Sinclair, Matthew 11629 (1892 - 1914)

Private, 1st Bn. Highland Light Infantry

Buried at Le Touret Memorial

Commemorated at Scottish National War Memorial

Matthew and Elizabeth (née Doyle) were married and lived in Glasgow, where they had two daughters and six sons - one of whom died in childhood. Elizabeth died in 1901 and a few years later Matthew remarried and moved to Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire. By the time the First World War broke out in 1914 four sons were in the army. By the end of 1916, these four sons were dead.

Matthew Sinclair was the eldest son and born in 1892 and joined the army in 1911, enlisting with the 1st Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry. He received a third class education certificate this same year, and then in 1913 earned both a second class certificate and a first class good conduct medal.

When war broke out in 1914, his battalion was in India and were soon posted to France on 30 November 1914. Matthew was killed in action on the 19th December 1914 at Givenchy, a battle in which British casualties ran at twice the rate of the German forces. He was the first of the Sinclair brothers to die during the First World War, and is remembered on Le Touret Memorial.

At the time of his death Matthew and his brothers address was given as 19 Harrington Street, Glasgow.

Memorials: Matthew Sinclair has no known grave but his name appears on La Touret Memorial; the City of Glasgow Roll of Honour and the Scottish National War Memorial