Lieutenant Colonel Alexander William Abercrombie

Regiment: 2nd Batt. Connaught Rangers
Date published: 28/01/1916
Killed in action: Yes
Date of death: 05/11/1915
Cemetery: Berlin South-western Cemetery, Brandenburg, Germany
Plot: IX. A. 7.
Information: Lieut Colonel Alexander William Abercrombie, commanding 2nd Batt. Connaught Rangers, died at Magdeburg, Germany, on November 5th, 1915, whilst a prisoner of war. He was the son of the late Alexander Abercrombie, Bengal Civil Service, and Mrs. Abercrombie, 34 Gloucester Terrace, Hyde Park, London. He obtained his commission in the 51st King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) on May 9th, 1885, and saw service with them in Burma in 1886-7 when he was mentioned in despatches. He was gazetted Captain in the Connaught Rangers in December, 1892, and was posted to the 2nd Batt. He went to France with the Expeditionary Force in August, 1914, in command of the 2nd Battalion, and was taken prisoner about a fortnight later in the retreat on Paris. He was taken to Torgeau, where he remained for three months, and in December, 1914, was moved to Magdeburg, and was there until his death. Colonel Abercrombie married in 1893 Ethel, second daughter of Major and Mrs. Lawrence Gordon, of Crescent Lodge, Southsea.