Further to my mention of Robert Gordon leaving the army:
Newspaper report of the fire -
BIG FIRE AT ASHAR
WOMEN JUMP FROM BURNING BUILDINGS.
Very extensive damage was done my a fire which broke out on Friday night near the tin bazaar in Ashar. The alarm was given shortly after nine o’clock, and the Central Fire Station received a call at 9-25 P M. It was obvious to the Officer Commanding the Fire Brigade that heavy work was awaiting his men and he turned out two engines from the Central Station, two from Magil, and the two fire floats.
When the Brigade arrived on the scene they found that a large khan was well alight, and that several shops and houses in the vicinity were also burning. Unfortunately owners of some of the shops had become very excited, and thus hindered the firemen in their arduous work. Many women were hysterical; some of them jumped from the roofs of the burning buildings, and were seriously injured. In this connection, valuable work was done by members of the Basrah Civil Police, who recued women and children from perilous positions. At the time this edition went to press the injuries sustained by the residents had not been received.
The efforts of the Fire Brigade were primarily directed towards preventing an extension of the outbreak, as the location from this point of view was somewhat dangerous. After several hours’ work they succeeded in controlling the fire, but it was still burning at 7 o’clock in the morning. A number of roofs collapsed, and Lieut. Aitken, who was personally in charge of operations, was carried out of one building suffering from the effects of smoke and fumes.
It was almost 1 a.m. when the engines returned to their stations, and at that time a fire float was still working. It is too early yet to give even an approximate estimate of the damage done, but it must run into many thousands of rupees. In one of the houses there was a large store of sugar, and this, in common with other commodities and stocks, was practically destroyed. In another building the basement was burned out, and the people had to be removed from the dancing hall which occupied the upper story by the police, which managed to get them out through the roof.
Report in local paper. No date but there is a telegram (9 May 1922) sent to his future wife saying that he was arriving back to Edinburgh from Osborne House (where he had been convalescing) and was leaving the army.
Telegram 9 MY 1922
“Miss Carfrae 13 Chamberlain Rd Edin
Leave extended till well into cold weather with view to being medically boarded out of the service
arrive Waverley 7.20 tomorrow morning Love Gordon.”
Robert Gordon is mentioned in his school register along with his older brother, John Ellis and his future brother-in-law Robert Carfrae, the younger brother of Margaret.
Merchiston Castle School Register 1833 - 1913
Second edition July 1914. Edinburgh: H&J Phillans & Wilson, 86 Hanover Street
Page 171: 1910.
AITKEN, JOHN ELLIS (B.3), [1ST Jan. 1896], (P. 1908), xv., xi ; VI. Form . Bank of Bombay, Bombay, India.
Page 178: 1913.
AITKEN, ROBERT GORDON (D.3), [9th Aug. 1899], (P. 1909), 23 Findhorn Place, Edinburgh.
CARFRAE, ROBERT (D.3), [3rd Nov. 1899], (P. 1909). 13 Chamberlain Road, Edinburgh.