Higginbotham C E Major 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment
MAJOR C. E. HIGGINBOTHAM
2ND BATTALION THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT
CHARLES ERNEST HIGGINBOTHAM was the second son of Charles Titus and Agnes Higginbotham, of Craigmaddie, Milngavic, N.Β.
He entered the School in 1880, and left in 1884, in which year he was in the XI.
He proceeded through Sandhurst to the Army, obtaining his Commission in the Northamptonshire Regiment in February, 1887, his Company in 1899, and his Majority in 1907. He had a Staff appointment at Devonport during the Boer War, but served subsequently in South Africa with his Regiment, 1903-07. From 1909-13 he was on the Staff at Aldershot as Inspector of Gymnasia, and did a great deal to encourage all sport in the Army among Officers and men. He captained the Aldershot Officers’ Cricket X1 for several years, taking it over in 1911.
He was killed at Neuve Chapelle, on March 10th, 1915, but no details were received as all those who were with him were also killed. Age 48.
His Commanding Officer wrote from France:-
“Had he alone survived I should be content for the future of the Regiment. He was everything to me during this War, as a soldier.”
Another Officer at Aldershot said:-
“He was a sportsman in the highest sense of the word, always cheerful, kindly and considerate, beloved by his brother Officers and by all the men who came under him. He was an ideal type of British Officer.”
He married in January, 1891, Florence H. Hopkins, who died in January, 1907. In 1909 he married Lucy Frances Gray Round, who died March 5th, 1915, five days before he was killed.
Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1