Lieutenant Colonel John Cassels Monteith ²⁶

  General Notes:

Educated Cargilfield School, Fettes Prepartory School and Glasgow University, where he graduated M.A. in 1897, and had entered on his course for the LL.B when the South African War broke out, and he obtained a University Commission as 2nd Lieutenant Bedfordshire Regiment 23 May 1900; was promoted to Lieutenant 22 January 1902, Captain 5 January 1910, Major and Lieutenant Colonel; joined the 1st Battalion in India 1900; served there seven years, druing which time he held several Staff appointments, being Adjutant to the regiment from April 18, 1906 to April 17, 1909. On 23 January 1912, he was appointed Adjutant to the Glasgow University O.T.C., but on the declaration of war in August 1914, he rejoined his old regiment; went to France 13 August 1914, as part of the 5th Division, when the Commanding Officer put him in charge of a company' took part in the retreat from Mons, the Battles of Le Cateau and Cambray, and subsequent engagements, being wounded near Ypres in November and invalided home. When he recovered from his wounds he was sent to conduct the School of Instruction for Officers at Cambridge, but rejoined his regiment at the front 4 August 1915, being then Second in Command of the 2nd Battalion and was killed in action near Hulluch, during the Battle of Loos, 30 September following, commanding his battalion. A former Colonel of the Bedfords wrote: "Personally I feel Jock's loss very much; he was a gallant, loyal soldier, and helped me very much in the task of taking over the command of an entirely new battalion...I had always set down Jock as the Commanding Officer of one battalion of the regiment, and I fear he will be very hard to replace. He will never be forgotten by the present generation of the regiment, as all ranks fully realised his sterling work." Lieutenant Colonel Monteith was mentioned in Despatches by Field Marshall Sir John (now Lord) French (London Gazette, 1 january 1916), for gallant and distinguised services in the field. While at Glasgow he was a member of the Athletic Club, and the Dramatic Club.


From CWGC:

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Date of Death: 01/10/1915
Age: 39
Regiment/Service: Bedfordshire Regiment/2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: VI. D. 17.
Cemetery: Vermelles British Cemetary

Additional Information:
Son of the late Rev. John and Ellen Maria Monteith; husband of Jane R. Monteith, of Glenluiart, Moniaive, Dumfriesshire
²⁹²

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Resided: 1 October 1915, Glenluiart, Moniaive, Dumfriesshire. ¹³

2. He had an estate probated on 14 March 1916 in London. ¹³

John married Jane Robertson Wilson, daughter of Sir John Wilson and Unknown, on 23 April 1914 in Coatdyke Parish Church, Coatdyke, North Lanarkshire.²⁹²