Philip Whiteside MacLagan

De Ruvignys Roll of honour 1914 - 1919 gives the following details :- Eldest son of late Phillip Smirton Maclagan solicitor by his wife Mary Elizabeth of Rockwood House, Rothbury, Northumberland, Daughter of James Graham and brother to Lieut James Graham Maclagan. born Wooler, Northumberland 30th January 1896, he was educated at Presbyterian day school, Wooler, Morpeth Grammar School and St Cuthberts College, Worksop, where he gained an open classical scholarship at Wadham College, oxford and intended reading for holy orders. he was gazetted to Second lieutenant on 5th September 1914 being promoted to Lieuntenant in July 1915 and served with the expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 25th October 1914. He was killed in action near Ypres on 16th April 1916 and is buried in the Ridgwood field cemetery, South east of Dickebusch South West of Ypres. His commanding officer wrote " he was well liked by everyone, a most promising young officer, and his death is a great blow to the battalion. He was mentioned in dispatches by F M Sir John French (London Gazette 1st January 1916) for gallant and distinguished service in the field.

This is an extract from ' The Cuthbertian' college magazine June 1916 issue no 3 We regret to have to announce the death of Lieut. Philip Whiteside Maclagan, of the 5th Border Regiment (Terr.Force), was instantaneously killed by a shell which exploded on his dug-out on April 16th. Coming of famous stock (his grand-uncle was the late Archbishop of York),he joined the School in May, 1907, and soon showed himself to be of unusual ability in many directions, and in 1913 he gained an open Classical Scholarship at Wadham College, Oxford. But his many­ sidedness was displayed by his winning the Provost's Modern Languages Exhibition for three years in succession, although he had only done a little German in form, and had to rely mainly on his own efforts to keep him in touch with his French as well; in the Corps he was a very successful colour-sergeant. He received a commission in the Territorials at the first outbreak of war, and was sent out to France in the November of that year, but saw no active service till the following summer. After that his battalion was continuously in the forefront, and his name was mentioned in Sir John French's New Year (1916) despatches. He had recently been acting as Adjutant to the Battalion, and his Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Col. Hedley, writes "I was much pleased by his keenness and quick grasp of his unusual position." The feeling of the men of his platoon is shown by the following letter to his mother: "No. VI. Platoon, B. Company, 5th Border Regiment, April 17th, 1916. -Dear Madam -Before the arrival of this letter, you will have been informed of your sudden bereavement. I have been asked by the N.C.O.s and men of the late Lieut. Maclagan's Platoon to convey to you our heartfelt sympathy in your sudden great loss. Perhaps it will be some slight consolation for you to learn what we all thought of our late lieutenant, from the last joined to the oldest soldier. He was a just and capable Officer, always a kind word or helping hand for everyone, and where he led we had no hesitation in following, knowing that he would always win through. Above all, he was a thorough gentleman, and looked up to by all. He died like all British officers, brave to the last. Please accept our deepest sympathy in this your hour of trial, in honour of the brave gentleman and officer I have the honour to be, Madam, your obedient servant, G.BARBOUR, Platoon Sergt." The loss to the Church in this country (his intention was to be ordained) is one we cannot guess at, but we need not doubt that the Church taken as a whole is a gainer by his promotion to a larger and wider sphere.