Able Seaman Alexander Upton

Able Seaman Alexander Upton

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

1267

2

3

2

79

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-Aine 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. On Sunday 28th February 1915 Alexander and the Anson Battalion embarked on a troopship at Avonmouth - their final destination was the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. They were onboard H.M.T. "Grantully Castle" (11 days after his 20th birthday). "A" Company "Anson" Battalion landed at 'V' Beach, Cape Helles, Gallipoli Peninsula on the 25/04/1915 onboard S.S. "River Clyde". Alexander died of gunshot wounds to the abdomen. See photos for Newspaper clippings 15/05/1915 stating Alexander received the wounds on the 04/05/1915 and died 2 days later and one stating wounds received on the 01/05/1915 and died on the 06/05/1915. He is also listed as being 19 years of age (date of birth makes Alexander 20 years of age). ALEXANDER'S SERVICE RECORD STATES - "11.6.15. - Army Form B.103. (G.S.W. Abdomen, dangerous, Dardanelles, between 25.4.15. and 28.4.15. To Hospital, Cairo, between 1.5.15. and 6.5.15. Kasr-el-Aine Hospital. Died from Wounds. May 11th, 1915. Cairo)" also - "23.4.19. Report received. Buried in Protestant Cemetery at Cairo. Grave No 224. Section B. NOK (Next of Kin) informed" (see photos for National Archives 2). SEE PHOTOS x 28 FOR THE ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION BOOK FROM THE GALLIPOLI LANDINGS UNTIL ALEXANDER'S DEATH. The "Anson" Battalion was removed from the the front line trenches on the 05/05/1915. 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 Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 1 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser), the Royal Naval Division Order of Battle x 16 (the Division he was with when he died) and a picture of British troops landing from the "River Clyde" on the 25/04/1915 during the first landings on 'V' Beach, Cape Helles, Gallipoli. The S.S. "River Clyde" was a 4,000 ton ex-collier that was used to land around 2000 troops at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, on the 25/04/1915. Holes had been cut in her steel hull to provide ports from which the troops would emerge on to gangways and then to a bridge of smaller boats linking the ship to the beach. Several attempts were made to get ashore, but all failed with heavy losses inflicted by the Turkish defenders. The surviving soldiers waited until nightfall before landing. The "River Clyde" remained beached at Helles as a dock and breakwater. As well as being used for storage she also housed a field dressing station.

Photos

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Comments

My grandfather Sinclair Upton's brother - may Heaven keep.
Sam Hannah, Glasgow, 02/04/2020 8:16PM

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

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