Settlement of the Peace of Paris of 1763

The net result of the war was that France ceded all its North American possessions except Louisiana to Britain and lost control of its Indian possessions as well. Britain also secured Florida from Spain. Whilst this was a great short-term success for British arms and strategy, and led to British control of India, it also paved the way for the American War of Independence.

Once France ceased to pose a threat to the colonists in America, they no longer felt obliged to contribute to the cost of their defence. The dispute resulted in the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, and ultimately the loss of the American colonies.

Marriage

Once ashore, FLM devoted his attention to marriage. He was a naval officer on half pay, had made some prize money in the Caribbean, but to judge by his correspondence, reckoned that this did not amount to a great deal. However, he had in 1764 lent Thomas Barratt £7,000 (worth about £1.3m in today’s money) on the security of some slaves!! So, perhaps the prize money was better than he acknowledged.

As the sixth son of the Earl of Lauderdale, his inheritance would have been modest, the best part probably being family influence to advance his career and assist his marriage prospects. So, like many young men of the period, he looked for an heiress to marry – and found one!

In our last instalment, we left FLM as the commission in HMS Renown – a 30 gun frigate - ended on 25th August 1764. Hostilities in the Seven Years’ War were ended in 1763 by the Peace of Paris, and FLM went on half pay in January 1765. FLM appears to have made no provision for his first, Jamaican family, born of Mary Arnott, although they were acknowledged in the parish records. His son, John seems to have made good and so perhaps they were set-up by their father before he left Jamaica. John must have been conceived just before Frederick left Jamaica in Renown for England: was he back for John’s baptism in July 1765?In our last instalment, we left FLM as the commission in HMS Renown – a 30 gun frigate - ended on 25th August 1764. Hostilities in the Seven Years’ War were ended in 1763 by the Peace of Paris, and FLM went on half pay in January 1765. FLM appears to have made no provision for his first, Jamaican family, born of Mary Arnott, although they were acknowledged in the parish records. His son, John seems to have made good and so perhaps they were set-up by their father before he left Jamaica. John must have been conceived just before Frederick left Jamaica in Renown for England: was he back for John’s baptism in July 1765?

Settlement of the Peace of Paris of 1763

Marriage

Frederick Lewis Maitland of Rankeillour, Part III	1
An incident at Oporto Mark Crichton Maitland on FLM	4
Diana Rowden, Croix de Guerre Special Operations Executive	4
A William IV graduated set of four silver meat dishes & Sheffield plate dish covers	6
Aunt Ruby The last of the Milngavie Maitlands? Graham Maitland Tong	6
Sean Maitland scores tries in three of five Six Nations games	6
Frederick Lewis Makgill Crichton Maitland DSO Mark Crichton Maitland	7
Maitlands in the Royal Fying Corps Tim Maitland, our Secretary	8
New Clan web site	8
Thirlestane apartments for clansfolk to use	8
Subscriptions	8

She was Margaret Dick, a substantial heiress who already owned Nether Rankeillour, which came through her grandmother Isobel Makgill. She was heiress through her mother of the estates of Rank and Lindores in Fife, and through her mother, sister of James Makgill of Rankeillour, her descendants claimed the Viscountcy of Oxfuird. She inherited the Heriot estates at Ramornie, and was descended from the Crichtons. This connection enabled Charles Maitland Makgill Crichton of Monzie to secure recognition from the Lord Lyon of his position as Chief of the Crichtons. Charles’ son David is now known as David Crichton on the Lyon’s instructions.

In due course FLM and his wife then distributed the estates amongst their children, who in turn adopted new surnames to recognise the sources of their inheritances, as follows (birth order in number):

Charles became Maitland Makgill to recognise his ownership of Rankeillour, Fife

James became Makgill Heriot Maitland with Ramornie.

Sir Federick Lewis – remained plain Maitland with

Lindores, Fife

More interesting still is Charles Maitland’s marriage and spectacular inheritance, plus his position as forebear of the many Maitlands with multiple surnames - Maitland Makgill

Crichtons, Crichton Makgill Maitland, and Crichton Maitland.

Charles married another heiress, Mary Johnson, daughter of David Johnson of Lathrisk, who had accumulated a large estate by means which would have had him in jail today. He has been described by a descendant as the pirate/ smuggler, murderer, and finally Indian potentate who managed to have his crimes forgotten to return and buy substantial estates in Fife and Perthshire and bought Lathrisk, near Rankeillour, Fife, and Monzie in Perthshire.

(An expanded version of this account can be found in the 2012 YB p 21)

War breaks out with France

In February 1778 France recognised the United States by a Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the United States and France and followed this action with a military alliance.

This was a disaster for both Britain and France.

British disaster

The rebel colonies – or the new United Sates of America (depending on your point of view) now had a powerful ally. French assistance came mainly in the form of naval power, but troops were also sent to North America with unfortunate results – see below. The French navy was powerful and effective, and the Royal Navy was unable to defeat the French. Britain lost its command of the sea, which led directly to the final defeat at Yorktown. A British army, besieged at Yorktown on the Chesapeake Bay was forced to surrender because the Royal Navy was unable to relieve or rescue them or to disrupt the siege. This led directly to peace negotiations and the Treaty of Paris in 1783 by which Britain recognised American independence.

French disaster – the Revolution of 1789

Britain lost a colony, but swiftly replaced it by the Indian Raj. France, however, had created the seeds of disaster for its monarchy. The cost of supporting the American war bankrupted the government, leading directly to the need to summon the Estates General (a form of parliamentary assembly) in Paris during 1789 in an attempt to resolve the financial situation.

Matters got out of control, and when the crisis struck in July 1789 the French army failed to support the monarchy.

Troops joined the rebels, but worse still the officers who had served in America had seen that a republic was a viable and attractive form of government, and made no real effort to keep the army loyal to the monarchy. Without political or military support the monarchy fell.

The King and Queen were made prisoners in 1789 and executed in 1793.

FLM returns to sea HMS Elizabeth - 74 guns

As a consequence of the outbreak of war with France, FLM was recalled to the colours and given command of HMS Elizabeth - a 74 gun ship, of the line. Successful frigate captains regularly found themselves promoted to command ships with five times the firepower of their frigates, with crews of around 600 men, compared with 200 on a frigate.

For many of them, this was a poisoned chalice despite the greater power of the ship, its greater comfort and the seniority which went with a larger and more powerful command, frigates were more fun to command, and often won their captains more prize money. 74 gun ships had more fire power - a 1,700 pound broadside vs 350 on a frigate, were heavier, at 2,500 tons compared with 600 tons but had only 50% more sail area than a frigate, and were slower and less manoeuvrable. Below - a ‘74

FLM joined the ship in February with Charles and Peter Maitland (whom we can’t identify) listed as Captain’s servants, entering the Royal Navy at about the age of 12, before they became midshipmen. James Bisset (later a Rear Admiral) who had been commissioned as a Lieutenant that month, also joined the ship. His first cousin, Margaret Louisa Dick of Edinburgh had married FLM in 1767.

The ship was soon in action, employed in the Channel Fleet. On the 24^th June, 24 miles south west of the Lizard, HMS Elizabeth captured a Dutch frigate.

The Battle of Ushant 27 July 1778

On the 23^rd July 1778, Admiral Keppel, in HMS Victory (104 guns) with thirty ships of the line, including HMS Elizabeth, sailed from Spithead and sighted a French fleet of thirty two ships of the line about a hundred miles west of Ushant (the north west peninsula of France). The engagement was indecisive. There was a violent quarrel between Admiral Keppel, in command of the fleet and Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, commander of the rear division, regarding Palliser’s conduct during the battle. Both were court martialled, Both were acquitted but Palliser was criticised for his conduct.

On the 12^th September FLM’s ship was in a collision. However the damage was not enough to force a return to harbour, and the log the next day notes laconically “Patrolling” On 22^nd September they captured the brig Le Volant with 48 prisoners and a cargo of tobacco.

In December 1778 FLM recorded punishing several sailors by flogging (12 lashes each) for mutiny. He was then superseded by Captain Truscott. Charles and Peter Maitland were engaged by Truscott as Captain’s servants. HMS Elizabeth then sailed for the Caribbean.

There are no explanations of these events, and some puzzles. First, 12 lashes were the most a captain could award, but this seems to be a mild sentence for mutiny. Perhaps “mutiny” was a synonym for disobedience – not an attempt to take control of the ship. Secondly, FLM was relieved of his command for a short time, then restored to it. Interestingly his young kinsmen remained on the ship’s books. It appears that Truscott was aware that his appointment would last only a short time. Perhaps the two events are not connected, and FLM simply took some leave. In any event, he resumed command of HMS Elizabeth in July 1779, joining his ship at sea near Anguilla. During September he took several prizes.

21^st September at 10 the signal for 5 sail to NW. Admiral made signal for a general chace. Made sail. The Suffolk made a signal for seeing a fleet.

22/9 Barbadoes S2W 139L. AM at 4 the chace N dist 5-6L. AM at 6 the chace WSW 5L and could be about 10 or 11 sail of them.

23/9. One of the chace, a French Frigate struck to the Magnificent. 1/2 past 5 another of the chace struck to us, made a signal for one of the ships astern to take possession of her.

At 1/2 past brought too two more of the chace. They were from Burdeaux bound to Cape Francois: sent an officer on board one and a midshipman on board the other with 46 seamen to take charge of them. Received from both prizes about 147 prisoners.

At 10 bore away & made sail. The fleet EbN 4L. AM at 7 left off chace. Joined the fleet as did the Magnificent and her prize. Joined us two prizes.

26/9. At 6 brought too the chace, a French ship and snow letter of Marque. Bound ...to St Domingo. Sent an officer & 10 men on board the ship and a mid with 10 men on board the snow to take charge of them.

Note that a Midshipman was regarded as competent to command a prize!

Col John Maitland in Savannah

Meanwhile, in September and October, Lt Col John Maitland, commanding the Frasers’ was defending Savannah against an American army commanded by General Lincoln and a French fleet commanded by the Comte d’Estaing.

Actions at St Lucia

18/12/79 Gros Islet Island, St Lucia. AM at 3 heeled ship and scrubbed between wind and water. [A remarkable operation – the ship was heeled over for removal of weed] At 7 the signal was made for a court martial on board the Sutton.

At 1/2past 8, the Preston appeared off going before the wind with the signal for a fleet flying and firing guns – at 3/4 past 8 the Admiral made the signal for a boat

and officers to repair on board. At 9 a signal from the Admiral to slip and chace to windward. At 10 we repeated the signal made by the Boreas for the Chace being enemies. At 11 the Preston and Boreas began to fire at some of the French Merch’t ships.

1/2 past 11 we fired at several of them some of whom brought too and others run ashore.

19/12/79 Gros Islet Island SSE 2-3 L. About noon we opened fort Royal Bay, Martinice in chace of a French Frigate and several merchant vessels, when a French 74 gun ship got under way and Bore Down within Random shot of the Conqueror and us. She was soon thereafter followed by 2 other French Line of Battleships, who all hawled thir wind and turned into the bay again.

At 1/2 past noon, the Conqueror began to fire at the French Admiral, who came first down, and the other 2 ships, a few minutes after, we did the same, and continued firing, and running into the bay - from that time, till 6 in the evening.

About 5 The Albion and Vigilant came up and fired at the enemy. At 6 the signal was made by our different admirals to call in all cruizers. - Wore as did the other ships that were in action, and joined the fleet. Brought too, at 8 made sail per signals and tack’d occasionally.

Am at 6 in company 15 sail of the line, 2 Fiftys 1 Frigate 1 Tender and 9 prizes. At 7 the Admiral made the signal for the Conqueror and us to go into port.

Battle of Martinique

In April 1780, HMS Elizabeth was part of a fleet of 20 ships of the line under the command of Sir George Rodney. A French fleet of 23 ships of the line had arrived at Martinique to entice Rodney away from his base in order to attack Jamaica. The forces met off Martinique on the 16^th April. After some manoeuvring Rodney ordered his ships to attack the rear of the French line – the windward end, with the intention that the ships at the front of the French line would not be able to return upwind to support their comrades. The signals were misunderstood, and Rodney’s tactical plan (which was later to be used successfully by Nelson) was frustrated. The French commanders managed their ships well and escaped the trap.

However, their plans to lure the British fleet away from Barbados failed, as did their plan to attack Jamaica.

Siege of Charleston

In May 1780 HMS Elizabeth was supporting British forces besieging Charleston which surrendered on the 12 May The fleets did not engage each other again that year, the British moved to New York and the French, who had suffered much damage returned to France. HMS Elizabeth was sent back to England, and on the 20^th November the Northampton

Mercury reported

Extract of a Letter from Portsmouth, Nov 16 1780

Yesterday arrived the Elizabeth, of 74 guns, Capt Maitland, from Jamaica; she is much damaged in her rigging etc, having lost her Mizzen-Mast and Main Top Mast in a late Gale of Wind off the banks of Newfoundland, where she parted from the Jamaica Fleet.

HMS Queen, 90 guns

The commission in HMS Elizabeth ended, and FLM was appointed to command the battleship HMS Queen 90 guns, taking over on the 9^th January 1781. James Maitland joined as a Captain’s servant. Charles and Peter Maitland also joined, Charles was rated as an Able Seaman, but then appointed Midshipman in February. Peter achieved this rank in April. This commission was uneventful, spent in the English Channel, and FLM went ashore at the end of November.

A particular acknowledgement is due to Antony Maitland who did all the research of FLM’s logs on which the Editor has heavily relied.

An incident at Oporto

This account of FLM’s operations has arrived from Mark Crichton Maitland

In April 1762 FLM sailed for Lisbon to escort a convoy of 14 transports, departing on the 16^th April, arriving in Lisbon on 5^th May, returning on the 23^rd June. On the 22^nd July he sailed for the UK. Britain was supporting Portugal against an invasion by Spain. The convoy was carrying military supplies to Lisbon. It called at Oporto on the way home.

FLM’s log only mentions his capture of a French privateer. He returned to the UK with his convoy intact, but there was another item which was not reported to the Admiralty.

Mark Crichton Maitland writes:

Previous editions of the Maitland newsletter have alluded to FL Maitland’s naval activities in 1762 whilst in command of HMS Renown. What they fail to include is a striking example of enterprise and initiative on Frederick Lewis’ part. The family story is that arriving in Oporto with empty transports he allowed the port merchants to fill them with their product that they had been unable to export for some years because of “French depredations on that coast”. In return FL was presented with a magnificent silver cup bearing the inscription.

“Presented by the British Factory at Oporto to the Hon. Frederick Lewis Maitland of His Majesty’s ship the Renown as a small acknowledgement of his great services in protecting their trade on the coast of Portugal in the year 1762”

Diana Rowden, Croix de Guerre

Special Operations Executive (SOE)

In recent weeks the BBC has been broadcasting a series of programmes on the training and selection of SOE agents. To refresh the memories of our younger members, the SOE was a sabotage organisation devoted to organising and promoting resistance to German occupation of mainland Europe, which came into its own during the 1944 Battle of Normandy as Allied armies invaded France.

The operations were highly successful in obstructing the German counter attacks. A German account of the events highlighted a tank regiment ordered to move from the Calais area to southern Normandy. The tanks and their crews were moved by rail, whilst less important members of the regiment were ordered to march to the meeting point. It took them three weeks, but they arrived at their destination before the tanks.

Despite the undoubted success of the operations, SOE’s reputation was badly damaged by operational failures and penetration of their networks by German agents which led to many avoidable losses of personnel. Diana Rowden was betrayed by a double agent in November 1943 after only six months in the field and killed at the Natzweiler concentration camp in 1944.

SOE’s 276 agents achieved results way beyond what might be expected of their numbers. The great strength and operational success of SOE was its ability to mobilise, equip and direct local resistance forces, perhaps a hundred times their own strength. They materially reduced enemy effectiveness, delivering perhaps the results which it would require an army to achieve. But it was done at the cost of a high casualty rate.

The criticisms of SOE’s casualty rate do not take full account of other services. There were 276 SOE agents, of whom 79 died between 1940 and 1945 – 28% - which is high compared with the 3.5% of British military personnel who were killed overall. But look at the figures in perspective. 31% of the German army died in action, 75% of U-boat crews were killed, 44% of UK Bomber Command crews died. Yes, the SOE casualty rate was high, and much can be attributed to SOE operational failures, but some other services suffered far worse casualty rates, and with less in the way of operational success.

The training depicted by the BBC was taken from the SOE training manuals and conducted on many of the sites used by SOE. Some was practical – small arms, unarmed combat, parachuting, communication, fieldcraft and spy craft, and was often very arduous. Other parts were demanding to test the mental and leadership abilities of SOE agents. The task of living under cover amongst the resident population was mentally terrifying and before an agent could be put under the stress of operations it was important to ensure that they were physically and mentally prepared.

SOE recruited many female agents because they could move around the occupied territories more easily than men without arousing suspicion.

Diana Rowden, born 1915, was the daughter of Muriel Christian Maitland Makgill-Crichton. She was brought up in France by her mother, where she enjoyed the outdoor life of southern France, fishing, boating, swimming and gliding. Diana’s early years were spent “as a sea urchin”, napping on the deck of the Sans Peur with a line tied around her big toe to wake her if a fish bit, gutting her catch with a cheerful confidence, marketing, sailing a small boat with reckless skill. In 1933 she returned to France and studied at the Sorbonne university in Paris. Although Diana would not have convinced a Frenchwoman of her French nationality, this weakness played no part in her downfall.

When Germany invaded France in 1940 she volunteered to serve with the French Red Cross, and she remained there until the summer of 1941 when she escaped to England via Spain and Portugal.

In September 1941, she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), working at the Department of the Chief of Air Staff as Assistant Section Officer for Intelligence duties, before being posted in July 1942 to Moreton-inthe-Marsh, where she was promoted to Section officer. In March 1943 she was seconded to the SOE, and on 16th June that year went to France, landing from a Lysander transport aircraft near Angers, in western France.

She was met by the Resistance and travelled to the Jura area, south east of Dijon and near the Swiss border to work for the Acrobat circuit, led by John Renshaw Starr. Her cover name was Juliette Thérèse Rondeau, known locally as Paulette while her code name for London was Chaplain. She lived in a small room at the back of the Hôtel du Commerce with access to a roof if she had to leave in a hurry without being seen.

She was a courier and travelled mostly by bicycle but also went as far as Marseille, Lyon, and even Paris. She got to know the local Maquis who described her as fearless. Dense scrub vegetation in the Mediterranean is known as maquis, the name also given to the French resistance movement. One account of her life says that she was captured during the period by the Germans, but escaped.

In addition to courier activities, she also accompanied the Maquis to receive arms and explosives dropped from aircraft. She assisted in the successful attack on the Peugot factory at Socheaux, near the Swiss border, which made tank turrets.

In August she learned that Starr had been betrayed and arrested, and had to move.

She was then established at Lons-Le-Saunier, and changed her appearance, wardrobe and code name. She was not far from the Swiss border. German forces had penetrated many parts of the SOE network and had recently arrested 1,500 resistance members. The temptation to escape to Switzerland must have been very strong.

In November 1943, Henri Dericourt, the SOE air operations man for France and a Gestapo double agent enabled them to infiltrate her group. This led German forces to her base, where she and her wireless operator were arrested.

Diana was taken to Gestapo Headquarters in Avenue Foch, Paris, remained there for two weeks and was on 5th December 1943 transferred to the prison at Fresnes, near Paris. In May 1944 she was sent back to Avenue Foch, and thence to Karlsruhe. This was a standard prison, with better conditions than a concentration camp. They heard Allied bombers on their way to attack German targets. After two months at Karlsruhe, she was transferred at 0600 on 6 July with three other captured agents 60 miles to the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp in France, arriving there in the afternoon. Natzweiler was regularly used for killing prisoners.

That evening, the four prisoners were killed by lethal injections. The evidence at the court martial held in Wuppertal on 29^th May 1946 showed that the women had no idea that they were to be killed, and were told that they were receiving an inoculation for typhus. The evidence also showed that death was nearly instantaneous and as far as doctors knew, painless.

However, the camp commandant and the doctor who killed the prisoners had no warrant for their killing, nor evidence of any form of trial. All they had was a teleprinter instruction to kill the prisoners. They decided against hanging them in view of the likely disorder this might cause in the camp, and determined to use lethal injections.

The doctor was hanged for his part in these events, the crematorium operator was hanged for another offence on the same day and the camp commandant died at another prison prior to his execution on other charges. Dericourt’s position was ambiguous. There was evidence from German sources of his communications with the Germans which led to the death of several SOE agents. He was tried for war crimes in connection with the SOE betrayals and acquitted. The reason is mysterious.

Sources:

David Silvester Maitland, Elizabeth Nicholas, Death be not Proud

Wikipedia – excellent summary,

The Natzweiler Trial, War Crimes Trials, Vol 5

As we go to press. we have found details of Her Finest Hour, The Herioc Life of Dianan Rowden, by Gabrielle McDonald-yRothwell - more to come!

From the Sales

A William IV graduated set of four silver meat dishes & Old Sheffield plate dish covers

Four huge silver dishes came on the market recently – 42cm, 42.5cm, 50.5cm and 61cm long! Made by John Bridge, London. With them were Sheffield plate dish covers. All had Maitland arms on them, and the weight of the silver was 317 oz! The whole lot was in a fitted, iron bound oak trunk. The estimate by the auctioneers, Lawrences of Crewkerne, Somerset was £5,000 to £6,000, and they made £8,000.

The arms are interesting – those of the 8^th Earl on the left – Maitland and Todd, impaled and on the right those of one of his many children – but we can’t yet work out which one.

Aunt Ruby

The last of the Milngavie Maitlands?

Graham Maitland Tong writes

Robina MacLean Maitland – Ruby to most - passed away on the 6^th February 2018, a few months short of her 95^th birthday.

Born in 1923, she lived most of her life in Milngavie. There were a few years when her father’s job took the family into central Glasgow, a couple of years in the WAAF towards the end of WW2, and then an overseas posting, during the early part of her career with the Civil Service, which took her to Dusseldorf. Despite never marrying, she had a large family! Her father (William D Maitland) was one of eleven brothers and sisters who, in turn, went on to have large families of their own. Research indicates that she had some 34 cousins. Her knowledge of the family and powers of recall were amazing. Trips into the village, when we were up visiting, would turn into marathon events as we were introduced to your cousin, your second cousin, your kissing cousin......

Over the years, many of these family members - and their subsequent offspring - joined the Scottish diaspora, ending up all over the world..... Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the USA. Ruby would keep in touch by good, old fashioned correspondence. She was also the ‘go to’ lady when these relations returned to their roots, bringing their own families with them. Subsequent to her passing, we have received much correspondence recalling many kindnesses afforded over the years.

Such was the strength of the links maintained, we were astonished when one of the local residents knocked on the door of Ruby’s house in Milngavie to say that she had heard of Ruby’s passing from a friend in Australia. Her own ‘world wide web’! We are aware that many Maitland descendants still live in the local area although it would seem the incidence of the surname has declined probably due to diaspora coupled with marriage of the female lines. Indeed, one of the carers looking after Ruby in her final days mentioned that she was aware of Maitland connections and it did not take long to identify exactly how this came about.

It was obvious that Ruby was held in high regard by family, friends and neighbours alike. The numbers attending her funeral on a cold, February Milngavie morning was as heartening as it was inspiring.

She was loved and will be missed in equal measure.

Sean Maitland

Sean Maitland, our rugby player, after missing many of the 2017 games through injury had a good season in 2018. In the Six Nations Championship, the Calcutta Cup, Scotland started badly and finished well. Sean scored several tries.

After being thrashed by Wales and Ireland in the early matches the Scots team found their form and went on to beat England, France and Italy.

Your Editor’s prowess on the rugby field left something to be desired as he spent his time keeping as far as possible from the rough boys and the ball, thus qualifying for the school cross country running team.

The Scots uniformly played a very clean game, giving away few penalties, whilst their opponents regularly infringed the rules. Since a good kicker can score a goal from the half way line, penalties are costly. Scotland’s success lay in clean play and good kicking.

Sean distinguished himself by scoring a try in each of the last three matches. Scotland is touring North America this summer, but he has been given the summer off.

Frederick Lewis Makgill Crichton Maitland DSO

Mark (Makgill) Crichton Maitland writes

Freddie was the second son of Major General David Makgill Crichton Maitland. The General had two claims to fame, one that he was born Maitland Makgill Crichton but changed his name to Makgill Crichton Maitland, because he was a Maitland and not a Crichton, something that has confused the MMCs and MCMs ever since. The other that was when in command of the 2^nd Battalion Grenadier Guards in 1890, he provoked his guardsmen to mutiny with the result he was removed from command (although subsequently promoted Major General), and the battalion was sent to the West Indies, something that never ever happened to Guards battalions.

Freddie was born in 1878 and commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders after leaving Eton in 1899. The 2^nd Battalion was posted from India to South Africa to take part in the Boer War and Freddie was the last of the reinforcements to join it at Ladysmith. The regimental history records that “he walked out of the station as the Battalion was passing and fell in at the rear, reporting at the first halt.” During the siege of Ladysmith Freddie was severely wounded, sent home to convalesce and returned to the Battalion in 1901.

In 1905 he was invited to serve as ADC to General Sir Ian Hamilton who had served with his father. Sir Ian was widely seen as one of the most promising senior officers in the Army and held a number of senior posts culminating in being GOC at Gallipoli in 1915, still with Freddie as his ADC. Following Hamilton’s fall from grace Freddie went back to regimental soldiering. He was promoted acting Lt Col on 17 August 1917 and given command of the 2^nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders during Third Ypres.

Although the Third Battle of Ypres (more generally known as Passchendaele) started on 31 July, the 2nd Battalion were not involved until the attack on Broodseinde Ridge on 4 October in conjunction with Australian forces. Advancing under an artillery barrage the battalion soon achieved its objectives but in turn came under intense German shellfire during the next three days that it occupied the captured positions and suffered correspondingly heavy casualties.

A further adverse factor during this time was the terrible weather especially the rain which made movement off the duckboards all but impossible and conditions almost unbearable with the resulting mud causing death to both men and pack animals. After a few days rest the battalion was tasked to take part in the capture of the ruined village of Gheluvelt where it had experienced terrific fighting four years earlier.

In short, the attack on 26 October was stopped in its tracks by intense artillery and machine-gun fire but most of all by the mud which clogged or jammed most of the men’s weapons.

Coincidentally, Freddie’s brother Mark, also a Lt Colonel was at the same time commanding the 1^st Battalion Grenadier Guards in the same offensive. He survived the battle.

After third Ypres the Battalion was transferred to Italy as part of the Allied offensive against the Germans and Austrians with Freddie still in command.

However, in July 1918 he was removed from his command on medical grounds. According to the Battalion MO “I said that in my opinion Col Maitland was no longer fit to command. This was sad as in billets he was hospitable and kindly but in the line seemed a bewildered man who had endured too much strain.” Nowadays this would be diagnosed as some form of post traumatic stress disorder almost certainly attributable to his position as Battalion commander during the bloodbath at Passchendaele.

He carried on soldiering until 1922 when he resigned his commission and left the army having served with distinction for 23 years. He married Amy Phillpotts, a widow, in 1921 but they had no children. Freddie died in 1949 at the age of 71.

Maitlands in the Royal Fying Corps

Tim Maitland, our Secretary, writes

A Findmypast file of Royal Air Force Officers’ Service Records from 1912 to 1920 contains 26 Maitlands. Four of these are identifiable from our Pedigrees and other research: [Whilst researching these Maitlands, I’ve found some others and some background – ED]

General Sir William Jervois (pronounced “Jarvis”), 1782 – 1862, married Elizabeth Maitland (we can’t trace her). He served in the Peninsular War, probably in the 75^th Regiment of Foot, which campaigned in Spain 1809 to 1813. and then in the War of 1812 in North America. He was later appointed Colonel of the Regiment, and served as Commander and Lt Governor of Hong Kong from 1851.

Henry Jervois Rualt Maitland, born 1898 Descended from James Pyott, who in 1748 took the name of Maitland when his wife inherited her uncle’s estate.

Sub-Lieutenant Henry Jervois Rualt ‘Harry’ Maitland,

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. H.M.S. “President”

Commissioned Temporary Sub Lt 20^th Feb 1917, Died 17th March 1918, aged 19. Son of Edward Jervois Maitland and Ethel Mary Maitland, of Banstead Hall, Surrey, England.

Charles Adrian Maitland-Heriot, born 8^th August 1886, died

26^th Jul 1950 and his brother

Edward Errol Maitland-Heriot, born 24^th July 1892, died

13^th Sep 1964. Both grandsons of Frederick Lewis Maitland-

Heriot of Ramornie

Henry David Makgill-Crichton-Maitland, born 21^th December 1904, died 14^th Oct 1970 Son of Coventry Maitland-Makgill-Crichton.

Alfred Edward Maitland, born October 1895. The only mention of this name in our records is in the 2002 Newsletter; a man whose medal for playing for Newcastle United when they won the Football League in 1927 was sold for £4,700. Are these the same? Possibly – the RAF one’s address is given as Gateshead-on-Tyne. His record was only started in August 1918 and he was listed as a Cadet.

The other names are listed below – if our readers can provide information on any of them, please contact the Chief

Arthur James Maitland,	Alastair Keith Hamish Maitland
Alister Keith Hamish Maitland	Alexander McLean Maitland
Charles Edmund Maitland	Edward M Maitland
Edward Maitland Maitland	Eardley Thomas Maitland
Herbert Stuart Maitland	James Maitland
James Steel Maitland	John Inglis Maitland
Lionel Clinton Maitland	Percy Eric Maitland
Reginald Ferdinando Maitland	Samuel Maitland

Clan Web Site https://clanmaitland.uk

We have a new web site. Not only does it have a better layout and more pictures, it also has a great deal more information on the Clan, biographies of distinguished Maitlands, and much more information about the buildings associated with our family, and also the current position on Clan events.

It is easier to edit than its predecessor, which means that we will be able to keep it up to date and readily add more material as time goes on.

The old clanmaitland.org.uk web address and email addresses still work.

Thirlestane Castle

There are now two apartments at the Castle available to let for short visits - minimum three nights. This is a truly grand visit.

The Lauderdale apartment for two people costs £122 a night at high season, (and £84 a night low season) with two rooms - a sitting room and bedroom plus bathroom which is good value compared with a good local hotel at £120 a night in high season for one double room with breakfast.

The Maitland Apartment with two bedrooms, sitting room and two bath/shower rooms costs £189 a night - or £95 per bedroom per night in high season, and £60 per bedroom per night in low season.

Visit www.thirlestsnecastle.co.uk/stay for more details and booking links.

Subscriptions

Our subscription has been maintained at £15 a year since 2000. Not a bad record. We’ve improved the Yearbook and Newsletter by adding colour printing and controlled costs by use of desktop publishing. We buy stamps in bulk ahead of price increases. Use of e-mail to send out meeting notices has also reduced costs - sending two snail mail notifications a year of gatherings costs about £1.40 per member - nearly 10% of the subscription.

Incorporation to protect members from liability for insurance claims incurs accountancy charges of many hundreds of pounds a year - which we did not spend twenty years ago.

New members have been paying £20 a year for several years, and regretfully, we must now ask long standing members to do the same. A standing order form is enclosed - please send it to Tim Maitland, our membership secretary. If you use electronic banking, please remember to quote the clan reference number - your name and initial on the bank statement is not enough to be sure we’ve recorded receipt of your subscription correctly - there are lots of John Maitlands. Please use the anniversary of the last payment date for the next payment if you can recall it.

Thank you in advance!

And do send us your e-mail adress if we don’t already have it - to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. It keeps costs down.

Clan Maitland Society Ltd Company No. 7984292 Registered Office 150 Tachbrook Street, London SW1V 2NE

Clan Maitland Newsletter June 2018

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