MAJOR RONALD A MARKHAM

Rank:

Date of Death:

Age:

Regiment/Service:

Awards:

Grave Reference

Cemetery

Major

25/10/1914

44

Coldstream Guards

2nd Bn.

Twice Mentioned in Despatches

SYSONBY CHURCHYARD

Additional Information:

Son of Col. William Thomas Markham, of The House, Melton Mowbray.

Major, 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Died of wounds 26 October 1914. Aged 44. Born West Cowes, Isle of Wight. Son of Col. William Thomas Markham, of The House, Melton Mowbray. Twice Mentioned in Despatches (MiD). Buried in SYSONBY CHURCHYARD, Leicestershire. See also Lord's Cricket Ground World War 1 Memorial

Rank:Major-acting Lieut Colonel

Date of Death:25/10/1914 died of wounds in action

Age:44

Regiment/Service:Coldstream Guards2nd Bn. 

Awards:Twice Mentioned in Despatches

Grave Reference

Cemetery SYSONBY CHURCHYARD

Major Ronald Anthony Markham.(Acting Lieutenant Colonel 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. No Service Number

given.

Birth registered in Oct/Nov/Dec 1870 in Cowes, Isle of Wight.

Son of Colonel William Thomas and Annie E S Markham.

1871Census -

Family living in Melton Mowbray -

William T Markham - b1831  Aberford, Yorkshire, Justice of the Peace

Annie E S Markham - b 1836 London, wife

Mabel W F Markham - b1859  Abeford,

Cecile M T Markham - b 1861  Aberford,

Hermione V C Markham - b1868  West Cowes, Isle of Wight, 

Rupert E Markham - b 1869 London, 

Ronald A Markham - b1870 West Cowes,

Also listed is a sister in law of William's and 11 servants.

1881Census -

Ronald is now a boarder at Palmer Flatt Boarding School, Aysgarth, Yorkshire.(also listed Frederick Markham b.1869 Moorlam Yorks)

1891 Census -

Ronald is a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Unmarried and

stationed at Wellington Barracks in London.

1901 Census -

No record of him on this census as he was serving overseas.

1911 Census -

Ronald is now a Major in the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Unmarried and stationed

at Ramillies Barracks, Aldershot.

25 Oct1914 - Died of wounds whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. The battalion was involved in the first battle of Ypres at this time.

Buried in Sysonby Churchyard, Leicestershire.

( At the beginning of the war bodies were repatriated for burial which could explain

why he is buried in England. When the number of casualties mounted as the war

continued it became impossible to repatriate such huge numbers and burials took place in

the country where the soldiers died.)

He was twice mentioned in Despatches Awarded 1914 Star, Victory Medal British War Medal

His service record does not seem to have survived.

He was a cousin of the Markham family of Morland House and spent many holidays with them

Google brought up the following items -

1.'Major Ronald Anthony Markham, born 1870, Melton Mowbray, previously employed with

the Egyptian Army was second in command of the 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards when he wasshot through the head by a spent bullet at St. Julien 25 October t9L4 and died the following day in Boulogne.'

2. This description appeared in a Christie's auction catalogue for a medals sale on 10

November 1991. Lot 340 contained six medals, one of which, the 1914 Star, had been

awarded to Major Markham. The medal was accompanied by a photograph but that isn't

shown on the web site. Lot 340 realised the sum of £134.

3 MARKHAM, Ronald Anthony 1914 Charterhouse school Register

MARKHAM, Ronald Anthony - b 15 Oct 1870 - 5th son of Col William Thomas Markham, of Becca Hall, Yorks - ent 1884 - left 1887 - Coldstream Guards 1890 - served in Nile

Expedition 1899 - employed with Egyptian Army 1899 - Major 1907 - 2nd Batt - served

in Great War - M.M. - died of wounds 26 Oct 1914.

4. Probate granted 15 Jan 1915 to solicitors Archibald Francis  Fletcher Smith and Alan Herbert Davidson effects £8039.9s,1d,(National Probate Calendar)

Major RONALD ANTHONY MARKHAM,

Deceased

ALL persons having claims against the estate of Ronald Anthony Markham, late of the Guards

Club, Pall Mall, and of 68, Curzon-street, Mayfair,both in the county of London, a Major in His

Majesty's Coldstream Guards (who died on the 25th day of October, 1914), are to send particulars thereof in writing, to the undersigned, Solicitors for the executors, .........before the 10th March 1915 after which the executors will distribute the estate.

Burch, Whitehead and Davidsons

Printed in the London Gazette 29th Jan 1915

Extract from BOND OF SACRIFICE: VOLUME 1 AUGUST TO DECEMBER 1914:

MAJOR RONALD ANTHONY MARKHAM, 2nd BATTALION COLDSTREAM GUARDS, was the only surviving son of the late Colonel W. T. Markham, of Becca Hall, Yorkshire, who served in the Crimean War in the Rifle Brigade and Coldstream Guards, and grandson of Sir Francis Grant, P.R.A.

He was born on the 15th October, 1870; educated at Charterhouse; and joined the Coldstream Guards from the Militia in December, 1890, becoming Lieutenant in August, 1896, and Captain in December, 1899.

He served with the first advance against the Khalifa in the Nile Expedition of 1899, for which he received the Egyptian medal and clasp. From August, 1899, to August, 1903, he was employed with the Egyptian Army, acting as A.D.C. to the Sirdar from April, 1900, to December, 1902, for which he received the Insignia of the 4th Class of the Imperial Order of the Medjidieh. He was promoted Major in 1907.

He was shot through the head at St. Julien, France, on the 25th October, 1914, and, at the time of his death was Second in Command of his battalion. He was mentioned in Sir John. French's Despatches of the 8th October, 1914, and the 14th January, 1915.

He was a member of the Guards', Nulli Secundus, and the Turf Clubs; also of the M.C.C. and I Zingari. He was fond of cricket and shooting, and was a very keen and hard rider to hounds. He was born at Melton Mowbray, from which place he had hunted all his life, and where his interment took place.

Thanks to Martin Edwards - Roll Of Honour