More about Alastair Cosmo Burton Geddes

For reasons unknown this man is not listed on the original Dundee Roll of Honour.

On New Years Day 1917 Geddes was awarded the MC. This was for an action in which he spent 14 consecutive hours observing an attack on Thiepval during which he gained valuable information, carried out artillery observation and reported on tanks in action for the first time.

On 18 & 19 April, due to low cloud and drizzle, it was impossible to send a balloon up. On the second day Geddes visited an artillery battery, with whom the Kite Balloon Coy was cooperating, and while walking back to Vaulx-Vraucourt from Lagnicourt he was killed by a shell.

Geddes Alistair Cosmo Burton M.C.   Major   Royal Flying Corps

Major A. C. B. Geddes, M.C., Royal Flying Corps.  He was the elder son of Professor and Mrs Patrick Geddes.  Major Geddes went to France in August, 1915, and was awarded the Military Cross and the Cross of the Legion of Honour.

Alastair C B Geddes was born in Dundee and was the son of Professor Patrick Geddes and Mrs Anna Morton Geddes, 14 Ramsay Gardens, Edinburgh. He was a Student when, in June 1915, he joined the Royal Naval Air Service and trained at the Balloon Training Depot at RNAS Roehampton in Surrey. Here he specialised as an Observer and his duties would involve directing and adjusting artillery fire from warships from a Kite Balloon secured to a ship. He was appointed to No 6 Kite Balloon Section in August 1915 which was transferred to France to assist the Army with artillery spotting. In May 1916, when the Army assumed control of the Naval Kite Sections, his commission was changed to the Royal Flying Corps. It is not certain how he died but Alastair Geddes was buried in the Vaulx Australian Field Ambulance Cemetery, Pas de Calais which may indicate that died from wounds. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1916 (London Gazette Publication dated 29 December 1916 Supplement: 29886, Page 34) and the Cross of the Legion of Honour (France) in 1917 (London Gazette Publication dated 1 June 1917 Supplement: 30110, Page 5452.)

Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie