1939-1945

The Service Roll is different from the Roll of Honour in that it shows the names & a short statement of service of all members of staff of the RBGE who, at the call of duty, joined H.M. Naval & Military Forces for the war which began in September 1939. It was never published, and was recently discovered during the move of archive material after water ingress in July 2021. The names with an asterisk belong to those killed during the conflict.

Allan, Frank        Probationer Forester, 12^th December 1938. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 24^th November 1939 until 29^th February 1944.

Anthony, John, M.A., B.Sc., F.R.S.E.         Lecturer in Botany, 1934. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, January 1940. District Officer, Stirling area until December 1943.

Armstrong, Samuel John              Probationer Gardener, 8^th April 1935, Gardener, 11^th April 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 10^th January 1941. Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in Egypt, Palestine, the Western Desert, Malta, Sicily and Italy, 5 years. Demobilised 19^th April 1946.

Beach, John Edward Gordon      Probationer Forester, 8^th March 1937. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 19^th October 1939 as Operations Foreman. Served in the West of Scotland, Woodhall, Arduaine, Glen Etive, until 20th June 1945.

Boyd, John Markey         Labourer at Benmore, 20^th July 1938, Probationer Gardener, 12^th January 1946. Mobilised 3^rd September 1939, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Rank – Private. Service in France. Taken prisoner on 5^th June 1940 and spent 5.5 years in prison camps in Germany. Demobilised 24^th April 1946.

Burrough, Walter James              Park Keeper, 23^rd June 1936. Mobilised 2^nd September 1939, 5^th Field Training Regiment. Rank – Quatermaster Sergeant. Service in England, 6 years. Demobilised 16^th August 1945.

Callen, Eric O., B.Sc., Ph.D., F.L.S.             Assistant lecturer, October 1938. Joined A.A. [Anti-Aircraft] Command (Radar) 15^th May 1941; R.A.S.C. [Royal Army Service Corps.] in October 1941 and Intelligence Corps, Rank – Captain in October 1942.  Released, 6^th November 1945.

Cannon, William George              Time Keeper, 18^th February 1935, Hall Attendant, 23^rd September 1935. Mobilised 12^th September 1939, Royal Navy, Rank – Chief Petty Officer. Service in Malta. Demobilised 26^th July 1945.

Cowan, John Macqueen, M.A., D.Sc.       Assistant [Regius] Keeper, June 1930. To Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 18^th September 1939. Divisional Officer, Scotland (West). Resumed duty Royal Botanic Garden, 1^st January 1946.

Crouch, Alphonse George            Probationer Gardener, 27^th April 1936, Gardener, 10^th July 1939. Joined Royal Air Force, 20^th December 1940, Rank – Flight Lieutenant. Service in England.

Curry, James Andrew     Probationer, 1^st April 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 29^th August 1940, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland, Fife, West Africa, 5.5 years. Demobilised 10^th January 1946.

Dalrymple, James            Labourer, 13^th September 1938. Mobilised 1^st September 1939, Cameron Highlanders, Rank – Private. Reported missing as on 5^th May 1940, and later reported Prisoner of War, Germany. Service in France. Demobilised 16^th February 1946.

Dalrymple, William         Probationer Gardener, 17^th September 1940. Joined Palestine Police [a British Colonial police service that became a military force at the end of May 1942], 13^th May 1942.

Day, George Edward      Park Keeper, 3^rd June 1937. Mobilised 2^nd September 1939, 1^st Royal Dragoons, Rank – Quartermaster Sergeant. Service in England, 6 years. Demobilised 19^th September 1945.

Dick, William Dooes       Probationer Gardener, 12^th December 1938. Joined Royal Army Medical Corps, 3^rd April 1940, Rank – Private. Service in Britain. Demobilised 19^th September 1945.

Dingwall, Ieuan George Philips  Probationer Gardener, 15^th November 1937. Joined Royal Air Force, 23^rd October 1940, Rank – Air Craftman. Service in Malaya, Sumatra, Ceylon. Demobilised, 22^nd March 1946.

Dodds, James George    Probationer Gardener, 6^th April 1938. Joined Royal Air Force 14^th May, 1940, Rank – Corporal. Service in Palestine, Syria, Transjordan, Egypt, Tripolitania, Tunisia, 6 years. Demobilised, 12^th March 1946.

Dykes, David Oswald      Labourer, 18^th September 1939. Joined 141^st Officers Cadet Training Unit (Royal Engineers), 10^th October 1939, Rank – Second Lieutenant

Elliott, Joseph John         Probationer Gardener, 17^th August 1936. Joined Royal Air Force, 28^th August 1940, Rank – Corporal.  Service in Ceylon and Central Mediterranean Forces.

Evans, Alfred     Probationer Gardener, 4^th December 1939. Joined Royal Air Force, 20^th June 1940, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in Kenya, Egypt, Sudan, 6 years. Demobilised 23^rd July, 1946.

*Fairbairn, Harvey Oswald             Probationer Gardener, 3^rd April 1939. Joined Royal Scots, 14^th January 1940, Rank – Sergeant. Transferred to Royal Air Force. Killed in Action.

Feachen, Thomas Robert             Stoker, 28^th September 1936. Mobilised 25^th August 1939, Royal Scots, Rank – Lance Bombardier. Service in England. Demobilised 19^th August, 1945.

Feaks, John H.   Probationer Forester, 28^th March 1938. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 19^th October 1939.  Served as Operations Foreman, West of Scotland, until 18^th February 1941.

*Fernie, James McMillan               Probationer Forester, 25^th March, 1940. Enlisted Royal Air Force, 4^th June, 1941, Rank – Air Craftman. Service in India. Died of malaria in India, 20^th-24^th August 1942. [18^th August 1942]

Foley, Patrick John          Labourer, 7^th August 1933. Joined Royal Artillery, 14^th November 1940, Rank – Gunner. Service with 51^st Division in Algiers, North Africa, Sicily, Normandy, Channel Islands, 5 years. Demobilised 19^th February, 1946.

Geddes, Alexander          Time Keeper, 30^th September 1935, Hall Attendant, 11^th January 1937. Mobilised 3^rd September 1941, Royal Navy, Rank – Chief Petty Officer. Service in England. Demobilised 17^th August 1945.

*Grieve, Thomas Steel Greenshields          Probationer Gardener, 9^th August 1937. Joined Royal Air Force, 29^th August 1940, Rank – Sergeant Pilot. Killed in Action, 4^th or 5^th August, 1942.

Howe, James     Gardener, 3^rd December 1934. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 22^nd October 1939 as Operations Foreman. Served at Braco, Perthshire until 4^th May 1946.

Hudson, Arthur William                Park Keeper, 20^th October 1930, Sergeant Park Keeper, 1^st August 1936. Mobilised 23^rd August 1939, 162^nd Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery (Territorial Army), Rank – Battery Sergeant Major. Service in Britain. Demobilised 5^th April 1941.

Kemp, Edward Edmund, D.Inst.P.A.        Probationer Gardener, 18^th January 1932, Assistant Curator, 28^th October 1939. Joined Royal Artillery, 14^th November 1940, Rank – Lieutenant. Service in France and Norway. Demobilised 23^rd February 1946.

Kennedy, John  Probationer Gardener, 24^th September 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 14^th June 1940, Rank – Corporal. Service in France. Demobilised, 28^th January 1946.

Lauener, Lucien André   Labourer, 18^th January 1937. Joined Royal Artillery, 3^rd September 1939, Rank – Lance Bombardier. Service in India, Assam and Burma. Demobilised 5^th May 1946.

Lee, Francis        Probationer Gardener, 2^nd September 1937. Joined Royal Navy, 27^th November 1940, Rank – Able Bodied Seaman. Service in Gibralta, Oran, Algiers, Corsica and Italy. Demobilised 11^th February 1946.

Lee, John M.      Stoker, 27^th October 1924. Mobilised 2^nd September 1939, Royal Artillery (Territorial Army), Rank – Lance Bombardier. Service in England. Demobilised 23^rd July 1940.

Lisle, Henry Stuart           Probationer Gardener, 17^th August 1937. Joined Royal Air Force, 29^th August 1940, Rank – Corporal. Service in Middle East Forces.

*McInnes, William Thomas Henderson    Probationer Gardener, 12^th December 1938. Joined Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 16^th May 1940, Rank – Lance Sergeant. Killed at El Alamein, 24^th October 1942. Buried in El Alamein Cemetery.

MacKenzie, Robert Dunsmore    Probationer Gardener, 3^rd April 1939. Joined Royal Air Force, 10^th May 1940, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Demobilised 18^th March, 1946.

MacTier, Henry Bayley  Probationer Gardener, 23^rd August 1937. Joined Royal Artillery, 10^th September 1940, Rank – Lieutenant. Service in India and South Africa.

Masterton, John Scott   Probationer Gardener, 21^st March 1938. Joined Royal Air Force (Signals) Recruit Centre, 18^th July 1940, Rank – Corporal. Service in India and Middle East. Demobilised 7^th July 1946.

*Mitra, Bejoy Krishna        Probationer Gardener, 18^th July 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 30^th October 1941, Rank – Sergeant (Pathfinder). Killed in Action, 25^th January 1944.

Moffatt, James Anderson R.       Probationer Gardener, 3^rd April 1939. Joined Royal Air Force, 20^th June 1940, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in Central Mediterranean Forces.

Morris, John McGill        Park Keeper, 21^st December 1936. Mobilised 1^st November 1939, Infantry Training Centre, Rank – Sergeant. Service in Ireland. Demobilised 1^st June 1943.

*Moseley, Henry William               Probationer Gardener, 7^th July 1936, Gardener, 18^th September 1939. Joined Scots Guards, 10^th September 1940, Rank – Private. Service in Italy. Died of wounds in Italy, October 1944.

Muir, James Kennedy    Probationer Gardener, 12^th April 1937. Joined Royal Artillery, 15^th August 1940, Rank – Gunner. Service in North Africa, Italy and Austria. Demobilised 4^th June 1946.

Neil, William Simpson   Probationer Gardener, 26^th April 1937. Joined Royal Air Force, 24^th June 1940, Rank – Corporal. Service in Palestine and Iraq.

Nicholson, Robert           Skilled Labourer, 18^th March 1929. Joined City of Edinburgh Fortress, Royal Engineers, 25thAugust 1939, Rank – Corporal. Service in Central Mediterranean Forces. Demobilised 7^th February 1946.

Patey, William George   Time-Keeper, 15^th January 1937. Mobilised 24^th August 1939, Royal Marines, Rank – Corporal. Service Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. Demobilised 19^th September 1945.

Robb, James      Probationer, 30^th December 1935, Gardener, 4^th September 1939, Assistant Curator, 11^th February 1946. Joined Royal Air Force, 22^nd January 1941, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in England. Demobilised 24^th August 1943.

*Roberts, James  Labourer, 13^th May 1927. Mobilised City of Edinburgh Fortress, Royal Engineers, 25^th August 1939, Rank – Sergeant.  Went down with the S.S. [Benalbanach] off Tunisia during the African landing on 7^th January 1943.

Robertson, David Adamson        Probationer Forester, 3^rd April 1939. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, as Operations Foreman. Service at Lochgilphead and Luss until 30^th March 1946.

Rogers, John Marshall    Labourer at Benmore, 2^nd April 1938, Probationer Gardener, 10^th December 1945. Mobilised 3^rd September 1939, 8^th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Rank – Private. Service in France. Reported missing 5^th June 1940. Prisoner of War in Germany for 5.5 years. Discharged 19^th December 1945. [After receiving additional information from John’s son Michael in July 2024, we now know that John was captured on the 7th June 1940 on the surrender of “C” Company at the Chateau de Belloy.]

Rose, Robert John           Probationer Gardener, 12^th December 1938.  Joined Royal Air Force, 18^th March 1941, Rank – Corporal. Service in Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, France. Demobilised 12^th April 1946.

Scott, Robert     Probationer Gardener, 12^th December 1938. Joined Royal Navy, 3^rd February 1941, Rank – Wireless Operator. Service in Mediterranean. Demobilised 29^th December 1945.

Smith, Sydney Pillans     Probationer Gardener, 20^th September 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 4^th November 1940, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in Central Mediterranean Forces. Demobilised 1^st April 1946.

Sutherland, Frederick George    Probationer Gardener, 6^th April 1937. Joined Seaforth Highlanders, 17^th October 1940, Rank – Private.  Service in Africa, Sicily and Italy.  Taken prisoner by Italians, October 1943. Mentioned in Dispatches. Demobilised 12^th December 1944.

Thomas, David James    Probationer Gardener, 28^th March 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 20^th March 1940, Rank – Leading Air Craftman. Service in North Africa, Italy, Palestine and Egypt. Mentioned in Dispatches, 1944. Demobilised 24^th February 1946.

Urquhart, Alan  Probationer Gardener, 30^th September 1940. Joined Black Watch, 70^th Battalion, 24^th February 1941, Rank – Private. Believed to have been Prisoner of War.

*Vaughan, Kenneth F. Herbert Aynge       Probationer Gardener, 26^th September 1938. Joined Royal Air Force, 2^nd November 1939, Rank – A.C.2 later. Reported missing on way to Mediterranean, 15^th March 1941 and later presumed killed.

Wallace, James Gordon                Probationer Gardener, 15^th March 1932. Joined Royal Air Force, 12^th November 1940, Rank – ? Service in Malta.

Wallace, Marjory Joyce                Temporary Woman Gardener, 16^th October 1944. Joined Wrens 12^th April 1945.

Watson, Alexander         Probationer Forester, 20^th September 1938. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 20^th January 1940.

Webster, William             Probationer Gardener, 4^th January 1937. Joined Royal Army Service Corps, 21^st November 1939, Rank – Corporal. Service in France and Central Mediterranean Forces.

Wells, Joseph Lawson Anderson               Probationer Gardener, 27^th December 1935, Gardener, 15^th May 1939. Joined Ministry of Supply, Home Grown Timber Production Department, 1^st November 1939 as Operations Foreman. Served at Largs until 18^th November 1942. Later joined Royal Air Force.

White, John Thomas      Labourer, Temporary Stoker, 3^rd August 1936. Joined Royal Artillery, 25^th August 1939, Rank – Sergeant. Service in Central Mediterranean Forces. Demobilised 27^th January 1946.

Whitehead, John Dennis              Probationer Gardener, 24^th July 1944. Joined His Majesty’s Forces, 19^th July 1945, Rank – Private.