William Russell

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Category: 1918-19
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William Russell

Royal Flying Corp

Royal Air Force
He is remembered with honour on the Larchfield School Memorial, Fettes College Roll of Honour, St. Bride’s Church Roll of Honour and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 4 Line 28.

The family home was at Ardluss, Sinclair Street, Helensburgh The son of William and Jane (nee Cannan) Russell.
Siblings: William was the middle son of triplets. John was older and George younger. William was one of five sons including James and Tom, all serving at the front, and one sister, Marion, who was nursing in France.
William Russell was born in Kirkcudbrightshire, one of triplets. Unfortunately, his mother died 3 days later. The family moved to Helensburgh where his father was the factor for Luss Estates. William was educated at Larchfield and Fettes College where he was Captain of the Fives X 1912/13 and the West of Scotland Football Team 1913-14.
William joined the Royal Engineers and then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps after being wounded in the leg whilst acting as an observer. Later taking his pilot’s certificate.
William was flying a De Havilland 4 aircraft on a ferry flight, just three days after the new Royal Air Force was formed by amalgamating the RFC and RNAS. The aircraft stalled and crashed to the ground. He was 23 years of age.
His gravestone reads ‘OF HELENSBURGH, SCOTLAND’.