James Charles Cox and Margaret Wharton McClellan) on 7 January 1908 in the Parish church in the Parish of St Mark, North Audley Street, London, England, by Licence^[1]. His occupation was recorded as Captain, Rifle Brigade, and he was living in North Audley Street.

They had no children together.

In 1911 he was living with his wife Elinor, 9 year old daughter adopted Beth Le Pour Trench and six servants in Elmthorpe Pile Road, Cowley, Oxon, Oxfordshire, England. He was aged 38.

Occupation: Major Rifle Brigade

He gained the rank of Brigadier-General in the Rifle Brigade. Ronald fought in the 1st World War.

Tragically he died on 11 August 1917 aged 45, killed in action. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) and was Mentioned in Despatches.

Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette 31 August 1917, Pg 4:

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Lord Desborough, and Colonel the Hon. William le Poer Trench, were among the large congregation at a memorial service for Brigadier-General Ronald Campbell Maclachlan, D.S.O. (who was killed in action on August 11th), which was held on Friday, at St. Mark's Church, North Audley-street.^[2]

His will was proved on 17 November 1917 at London to Elinor Mary Maclachlan, widow. Effects: £2541 5s. 9d.

Burial

Locre Hospice Cemetery, Heuvelland, Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium. PLOT: II. C. 9.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DXR-Q9Y : 13 December 2014), Elinor Mary Trench, 1908; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1908, quarter 1, vol. 1A, p. 629, St. George Hanover Square, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
2. ↑ Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette 31 August 1917, Pg 4, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription)
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12688168/ronald-campbell-maclachlan), memorial page for Brigadier General Ronald Campbell Maclachlan (unknown–11 Aug 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 12688168, citing Locre Hospice Cemetery, Heuvelland, Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium ; Maintained by Woose (contributor 48275987)

• Debrett, John, C. F. J. Hankinson, and Arthur G. M. Hesilrige. Debretts peerage, baronetage, knightage, and companionage ...: comprises information concerning persons bearing hereditary or courtesy titles, privy councillors, knights, companions of the various orders, and the collateral branches of all peers and baronets. London: Odhams Press, 1947.

• The Peerage

• https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2938334/RONALD%20CAMPBELL%20MACLACHLAN/

Census Records

• "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27H-MV9N : 13 December 2017), Ronald Campbell Mac Lachlan in household of Archibald N C Mac Lachlan, Newton-Valence, Hampshire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 9, Piece/Folio 1246/91, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,557.

• "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:475G-LPZ : 22 February 2021), Ronald C MacLachlan in household of Mary E MacLachlan, Newton Valence, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Hampshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

• "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7KW-HXF : 22 July 2019), Ronald Campbell Machlachlan, Cowley, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.