Abercrombie J B S Pte 5532 7th Black Watch
ABERCROMBIE, JOHN BALFOUR SYMINGTON, L.R.I.B.A., Private, No. 5532, 1/7th Battn. (T.F.) The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), s. of William Abercrombie, of Glasgow and Grangemouth, Timber Mer-chant, by his wife, Eliza Jane, dau. of John McAllister Symington; b. Nether Park, Paisley, 17 June, 1879; educ. Paisley Grammar School, and Hanover, Germany (for the study of lan-guage); gained the silver medal for drawing at Paisley School, and, on leaving, was articled for five years to James Miller, F.R.I.B.A., of Glasgow, Architect, remaining with him after-wards as assistant for two years; in 1906, when in practice for himself, he was the Archi-tect for numerous buildings in Paisley, Ren-frew and Grangemouth, Brockwood Park, Hants, and other places; he closed his business in order to enlist as a Private, 23 Oct. 1915, in the 14th Battn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; transferred to 15th Battn.; volunteered for a draft to 1/7th Battn. The Black Watch in place of a married man; went to France 30 June, 1916; after being ten days in the trenches, he was returning to billets, and when six miles from the front near Mametz Wood a German shell fell amongst four of them, wounding him in the lower right side of the abdomen; he was carried at once to the 69th Field Ambulance, and, arriving there in a semi-conscious condition, died almost immediately, 31 July, 1916; Buried in the soldiers’ cemetery at Fricourt, France. From numerous letters written by his comrades after his death, it is evident he was most popular with all his fellow soldiers in the ranks; unm.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 2