Major Reginald William Henry CRAWFORD-LESLIE
1/2nd Scottish Horse Yeomanry

Date of birth: 21st June 1873
Date of death: 3rd April 1916

Died aged 42
Buried at Folla-Rule (St George) Episcopalian Church near Aberdeen
He was born at Richmond Barracks in Dublin on the 21st of June 1873 the elder son of Colonel Henry Nigel Crawford-Leslie, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and Susan Annabella Edith (nee Hunter) of 6 Marine Parade, Great Crosby in Lancashire. He was christened on the 10th of August 1873 at St Jude’s Church in Dublin.

He was educated at the King’s School Canterbury from May 1887 to July 1888. His younger brother James also attended the school from 1887 to 1890 and his uncle Richard Gordon was a master there from 1866 to 1892.

During the South African War he served as a Trooper in the Scottish Imperial Yeomanry and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Regiment on the 18th of March 1905. On the formation of the Territorial Army he was promoted to Captain in the Scottish Horse on the 1st of April 1908 and was promoted to Major on the 20th of July 1913.
Following the outbreak of war he was mobilised and posted to the Regimental Depot at Dunkeld. By August 1915 concerns were being raised about his heavy drinking and the effect it was having on his ability to carry out his duties.

Letter dated the 10th of August 1915 from the Commanding Officer, 1/2nd Scottish Horse Yeomanry to 1st Scottish Horse Brigade: - “With reference to your communication about Major Crawford-Leslie of 4.8.15 I have to report as under:
1) I have no doubt that the report which has reached you is correct as I am informed that the matter of his intemperance has been discussed amongst themselves by the senior officer of the Regiment. I personally have not seen him actually under the influence of liquor except on two occasions when a tendency to repeat himself and his appearance and on one occasion a smell of alcohol made me conclude that he had been drinking.
2) As for the above reasons I believe Major Crawford-Leslie to be intemperate. I do not therefore consider him to be a fit person to be in charge of troops under the present circumstances and Major Souter agrees. I therefore recommend his transfer to the Territorial Force Reserve and have informed him of this fact and reason."

On the 20th of August 1915 he was taken ill with hepatic congestion brought on by his heavy drinking.

A Medical Board was held at 1st Scottish General Hospital, Aberdeen on the 5th of October 1915 to consider his case: - “His general condition is good. There is now no evidence of hepatic congestion. Examination of the heart shows haemic murmurs at base reflex, and examination of the nervous system shows much exaggerated knee jerks. The Board has noted the evidence on the papers marked confidential, but finds that the officer at present shows nothing bearing upon this aspect.”
The Board concluded that he was unfit for service for a further three weeks.

A Medical Board which sat at 1st Scottish General Hospital, Aberdeen on the 26th of October 1915 concluded: - “He is now in good health and physically able for full duty.”

A report was written on the 22nd of November 1915 entitled: - Case of Major R.W. Crawford-Leslie, 1/2nd Scottish Horse Yeomanry.

"On the 9th August, 1915, the Officer Commanding 1/2nd Scottish Horse Yeomanry stated to the General Officer Commanding 1st Scottish Horse Brigade that the report which has been circulated about the above officer regarding his drinking propensities was no doubt correct although he himself had not actually seen him under the influence of liquor except when there was a tendency to repeat himself. His appearance on one occasion and a smell of alcohol made him conclude that Major Crawford-Leslie had been drinking and he believes that this officer is of an intemperate character and not fit to be in charge of troops, and in these circumstances recommends his transfer to the Territorial Force Reserve. On the 10th August, 1915, the Brigadier-General Commanding Scottish Horse Brigade submitted the following questions concerning this officer to the M.O. Captain I.A. Simpson M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Force:
1. Do you consider this officer is intemperate? – Yes
2. Does he suffer from chronic or temporary alcoholism?—Chronic alcoholism
3. Is he affected in consequence of the above morally, physically or is it his nervous system? – Yes, morally, mentally and physically
4. Do you think he is likely to pull up? – No
The General Officer Commanding Scottish Horse Brigade in sending on these statements to the General Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Scottish Command points out that this officer has been several times warned and he concurs in the recommendation of the Officer Commanding, 2nd Scottish Horse. On the above facts being communicated to Major Crawford-Leslie he applied for a Medical Board. On the 5th October, 1915, a Medical Board was held on this officer. The Board reported that he was unfit for duty for one month and expressed an opinion that there was nothing to show that Major Crawford-Leslie was suffering from the effects described above except the evidence stated on the papers produced to the Board. On these facts being considered by the War Office the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Scottish Command was told that the leave recommended by the Medical Board (vis. One month) should be granted and a further Medical Board held at the expiration of that period. Accordingly a further Medical Board was held on the 26th of October, 1915, (21 days after the previous Board) and opinion formed by the same says that he is now fit for general service, but in the view of the previous facts concerning this officer’s career in the 1/2nd Scottish Horse, the General Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Scottish Command refers the case for instructions as in the ordinary course of events Major Crawford-Leslie being found fit for General Service should join the 3rd Line Depot. The General Officer, Commanding in-Chief, Scottish Command does not recommend this as if he was to do so he at once becomes senior to the officer at present in Command (Major Anstruther-Gray) which is most undesirable and asks that it might be possible to post him elsewhere than the 3rd Line Depot."

On the 31st of December 1915 he applied for a transfer to an active service unit but this request was denied and on the 7th of January 1916 he was transferred to the Territorial Reserve Yeomanry with the rank of Major.

He was married to Janet Macfie (nee Blaikie) on the 2nd of July 1902. Following his death she remarried to Alexander Gordon Duff on the 24th of July 1917.

He served as a Justice of the Peace and died at Fyvie in Scotland.

He is buried in the family plot.
 

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