Lt. Alec Arthur Crichton MAITLAND-ADDISON
Burial: Boulogne Eastern Cemetery Grave: I.B.5. Died of wounds: 27th October 1914 Age: 28
Personal: Alec was born in Brighton, Sussex, in the June quarter 1886, son of Major Alfred Chamberlain (71st Highland Light Infantry) and Mary Elizabeth Kay (née Hurst) Maitland-Addison of 12 Arundel Terrace, Brighton. [The CWGC Record states “the late” Major Alfred, as Alec’s father had died on 17th December 1916 at 2 Trebovir Road, London.]
Alec had four older brothers and an older sister, John Francis Richard Norman, Clive Charles Henry, Lionel Arthur Hurst Bisset, Sybil Louisa Ethel (later Swindells) and Guy Robert Hurst and 2 younger brothers, Roy Crichton Alfred and Charles Bissett. [see Footnotes below]
The 1901 Census (RG 13/1191) shows the family living at 41 Hamilton Road, Ealing, Middlesex. (The family are only recorded by initials, with 5 children in total.)
Alec has not been found on the 1911 Census. Brother Lionel is shown in the 1911 Census (RG 14/5621) as a serving Lieutenant on board HMS Fisgard. He had enrolled in the Royal Navy on 15th January 1895, aged 15. Charles was at Ardingley School as a Boarder. The parents and Guy and Roy were living at 23 Philbeach Gardens, Kensington. Guy is recorded as “Royal Navy – Retained“.
In February 1915 the ‘Register of Soldiers’ Effects‘ show an amount of £169 15s 7d [£169.77] returned to Alec’s father (this would be equivalent to about £22,500 today – 2023). A further £45 War Gratuity [c. £2600 today] was sent in 1920 to ‘Francis Richard Norman Maitland-Addison‘. Probate Records show that his home address at the time of going to War was 2 Trebovir Road, S. Kensington, London.
Military Service: Currently his Army records are unavailable, and do not appear to have survived the Second World War bombing, neither is his Medal Index Card available. Alec was Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment on 16th September 1914 and promoted Lieutenant for “distinguished service in the field“. (Source: ‘Roll of Honour’.)
He died in Hospital at Boulogne on 27th October from “wounds received in action at Ypres on the 25th“. (The”Roll of Honour” entry states Ypres, but the Battalion did not get there until 6th November, on the 25th October the Battalion was in reserve east of Bethune.)
Crookenden, page 28, gives the date of Lieutenant Addison being wounded as the 20th, on which date the Battalion was in action at Violaines. The War Diary confirms this: “Held VIOLAINES, artillery shelled LA BASSEE. Battalion on outposts. 2/Lieut MAY, 2/Lieut ADDISON wounded, 3 men killed, 24 men wounded. 3 p.m. German attack repulsed. Battalion on outposts.”
Alec died of his wounds, a week later, on the 27th, and was buried in Grave I.B.5., Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. The inscription on his headstone reads: “At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember him“.
Lieutenant Maitland-Addison’s military service and where he is buried.
In addition to Alec Arthur Crichton, 1st Cheshire Regiment, all of his six brothers had distinguished service in H.M. Forces, two paying the Supreme Sacrifice. Read their stories below:
Lt. Col. John Francis Richard Norman Maitland-Addison was born in Brighton, Sussex, on 19th July 1878. He married Agatha Mary Swindell and they had 1 child, Ian Maitland-Addison (1911 – 1936).
The 1911 Census shows John is serving with the Royal Artillery, but living at home at 74 West Cromwell Road, S W London. He had been promoted to “2/Lieutenant” on 26th February 1898 and to “Lieutenant” on on 1st February 1901.
He achieved the rank of “Captain” on 26th September 1903. “Major” Maitland-Addison joined the B.E.F. in France, with his Regiment on 24th July 1916, and by the end of the War John was a “Lieutenant-Colonel“. He retired on 23rd October 1922.
The 1939 Register shows John living at 17 Ovington Square, London, with Agatha and several servants, and designated a “Army Colonel – Retired“. John Francis died in Chelsea, London, on 28th October 1954.
Lieutenant Clive Charles Henry Maitland-Addison (R.N.) was born on 15th October 1879 in Brighton, Sussex. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 15th January 1894, and passed out of the training ship HMS Brittania in mid-January 1896.
Clive served one year in HMS Resolution in the Channel Squadron before being sent to spend two years in HMS Centurion on the China Station. He spent much of 1899 in HMS Champion and HMS Minerva.
He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31st December 1901. Clive served in HMS Sutlej from May 1902 until 27th November 1903 before joining HMS Berwick in the Cruiser Squadron from 9th December 1903 until 13th March 1906, when he was appointed as first officer in the scout cruiser HMS Attentive.
On 14th April 1909 while in his first command appointment in T.B.17., Clive was taken ill and was sent to Chatham Hospital. He was discharged on 4th May and returned to the torpedo boat. After leaving the ship in October 1909, he held command of a series of destroyers, ending with command of HMS Boyne, which ended on 15th August 1911. He was appointed in command of the gunboat HMS Kinsha on the China Station, but died of pneumonia and heart failure aged just thirty-two years, on 26th October 1911.
Lieutenant Commander Lionel Arthur Hurst Bisset Maitland-Addison was born at St Margaret, Kingston Hill, Ham, Surrey, on 30th December 1880. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 15th January 1895, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 30th June 1903. (London Gazette 3rd July 1903, p. 4187)
After T.B. 56 capsized and was lost while under tow near Damietta, Eqypt, on 18th May 1906, Lionel lost twelve month’s seniority and was severely reprimanded and dismissed the ship in the ensuing Court Martial.
After it appears he was thought to have deserted in 1911, he re-appeared and was placed on the Retired List on 22nd February 1912, however, Lionel was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30th June 1912.
The 1911 Census shows Lionel still on Active Service (“Lieutenant [Executive]“) and serving with the Royal Marines on HMS Fisgard, a shore establishment at Gosport, Hampshire.
He served in the Great War with the Lancashire Fusiliers, from 6th September 1914 to 24th May 1919. The London Gazette, p. 32330, 1st April 1915, reported his appointment as a “Temporary Captain” in the 17th (1st South East Lancs.) Battalion, effective from 6th March 1915.
Lionel died on 14th April 1940 in Hammersmith, London, aged 59. No record can be found of him marrying.
L/Cpl. 63191 Guy Robert Hurst Maitland-Addison was born in Brighton, Sussex, the 3rd quarter 1884. By the 1901 Census (RG 13/1080), as a 16 year old, he was enrolled in Eastmans Royal Naval Academy, Crawley, Hampshire.
Guy enrolled in the Royal Marines on 1st September 1902, and in 1905 he was serving as a Lieutenant (R.M.L.I.) on H.M.S. Cumberland, a twin screw armoured Cruiser.
By 1908 he was on H.M.S. London, a Battle Cruiser. The 1911 Census (see above) shows that by then he was on the “Retained” List.
Guy’s Medal Index Card shows that on his re-enlistment he joined as Corporal 4508, 18th London Regiment.
At some time he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and was killed in action on 11th September 1917, serving with 188 Company Machine Gun Corps.
the History of the 1/18th London Regiment in the Great War.
Guy is buried in Grave I. Q. 3. Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St. Laurent-Blangy.
In May 1918 his total effects of £1 9s 2d [£1.46] was returned to his mother, Mary. A further £7 War Gratuity was paid in 1919. (This total of £8.46 is equivalent to about £560 today – 2023.)
Rifleman 323473 Roy Crichton Alfred Maitland-Addison was born in Brighton, Sussex, the 3rd quarter 1889. The 1901 Census (RG 13/1191) shows the family living at 41 Hamilton Road, Ealing, Middlesex. (The family are only recorded by initials, with 5 children in total.)
Unlike his older brothers, Roy did not enlist early in the Military and the 1911 Census (RG 14/133) shows him still in the family home at 23 Philbeach Gardens, London S W, working in the “Stock Exchange“.
Roy enlisted with 1/6th Battalion, London Regiment (City of London Rifles) and entered France on Christmas Day 1916. He died of wounds on 1st May 1917. He is buried in Grave XII. A. 27A., Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
In August 1917 his total effects of £3 2s 5d [£3.12] were returned to his mother, Mary. A further £3 War Gratuity was paid in 1919. (This total of £6.12 is equivalent to about £450 today – 2023.)
2nd Lieutenant Charles Bissett Maitland-Addison, the youngest son of the family, was born in the 2nd quarter 1896 at Portsea Island, Hampshire. The 1901 Census (RG 13/1191) shows the family, and 5 year old Charles, living at 41 Hamilton Road, Ealing, Middlesex. The 1911 Census (RG 14/5019) shows him as a student at St Saviour’s College, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, Hampshire.
Manchester Regiment. He enlisted with the Gordon Highlanders (Private 33768) (badge right) and had previously served with 1/14th (London Scottish) Battalion, London Regiment (Private 514948). At some time he also served as Driver 192887 Royal Field Artillery.
The London Gazette, 7th May 1915, page 4419, records Charles’ promotion to 2nd Lieutenant, Manchester Regiment, effective from 28th April 1915. He died in London, aged 28, in the June quarter 1924.
