A Highlander Who Served During Three Wars
Private Aleck Sinclair of the 48th volunteered for South Africa with the first contingent in 1899 and served with 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.
- Upon returning to Canada in 1901, he continued with the 48th, rising to sergeant. In 1906 Sgt Sinclair was part of the detachment that went with LCol DM Roberston and Col-Sgt WH Grant to train with the Gordon Highlanders.
In September 1914, Sergeant-Instructor Sinclair volunteered for service with the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) overseas. He was commissioned shortly after the unit’s arrival in Valcartier. He deployed overseas as a Lt platoon commander in N0.4 Coy serving with it through the battles of Festubert and St Julien. In July 2015 he was appointed to command No 1 Coy. In April 1916 Capt Sinclair and his company marched out of Ypres and into the area of Hill 60. 3-Jun-16 found him and his company in the assembly area near Zillebeke waiting to attack Mount Sorrel’s Observatory Ridge. Twenty four hours later, his company was decimated and he was evacuated having been wounded in one of the 15th Battalions bloodiest actions – one that cost the lives of 76 Highlanders and in which 177 were wounded. Sinclair received shrapnel wounds in the back and neck and was then buried alive and unconscious by a second explosion until rescued and dug out of the debris. He eventually returned to Canada for convalescence. He was promoted to Major on 1-Oct-17 and employed within HQ No 2 Military District.
Maj Alek Sinclair continued to serve in the 48th Highlanders during the period between the two World Wars, retiring in 1938.
With the advent of the Second World War he volunteered once again, serving until 1944 in a training capacity in the home battalion.
He was named Chieftain, Clan Sinclair, in 1963 and was active in the St Andrews Society.
