S/22736 A/Sgt Cyril Robertson Aikman, 7th Bn, Cameron Highlanders

S/22736 Acting-Sergeant Cyril Robertson Aikman of the 7th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, was killed in action on the 29th March 1918, one of over a thousand British soldiers to die on this date. He was born in St Pancras, London but enlisted in Inverness around May or June 1916.

Cyril was serving with C Company at the time of his death. He was 26 years old, the son of Mrs. Jessie Aikman of 36 Falkland Road, Kentish Town, London. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Despite the fact that he was killed in action, papers exist for Cyril in the WO 364 (pensions) series at the National Archives. He first enlisted as a territorial with F Company, the 9th Londons, on the 21st February 1910. That was at 56 Davies Street, London and Cyril was 17 years and three months old and working as a clerk, possibly for a coffee merchant although the writing on his attestation form is difficult to decipher. He was five feet, eight inches tall and in good health. He was given the number 1147.

On 1st April 1912, Cyril was appointed lance-corporal and he attended the battalion's annual camps for each of the four years he served with the Queen Vic's. He was discharged on the 28th March 1914 as a time-expired territorial. His next of kin is recorded on these papers as his mother who was living at 320 Easton Road, London NW.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission