Quartermaster and Hon Major Thomas Milne Ross
Thomas Milne Ross was born in Elgin, Moray, Scotland, on 3 May 1862, son of medical practitioner and farmer James Ross and his wife Eliza Grant Ross (nee Lawson).
On 5 May 1883 he enlisted in the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) at Ballincollig, County Cork (No.2505). After some early brushes with authority he gradually rose through the ranks. On 3 April 1890 he was promoted to sergeant, on 9 August 1897 quartermaster-sergeant, and on 1 April 1898 regimental sergeant-major.
He served in the Boer War with the 2nd Dragoons from November 1899, and on 20 February 1901 was promoted to quartermaster, with honorary rank of lieutenant. On 20 February 1911 he was made honorary captain.
Ross served as quartermaster at the regimental depot in the early years of the war, and on 20 February 1916 was given to the rank of honorary major.
In June 1916 the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment was formed in France from C and F Squadrons and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron. Ross was part of the forty-strong headquarters staff established for the new regiment, taking the role of quartermaster and honorary major. He arrived in France with the other headquarters officers and men on 29 June 1916, joining the regiment in the field at Senlis on the Somme front on 4 July.
Ross remained with the 2nd North Irish Horse until September 1917 when the regiment was dismounted and most of the officers and men absorbed into the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Ross returned to the UK where he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps' Harling Road training facility in Norfolk.
On 1 April 1918 the RFC became the Royal Air Force. Ross was posted to the RAF's Administration Branch and given a temporary commission as captain, with the rank of honorary major and quartermaster. He spent the next 18 months at various RAF bases in England and Scotland, including Luce Bay, East Fortune, Stirling and Glasgow.
On 19 November 1919 he relinquished his commission.
He died in Edinburgh in 1940.