Roll of Honour
Captain (Temp Comm)
Henry McEwan Linton
BSc CE
Captain Henry McEwan Linton was born on the 14th of December in 1888 in Ardrossan to Lieutenant Col. H.J. Linton. He started his education at Fettes College in Edinburgh. Linton obtained a BSc in Engineering from the University of Glasgow, he graduated on the 18th of April, 1910. At university, Linton was an exceptional student, he was awarded a 2nd class certificate in Geology and a 3rd class certificate in Engineering in 1909. He was also awarded a certificate of merit in Metallurgical Chemistry in 1910. After university, Linton became a Chemical & Mining Engineer at New Dairsie House, Newlands, Glasgow.
Given his family’s military background (his father was a decorated Lieutenant Col.) and his impressive work ethic throughout university, Linton demonstrated a high level of discipline and perseverance which he contributed these exceptional qualities to the war effort and served in the 12th Service Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Linton was one of the 35,000 Scots that fought in the Battle of Loos.
Sadly, he was killed in action in Loos on the 26th of September, 1915 at the age of 26. He is buried at the Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery. His cross is adorned with the words "Requiem Afternam Dona Eis, Domine, Et Lux Perpetua Luceat Eis", the first lines of Mozart’s Requiem which translates as ‘Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them.’ These words were chosen by his sister, Miss Phoebe C. Linton. Linton was also memorialised in Scotland, at the Ardrossan Memorial to the 150 local men that bravely gave their lives in the war. It was erected on the 5th of May, 1923 with the words “They gave their lives for their country and received, each for his own memory, praise that will never die and with it the noblest sepulchre, not that in which their mortal bones are laid, but a home in the minds of men.â€