Name
Donald Edward Cruickshank
2nd November 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/04/1916
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Border Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BASRA MEMORIAL
Panel 30 and 64.
Iraq
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham, Not on the Bushey memorials, Royal Academy War Memorial, London Memorial Window, Holy Trinity Church, Combe Down, Somerset
Pre War
Donald Edward Cruickshank was born in Notting Hill, Kensington, London on 2 November 1887, the son of George Edwin Cruickshank and Sarah Maria, his wife (nee Tylor). He was one of three children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 6 Lorton Terrace, Ladbroke Road, Notting Hill and employed a nurse, cook and housemaid. His father's occupation was recorded as barrister. By 1901 they had moved to 27 High Street, Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire and his father continued to work as a Barrister at Law. Also living there were his mother and brothers George and Andrew and three servants. They remained in Chipping Barnet in 1911 at which time Donald, aged 23, was the only son living at home and his occupation was as architectural student. Also listed were three servants and two visitors.
He was educated at Linton House School, Holland Park Avenue, Notting Hill, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Barnet, Herts and Aldenham School, Borehamwood. He then went to St John's College, Cambridge to study for a BA in Mathematics. Whilst there he was a keen oarsman and rowed for his college club. He studied at the Architectural Association and the Royal Academy School from 1912 and was an Assistant Architect to Sir Charles A Nicolson, Bart., of 3 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, London.
His parents later lived at 6, Blakesley Avenue, Ealing, London, and 5, Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn, where his father was a barrister.
Wartime Service
He volunteered for active service at the outbreak of the war and joined the University and Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in August 1914. He received a commission as Second Lieutenant in the 10th Border regiment on 10 May 1915 and served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from 27 December 1915 when he was attached to the 5th Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh's Wiltshire Regiment and proceeded with them to Gallipoli. He took part in the evacuation of the peninsula; served for a time in Egypt and later with the Indian Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia, taking part in the successful attack on Umm-el-Harrnah and Felahiah. He was reported missing after the attack on Sanna-i-Yat, on the Tigris on 9 April 1916 and was assumed to have been killed in action, aged 28, on or after that date. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.
Additional Information
His father obtained probate of his estate on 26 February 1920 with effects of £1097 192 5d. He received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £74 10s 6d.
Brother to Andrew John Tuke Cruickshank who served with the Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Flying Corps and died on 7 July 1916 from wounds received in action the previous day.
Donald and his brother Andrew Cruickshank are also commemorated in a stained glass memorial window in Holy Trinity Church, Combe Down, Nr Bath. Their grandfather George Cruickshank and father George Edwin Cruickshank lived there for many years at Belmont House, Belmont Road.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.londonremembers.com,
