Wikipedia

Alexander Mein

ColonelAlexander Lechmere Mein(15 July 1854 – 30 November 1927)[1]was aBritish Armyofficer who served with theRoyal Engineersin the late 19th and early 20th centuries, spending the majority of his career inIndia.The only active service that he saw was during theAnglo-Afghan Warin 1878 to 1880.[2]In his youth, he was a keen amateur sportsman and playedassociation footballfor theRoyal Engineers,being on the winning side in the1875 FA Cup Final.

Alexander Mein
Born(1854-07-15)15 July 1854
York,England
Died30 November 1927(1927-11-30)(aged 73)
St Mary Bourne,Hampshire,England
Buried
St. Peter's Church, St Mary Bourne, Hampshire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/ branchBritish Army
Years of service1873–1911
RankColonel
UnitRoyal Engineers
Battles / warsAnglo-Afghan War

Family and education

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Mein was born on 15 July 1854 atYork,where his father, Major George Mein (1817–1896) wasbrigade majorwith the 21st Dragoons.[3]Mein's mother, Marianne (1815–1885), was the daughter of Frederick Coore, a solicitor.[4]

Mein was educated atWellington College, Berkshirebefore enrolling at theRoyal Military Academy, Woolwichin 1872.[1]

Sporting career

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Mein playedassociation footballat Wellington College and for the Royal Military Academy before joining the Royal Engineers in 1873, where he was described as a "brilliant" inside-left, who "worked untiringly", "making many good runs". Mein also playedrugbyforRichmond Rugby Clubin 1874.[1]

The Royal Engineers team of 1875. Mein is second from right in the back row.

At this time, theRoyal Engineerswere among the top football teams in England, having reached the final of thefirst FA Cup tournamentin1872and againtwo years later,finishing on both occasions as runners-up.[5]In the run to the1875 final,Mein scored in a 3–2 victory overClapham Roverson 30 January 1875, helping to set up a semi-final againstOxford University.This was hard-fought, with the Engineers emerging victorious with a 1–1 draw followed by a 1–0 victory in the replay,[5]thus reaching the FA Cup Final for the third time in four years.[5]

Inthe final,played on 13 March 1875 atKennington Oval,the Engineers met theOld Etonians.The match was played in a strong gale and the Engineers spent most of the match against the gale, with the rules requiring ends to be changed after each goal.Alexander Bonsorscored for the Old Boys after 30 minutes followed by an equaliser from CaptRenny-Tailyourwithin five minutes. Shortly after the equaliser,Lt. Ruckcollided withCuthbert Ottawaywho was forced to leave the field with a serious ankle injury; in his absence, the Old Boys were regarded as fortunate to have held on for a 1–1 draw.[6][7]

The replay was three days later; although the Engineers were able to field the same eleven as in the first match, the Etonians had to make four changes, losing the match 2–0, with both the Engineers' goals scored by Capt Renny-Tailyour.[8][9]At the third attempt, the Royal Engineers won their first, and only, FA Cup Final.[10]

Military career

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Mein graduated from the Royal Military Academy after a year, when he was commissioned as alieutenantin the Royal Engineers from 29 April 1873.[11]Mein spent the first three years of his military service atChathambefore being sent to India in September 1876.[2]

In November 1878, Mein took part in theAnglo-Afghan Waras assistant field engineer with the 2nd DivisionPeshawar Valley Field Force,and was involved in the opening battle of the war atAli Masjid.Subsequently, Mein and the Royal Engineers were engaged in building forts along the lines of communication.[2]Mein returned to Afghanistan, as assistant field engineer with the Khyber Line Force, for the second phase of the war in October 1879, taking part in the Wazir Khugianis Expedition, theHissarakExpedition in April 1880 and theLughman ValleyExpedition in May 1880. For his services in the war, Mein wasmentioned in dispatchesand received theAfghanistan Medal.[2][12]

Mein remained inBengalfor most of the remainder of his military career, receiving promotion tocaptainon 8 January 1885[13]and tomajoron 1 October 1892,[14]

Mein returned to England in June 1893, and was posted to Portsmouth, before returning to India in February 1895.[2]He was further promoted tolieutenant colonelfrom 24 January 1900[15]and tobrevet colonelon 24 January 1904.[16]

Mein retired on an Indian pension of £700 per annum on 15 July 1911.[2][17]

Marriage and children

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On 1 June 1887, at St Paul's Church,Sarisbury,nearTitchfield,Hampshire, Mein married Alice Ellen Turner-Irton (1861–1934). The marriage service was conducted by theDean of Winchester,The Very ReverendGeorge Kitchin.[2]Ellen's father, Robert Lambert Turner-Irton (1825–1901) was a retiredcaptainwith the87th Royal Irish Fusiliers.[18]

Alexander and Alice Mein had six children:[2]

  • Evelyn May (born inJabalpuron 3 August 1888, died at six weeks old)
  • Gladys Irton (born in Jabalpur on 21 December 1889)
  • Lechmere Irton (born inMussoorieon 18 April 1892)
  • Robert George (born inAlverstoke,Hampshire on 9 September 1894)
  • Dudley Gerald (born inChakrataon 1 May 1898)
  • Leslie Coore (born inLausanne,Switzerland on 25 April 1901)

Lieutenant Dudley MeinMCserved with the31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancersduring the First World War and was killed on 26 October 1918 nearAleppoin Syria.[19][20]

Death

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Alexander Mein died on 30 November 1927 at the family home at Gang Bridge,St Mary BournenearAndover, Hampshire.His funeral was held at St. Peter's Church at St Mary Bourne on 3 December 1927.[21]

References

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  1. ^abcWarsop 2004,p. 105.
  2. ^abcdefgh"WO 25/3915 - Records of Service - Officers (Royal Engineers)".The National Archives.Retrieved26 July2020.(See Section 01, pages 32&33)
  3. ^"No. 21567".The London Gazette.30 June 1854. p. 2037.
  4. ^"Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932 for Frederick Richard Coore".Ancestry.co.uk.Retrieved28 July2020.
  5. ^abcCollett 2003,pp. 527–528.
  6. ^"FA Cup Final: 1875".www.fa-cupfinals.co.uk.Retrieved1 July2020.
  7. ^Warsop 2004,p. 43.
  8. ^Warsop 2004,pp. 32–33.
  9. ^"The English Association Football Challenge Cup".Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin Review.19 March 1875. p. 4.Retrieved1 July2020.
  10. ^Gibbons 2001,pp. 44–45.
  11. ^"No. 24029".The London Gazette.28 October 1873. p. 4734.
    "No. 24355".The London Gazette.18 August 1876. p. 4596.
  12. ^Warsop 2004,p. 106.
  13. ^"No. 25431".The London Gazette.9 January 1885. p. 122.
  14. ^"No. 26333".The London Gazette.11 October 1892. p. 5683.
  15. ^"No. 27224".The London Gazette.28 August 1900. p. 5321.
    "No. 27241".The London Gazette.26 October 1900. p. 6548.
    "No. 27358".The London Gazette.24 September 1901. p. 6227.
  16. ^"No. 27660".The London Gazette.22 March 1904. p. 1875.
  17. ^"No. 28515".The London Gazette.21 July 1911. p. 5433.
  18. ^"Captain Robert Turner-Irton".Parish Magazine.St Paul's Church, Sarisbury. October 1901.
  19. ^"Lieutenant Dudley Gerald Mein MC".Roll of Honour.The King's School, Canterbury.Retrieved30 July2020.
  20. ^"Casualty: Lieutenant Douglas Gerald Mein".CWGC.Retrieved30 July2020.
  21. ^"Deaths".The Times:1. 2 December 1927.Retrieved30 July2020.

Bibliography

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  • Collett, Mike (2003).The Complete Record of the FA Cup.Sports Books.ISBN1-899807-19-5.
  • Gibbons, Philip (2001).Association Football in Victorian England – A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900.Upfront Publishing.ISBN1-84426-035-6.
  • Warsop, Keith (30 November 2004).The Early F.A. Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs.Nottingham: SoccerData.ISBN978-1899468782.
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