Second Lieutenant David Milne was born on 9 August 1881 at 121 Hawkhill, Dundee, Angus, Scotland, the third of the five children of David Mealmaker Milne (1851-1914) and Sarah Milne née Ferguson (1847-1901). His father was a confectioner.
In the 1891 census he is shown as a scholar living at 9 Victoria Road, Dundee, with his parents and four siblings: Mary Ann Milne (b.1876), James Robertson Milne (b.1879), Margaret M. Milne (b.1883) and Elizabeth Ferguson Milne (1888-1972). The 1901 census shows him as an architect's assistant residing at 9 Ladywell Place, Victoria Road, Dundee, with his parents and his three sisters.
As a student he attended the Royal Academy Schools from 27 January 1903 to January 1908 and In the 1911 census he is recorded as one of three Scottish architect's assistants living as joint tenants at 55 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London. Our Picture Source gives biographical details of his architectural career.
On 9 September 1911 he married Amy Elizabeth Bragbrough at St George's Church, Bloomsbury and the marriage register shows him as an architect living at 55 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury whilst her address was recorded as 54 Dartmouth Park Road, Kentish Town. They had two children: Stephanie Milne (1915-1980) and David Ferguson M. Milne (1916-2004). Electoral registers in 1915 show him qualified to vote as a business ratepayer at 8 Priory Place, Doncaster, Yorkshire, although his place of abode was recorded as 7 St Mary's Road, Wheatley, Doncaster.
In 1917 he enlisted as a Private in the the 14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish), service number 514993, and on 17 December 1917 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1/1st Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion and was attached to the 10th Battalion, The Essex Regiment when he was killed in action, aged 37 years, on 21 September 1918 near Ronssoy, France. He was buried near where he fell but his body was subsequently exhumed and reburied in Plot 2, Row A, Grave 20 in the Unicorn Cemetery, Vendhuile, Departement de l'Aisne, Picardie, France.
By 12 December 1918 his widow had been sent his army effects totalling £67-10s-0d. Probate records show his address to have been 11 Lawn Road, Doncaster and when probate was granted to his widow on 10 December 1918 his effects totalled £248-10s-0d. On 6 March 1920 she was sent his £5-0s-0d war gratuity plus a further £1-9s-6d as an outstanding balance of his army effects. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal that were both forwarded to his widow on 3 April 1922 at 54 Dartmouth Park Road, London, NW5.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
