Able Seaman Alexander Upton

Able Seaman Alexander Upton

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve "Anson" Battalion Royal Naval Division
Service No: Clyde Z/2336

1087

2

3

2

30

Click here for a frameable A4 print

Personal details

Family Information

Son of William J and Rachael Upton of 16 Allan Place, Langloan, Coatbridge previously 8g Crichton St, Coatbridge. From the 1901 Census - Address - 27 Kirkwood St, Coatbridge - William J Upton aged 46 (Platelayer on Railway), Rachael Upton aged 46, Sinclair Upton aged 24 (Coal Miner), Thomas Upton aged 19 (Coal Miner), George Upton aged 12, Robert Upton aged 9, Joseph Upton aged 8, Alexander Upton aged 5, Rachael Upton aged 1, boarder Joseph Murray aged 24 (Puddler in Ironworks). Alexander's Pension was awarded to his mother Rachael commencing on the 27/03/1917. Alexander is a relation of my cousins and of a good friend Sam Hannah.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 8g Crichton St, Coatbridge

Died

Died of gunshot wounds to the abdomen on the 11/05/1915 in Kasr-el-Aini Hospital, Cairo. Wounds received near Krithia, Gallipoli

Enlisted

23/11/1914

Employed

Miner in Cairnhill Colliery / Reservist

Age

20 / DOB - 17/02/1895

Buried / Remembered

Cairo War Memorial Cemetery (B. 224), Egypt

Cemetery / Memorial Information

At the outbreak of the First World War, Cairo was headquarters to the United Kingdom garrison in Egypt. With Alexandria, it became the main hospital centre for Gallipoli in 1915 and later dealt with the sick and wounded from operations in Egypt and Palestine. There are now 2,056 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War and 340 from the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. A small number, known to have been buried in other civil cemeteries in Cairo but whose graves are now lost, are commemorated by a special memorial.

Additional Information

The Battalion were part of the 2nd (Royal Naval) Brigade, Royal Naval Division. Alexander died of gunshot wounds to the abdomen received at Gallipoli between the 25/04/1915 and the 28/04/1915. The Division were part of the landings at Cape Helles and ANZAC Cove on the 25th April and the First Battle of Krithia on the 28th April and the 2nd Battle of Krithia on the 6th May which is described here from the Royal Naval Division History records : "The Battle opened at 11 am, the first advance being made by the French on the right and the 29th Division on the left, and in the centre, up the Achibaba (right centre) and Krithia (left centre) nullahs, by the Composite Brigade, under General Paris's orders, and the 2nd Brigade, under the orders of General d'Amade. The 2nd Brigade was originally intended to advance merely in support of the French but, at the last minute, a change was made and on the French left the Hood and Anson Battalions (with which was one platoon of 'A' Company Howe ...) and the French infantry advanced in alternate lines. ... By 12.30 the Hood and Anson reported an advance of 600 yards and had passed the Turkish advanced trenches by the White House. ... By 3 pm the advance, which at no point had got near the Turkish main positions, seemed to be everywhere held and at 3.30 pm the Hood and Anson were definitely ordered by General d'Amade not to advance further...". Anson Battalion lost about thirty men in this Battle. Alexander was taken to Hospital between the 01/05/1915 and the 06/05/1915. He died of his wounds in Kasr-el-Aini Hospital, Cairo on the 11/05/1915. He left for the Dardanelles on the 27/02/1915 onboard HMT "Grantully Castle". A huge thank you to fellow Coatbridge people Jimmy Cunningham and Carol Frew who supplied the photos of Alexander's Grave along with photos of Cairo War Memorial Cemetery. They also spent Remembrance Sunday 2021 at the Cemetery and laid a rose at Alexander's grave (photo from 14/11/2021 is Alexander's main grave photo. See photos for more from this day). This was done again by Jimmy and Carol on Remembrance Sunday 2022 (see photos x 3). See photos for Alexander's Service Record x 2 (from the National Archives). Alexander was a member of the St John's Episcopal Church. See photos for Alexander's Naval Casualties Index, Navy Service Register of Deaths and Injuries, his name on the Naval Service and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Pension Records x 3, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anson Battalion Cap Badge. Also see photos for another 2 of Alexander's Grave and 5 of Cairo War Memorial Cemetery and a Poppy placed at Alexander's name on the Memorial on the 11/11/2021 and again in May 2023 by his great nephew Sam Hannah (also one of me at the Memorial on Remembrance Sunday 2021). Finally see photos for a message from Alexander's mother printed in the Coatbridge Express newspaper one year after his death.

Photos

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Comments

My grandfather Sinclair Upton's brother - may Heaven keep.
Sam Hannah, Glasgow, 02/04/2020 9:16PM

My Grand father Joseph Upton's brother.
Sharon Bradley, Biggar, 12/12/2019 12:21AM

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