Lives of the First World War

Alexander Petrie was born on 14 December 1897, in Rattray, Perthshire. He was born illegitimate to Jane Duff but she soon married Alexander’s father William Forbes Petrie. Alexander was only 17 ½ yrs old when he enlisted into the Army Service Corps on 04 March 1915. He became Private T4/061835. “T4” within Alexander’s regt. number signifies that he was a Horse Team Driver. The A.S.C. was responsible for delivering supplies & ammunition to infantry/artillery. On 12 April 1915, he went off with the B.E.F., to fight for his country. He died in Rattray on 02 April 1917 - four months after being medically discharged from the Army and "sent home to die". His father having died, his step-mother Annie cared for him until the end. Alexander's "military funeral" was recorded in the local paper - his name appears on Blairgowrie & Rattray War Memorial and on Blairgowrie High School's WW1 Commemoration Board but, until August 2011, he had not been officially recognised as 'WW1 War Dead'. In January 2011, an application was made to CWGC (&, thus, MOD) to have this corrected. Because Alexander's WW1 Service Record survived, evidence existed to prove his death was due to his Army Service. From the 09.11.1916 Medical Board's Report (within Alexander’s Discharge Record) his condition of Pulmonary Tuberculosis started with a cough “about Feb. 1916” and expectoration began “before end of August” (1916) but he was “kept at duty until end of Sept.” (1916). The progression of Alexander's condition is fully documented in the Report & it concludes “Constitutional tendency aggravated by exposure during 18 months Active Service. Permanent”. In August 2011, the family received notification from CWGC that Alexander Petrie was now officially classed as 'WW1 War Dead'. In October 2014, a CWGC granite headstone was erected at the lair of Alexander in Blairgowrie Cemetery - where none had stood before. On 11 November 2014 a niece & nephew of Alexander laid a special WW1 Commemorative Wreath at the Blairgowrie & Rattray War Memorial, during the Armistice Day Service.

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