2nd Lieutenant Colin Johnston SINCLAIR
A Battery, 320th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

Date of birth: 10th April 1898
Date of death: 30th November 1918

Died of wounds aged 20
Buried at Hampstead Cemetery Grave WC/275
Colin Johnston Sinclair was born at 24 St John's Wood Park, London on the 10th of April 1898 the only child of Lieutenant Colonel William Sinclair, Cameronians and tea planter, and Amy Louisa (nee Johnston) Sinclair of Rangalla, Ceylon.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1911 where he was a member of the Choir. He was a member of the Cricket XI in 1910 and 1911 and of the Football XI in 1910. The school magazine wrote the following of his 1910 cricket season: - "His batting and fielding are in quite an elementary stage, but his bowling is full of possibilities and should in the summer to come prove a valuable asset."

Of his 1911 cricket season they wrote: - "A great disappointment; bowled beautifully in the nets but never reproduced this form in matches; a poor bat; moderate field."

They wrote the following of his 1910 football season: - "(Inside left) - Has striven hard to aid the "understanding" of the forward line, giving many a nice pass, but he should show more initiative, and put more sting into his shooting."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - "A useful member of both XI's and second leader of the choir. Not with us long enough to become a scholar, though displaying every indication of abilities above the average. Took a high place in the Common Entrance Examination."

He went on to Wellington College where he was in Mr. Pearson's House from September 1911 to June 1916. He was appointed as Head of House and as a School Prefect. He served as a Private in the Officer Training Corps until he left the College in June 1916.

While still at school, he applied for a place at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich in March 1916 and underwent a medical examination at Aldershot at which it was recorded that he was six feet tall and that he weighed 141lbs. He had unsuccessfully taken the Academy's entrance examination in July 1915 and took it once again in June 1916, passing in 129th place. He entered the Academy for a nine month course in September 1916 after which he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 6th of June 1917.

He was posted to France on the 20th of June 1917 and joined 134th Battery, 32nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery in the field to the south of the River Scarpe on the 27th of June 1917. He went on a course at 17 Corps Signal School on the 12th of August 1917 and was posted to 27th Battery, 32nd Brigade on the 8th of October 1917.

On the 31st of October 1917 the Battery was in positions at Langemark and Colin Sinclair was resting inside a captured pill box when an enemy gas shell passed through the door and exploded inside. He was evacuated to 62 Casualty Clearing Station suffering from severe gas poisoning. He was transferred to No. 1 British Red Cross Hospital on the 2nd of November and was evacuated to England from Calais on board the Hospital Ship "Stad Antwerpen" on the 16th of January 1918, landing at Dover later the same day. He was taken to the Russian Hospital at 8 South Audley Street.

A Medical Board which sat at Caxton Hall on the 24th of January 1918 reported that: -

"He has been very ill, and is now very weak and very short of breath on slightest exertion."

A Medical Board which sat later in London recorded that: -

"Wounded 31/10/17 Langemark. He was asleep in a pill box and a gas shell burst inside, having come through the gas blanket. 5 hours later he developed vomiting with pain in chest - conjunctivitis, laryngitis with aphonia. He improved for about 10 days then developed bronchial pneumonia and slight emphysema. Rib bisected and tube inserted 28/XI/17. Tube taken out December 2nd. No T.B. in sputum. Now extremely thin - wound is healed - has cough on change of position."

On the 23rd of July 1918 he was posted to 320th Brigade, 64th Division at Norwich where he was the Colonel’s, orderly and Signals Officer. On the 12th of October 1918 he received orders to sail for overseas service and was to embark at Southampton on the 6th of November for passage to India and then on to Mesopotamia as a reinforcement. This posting was cancelled when he was taken to hospital suffering from a haemorrhage. He died of pneumonia at Norfolk War Hospital.

His Colonel wrote: -

“It is quite impossible for me to find words by which to express my deep sympathy he was a frequent visitor at my house, and both my wife and I were extremely fond of him. He was a most popular officer with the men, as well as being a most efficient one and every officer in the Brigade feels they have lost a gallant friend by his sad death. It is to such brave lives that we owe our peace and safety today.”

Another Lieutenant Colonel wrote:-

“I was deeply grieved to hear of the death of Colin Sinclair. When I came back from France and joined 320th Brigade I found him as one of my subalterns. During the time he was with me he endeared himself to all of us, and we feel his loss very deeply. It is so very sad to feel that such a bright and promising life has been cut off so prematurely.”

His funeral was held at 11.30am on the 7th of December 1918.

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Wellington College.

Went on to Wellington College

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