World War 1
Search the known records to date of those lost from the wider Alnwick area in World War 1
Generally showing where they are commemorated, when they died and some basic facts about each person. There are gaps, however, so if you can fill in any missing details do please contact us.
Patrick Alfred Russell
Forename(s):
Patrick Alfred
Surname:
Russell
Initial(s):
P A
Service Number:
Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant
(N.B. The CWGC site gives Russell's rank as Second Lieutenant)
Regiment:
Royal Flying Corps
(N.B. The Memorial gives his Service as the R.A.F although this Force did not come into being until 1 April 1918 with the merger of the Royal Flying Corps & the Royal Naval Air Service)
Died:
02/04/1917
Aged:
27
Buried:
Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers Guislain
Service History:
Formerly Second Lieutenant with 1/2nd Lovat's Scouts Yeomanry (Territorial Force). Joined the Yeomanry on the outbreak of the war & served throughout the Gallipoli campaign.
On his return to England Russell entered the Royal Flying Corps & obtained a Pilot's certificate in September 1916. Served with the Expeditionary Force in France & Flanders.
April 1917 was the month known in the RFC as ‘Bloody April’ as the Germans had air superiority for a while until the newer Allied aircraft such as the Bristol Fighter, the SE 5 & the Sopwith Camel appeared to wrest control back again. April saw the RFC lose over 300 pilots & observers.
(Sources: 'UK, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-18', Volume 3, Page 238; & coldstreamhistorysociety.co.uk/)
Background:
Born at Hamilton, Lanarkshire in 1889, the second son of Margaret D. W. (daughter of the late Robert Walker, of Lethamhill, Lanarkshire) & the late Patrick Brown Russell, of Edinburgh.
Educated at Edinburgh Academy & Sherbourne College.
Member of the Duke of Buccleuch & Northumberland Hunt, & a prominent rider at the Border Hunt Steeplechase at Kelso.
(Source: 'UK, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-18'; Part 3; Page 238)
Local Memorial:
Kirknewton War Memorial
