52 Ancestors - Andrew Danskine Aitken - Not Forgotten

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her. I've not posted for a while and I'm quite far behind. I was going to post this last month. But I figure even if I can post a few more stories it's better than nothing.

While searching for information on Danskine family members, I came across some information on Andrew Danskine Aitken. He happens to be my 1st cousin twice removed. He would have been my great grandmother's (Elizabeth Danskine) nephew.  Andrew was born in Airdire, Lanarkshire, Scotland on July 15, 1882 to Elizabeth's sister, Janet and Janet's husband,(John Aitken). He may have been named after his uncle Andrew Danskine who was a grocer and spirit merchant. Andrew never got to meet the uncle he was named after, as Andrew the grocer died at the age of 27 years old in 1875. Andrew grew up in a family of boys. He had two older step brothers William and James Danskine, an older brother John, and two younger brothers (Robert and Thomas Russell). Andrew was a young man of 25 when his aunt, Elizabeth and her family immigrated to Canada in 1907. 

The sad part of discovering Andrew was that he was one of the fallen soldiers of World War I.  He was killed in action on August 4th, 1916 in Egypt and is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website as buried in the Kantara War Memoial Cemetery. He was a Second Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers, Lowland Field Company. Andrew, also, has a memorial at the New Monkland Cemetery in Airdrie, Scotland. 

Andrew was not only a solider, but he was an architect and teacher.

ANDREW DANSKINE AITKEN

     A.R.I.B.A.

Second Lient. L.D.R.E

Killed in Action in Egypt

4th August 1916 Aged 34 Years

 There is a biography and a photo of  Andrew on the Dictionary of Scottish Architects website.

More on the Danskine family:

52 Ancestors - Elizabeth Danskine (Paterson)  his aunt

Sunday's Obituary - James Danskin his great grandfather 

Surname Saturday - Danskine

Source:

 Airdrie, Lanark, Statutory Births 1855-2013, birth of Andrew Danskine Aitken; digital image, ScotlandsPeople (http://scotlandspeople.gov.uk/: 12 November 2014); 651/01 0317.