The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 5:53 pm Post subject:

JOHN ROME PTE. MACHINE GUN CORPS.
John Rome – age 29 – Private (44304) 91st Company, Machine Gun Corps.
John enlisted as Private (2761) in the 5th KOSB in December 1914. He was with the 2/5th Battalion, the 12th Provisional Battalion and the 3/5th before he was transferred to the MGC and posted to France in August 1916. He joined the 91st Company in the November. John died in the 44th Casualty Clearing Station.
Born 1886 in Gretna. Son of James and Dinah (Bryson) Rome of Nivenhill Cottages, Rigg of Gretna.
Died of Wounds on 30 March 1917 and buried in Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church memorial and Roll of Honour.

KEN J. STAFFORD M.C. LIEUT. R.F.A.
Kenneth James Stafford, Military Cross – age 20 – Lieutenant: 37th Battery, 27th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
Kenneth was educated at Carlisle Grammer School and at Clifton Bank School, St. Andrews. He enlisted in April 1916, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in February 1917 and promoted to Lt. in August 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross.
“Lt. Kenneth James Stafford, R.F.A. (Spec. Res.), attd. 37th By., 27th Bde.
For great gallantry and devotion to duty on 4 November, 1918, near Beaudignies, when his battery was very heavily shelled. he went up to the position and remained there for some hours, encouraging the men and attending to several who were wounded. He continued to do so after being badly wounded. Throughout these operations he set a fine example to those with him.”
Born 1898 in St. Andrews, Fife. Son of the Reverend John Owen Stafford, Minister at Mochrum Parish Church and (for many years) at Gretna Parish Church, and of Mary Anne Tweedie Kerr Stafford.
Died of Wounds on 14 November 1918 and buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church memorial and Roll of Honour; and on the Mochrum Parish War Memorial in Port William, Wigtownshire.

Kenneth's father, The Rev. John Owen Stafford, was killed on 7 April 1941 in Gretna when a German bomb hit the town's masonic hall.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 5:55 pm Post subject:

DAVID STEVENSON PTE. K.O.S.B.
David Stevenson – age 20 – Private (24917) 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Born 1896 in Gretna. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Thomson) Stevenson of Springfield Village and of Old Toll Bar, Sarkbank, Gretna.
Killed in Action on 9 April 1917 and buried in Bailleul Road West Cemetery, St. Laurent-Blangy, France.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church memorial and Roll of Honour.

WILLIAM TELFORD L-CPL. H.L.I.
William Telford – age 31 – Lance Corporal (14936) 16th Battalion (2nd Glasgow) Highland Light Infantry.
William was a signalman with the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company when he enlisted in Glasgow in June 1915. He landed with his battalion at Boulogne in November 1915.
Born 1885 in Gretna. Son of James and Thomasina (Jerlan) Telford of Springfield, Gretna.
Killed in Action on 1 July 1916 and buried in Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuille, Somme, France.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church memorial and Roll of Honour; and on the G&SW Railway Company memorial now in Ayr Station.

JAMES THOMPSON PTE. K.O.S.B.
Spellings of the name vary with and without the “P”
James Thompson – age 21 – Private (28529) 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
James was buried in Captain's Farm Cemetery, Langemarck but was re-interred in Artillery Wood Cemetery in June 1920.
Born 1896 in Gretna. Son of James and Georgina (Veitch) Thompson, of Maxwellfield Cottage, Gretna.
Killed in Action on 14 August 1917 and buried in Artillery Wood Cemetery, Belgium.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church memorial and Roll of Honour.

ROBERT WOOD PTE, ROYAL SCOTS FUSrs.
Robert Wood – age 19 – Private (24023) 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Robert was a labourer when he enlisted as Private (23109) in the KOSB in February 1916. He was posted to the 2nd RSF in France on 13 June 1916 and was killed less than a month later.
Born 1897 in Closeburn, Dumfriesshire. Son of the late James Wood and of Elizabeth (Gray) Wood of Springfield, Gretna.
Missing in Action on 9 July 1916 and named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church memorial and Roll of Honour.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 5:56 pm Post subject:

WW2 to follow
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:02 am Post subject:

1939 – 1945

JOHN K. ALLAN, SERGT. A.G. R.A.F.
John Keith Allan – age 34 – Leading Aircraftman (1366444) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
John was an agent for the Prudential Insurance Company in Dumfries when he enlisted. He was killed in a flying accident.
Born 1907 in Carlisle. Son of Joseph and Catherine Allan of Carlisle. Husband of Mary Helen (Maguire) of S. West 12, Gretna who he married in 1929 in Carlisle.
Died on Active Service on 15 November 1941 and named on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.

LAMONT C. BETNEY, CORPL. K.O.S.B.
Christopher Betney – age 21 – Corporal (14214405) 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Christopher was educated in Gretna and was a joiner at Chapelcross when he enlisted in mid-1942. The 6th KOSB landed on the Normandy beaches on 15 June 1944 and fought through France, Belgium and Holland. Christopher was buried at Massbree in the Netherlands but was re-interred in Venray in September 1946.
Born 1923 in Salford, Lancashire. Adopted son of James and Isabella Lamont, of 14 Burnside Road, Gretna.
Killed in Action on 10 December 1944 and buried in Venray War Cemetery, Netherlands.

JOSEPH BLACKLOCK, PTE. R.A.S.C.
Not listed by CWGC
Joseph Blacklock – age 23 – Private (?) Royal Army Service Corps.
Joseph was an apprentice plumber. He died of tuberculosis at home in Springfield.
Born 1920 in Gretna. Son of John and Isabella (Thomson) Blacklock of Springfield, Gretna.
Died on 20 January 1943 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour.

ROBERT BRADLEY, GNR. ROYAL ARTILLERY.
Only one on CWGC but there is no obvious link to Gretna.
Robert William Bradley – age 38 – Gunner (1064468) 22 Battery, 3 H.A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery.
Robert was made a prisoner of war at the fall of Singapore and died on the infamous Burma railway. He was buried in Khon Khan Cemetery but was re-interred in Thanbyuzayat in January 1946.
Born 1905 in Middlesbrough. Son of Robert Hodgson Bradley and Amelia (Arrowsmith) Bradley of South Bank, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
Died on Service on 16 September 1943 and buried in Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Myanmar (Burma)

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:10 am Post subject:

JOHN BROWN, PTE. ROYALS.
John Brown – age 33 – Trooper (3185357) 1st Royal Dragoons, Royal Armoured Corps.
Born 1911 in Langlands, Dornock, Dumfriesshire. Son of the late John Thompson Brown and of Mary Ann (Nelson) Brown of 41 Empire Way, Gretna who had married in Gretna in 1900.
Husband of Vinette Irene Drucilla Brown of Richmond, Yorkshire.
Vinette remarried to Norman Everett in Richmond in 1945 but I cannot trace her marriage to John.
Died on Service on 3 June 1945 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

JOHN A. BRYDEN, CORPL. SCOTS GUARDS.
John Aitken Bryden – age 20 – Lance Corporal (2695855) 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards.
John was educated at Gretna Township School and went to serve an apprenticeship as a plasterer in Carlisle but after a year joined the army. He had been with his battalion in Egypt since 1938.
Born 1922 in Gretna. Son of John Aitken Bryden and of Grace Trail (Young) Bryden of U East 4, Gretna.
Killed in Action on 19 September 1941 and buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt.

JOHN CARRUTHERS, WRITER R.N.
John Carruthers – age 22 – Leading Writer (C/MX 66414) H.M.S. Prince of Wales, Royal Navy. John was educated at Gretna School and Annan Academy and was working for the SMT bus company in Carlisle when he joined the navy in 1940. He was killed when the battleship “Prince of Wales” and the battle cruiser “Repulse” were sunk by Japanese aircraft off the eastern coast of Malaya.
Born 1919 in Dumfries. Son of Sergeant J. Carruthers of Gretna Police Station.
Killed in Action/Lost at Sea on 10 December 1941 and named on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.

JAMES CARTNER, RADIO OFFICER M.N.
James Cartner – age 18 – Second Radio Officer, M.V. Malaya II. (Glasgow)
James was educated at Gretna School and Annan Academy and worked for an electrical company in Carlisle before attending the Caledonian Wireless College in Glasgow. He joined the Merchant Navy in December 1940. The Malaya II exploded and sank when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-564 in mid-Atlantic sailing from Halifax to Cardiff with a cargo of dynamite.
Born 1922 in Gretna. Son of Wilfred James Cartner and of Agnes Euphemia (Reid) Cartner of Central Avenue, Gretna.
Killed by enemy action/Lost at Sea on 27 June 1941 and named on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:19 am Post subject:

JOHN R. CARTNER, PTE. D.L.I. (SIGNALS)
John Richardson Cartner – age 21 – Private (3191135) 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.
The 6th, 8th and 9th Battalions of the DLI landed at Cherbourg in January 1940. They moved into Belgium in early May but by the end of the month were back on the French/Belgian border at Chateau Moares and John was killed there.
Born 1918 in Renfrew, Renfrewshire. Son of George and Rachel Morris (Workman) Cartner of Gretna Green.
Missing in Action on 31 May 1940 and named on the Dunkirk Memorial, France.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour.

CLARENCE CONLEY, A.B. R.N.
Not listed by CWGC.
Clarence James Conley – age 25 – Able Seaman (?) Royal Navy.
Clarence died in Carlisle and was buried in Gretna Cemetery on 27 January 1945.
Born 1920 in Carlisle. Son of the late Hugh Conley and of Mary Theresa (Gardner) Conley of F. East 3, Gretna. Mary died in Gretna in 1976 age 86.
Husband of Grace Kirk (Dill) Conley who he married in Holywood, Dumfriesshire in 1943.
Died in January 1945 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

LESLIE FISHER, Q.M.S. R.A.S.C.
Leslie Fisher – age 32 – Sergeant (T/829159) Royal Army Service Corps.
Leslie was educated at Eastriggs school and was a fitter with Cowans Sheldon, crane-makers in Carlisle when he enlisted.
Born 1910 in Toxteth Park, Lancashire. Son of Frank and Jane Fisher. Husband of Mary (Telford) Fisher of Headlesscross, Gretna (later Mrs. John Davidson) who he married in 1935 in Gretna.
Died on Active Service on 16 August 1942 and buried in Beirut War Cemetery, Lebanon.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour.
The Allies, including a contingent of Free French forces, advanced into Lebanon from Palestine on 8 June 1941. The campaign lasted until 11 July, when the Vichy French asked for an armistice.

ALEX. GRAHAM, A.B. R.N.
Alexander Graham – age 28 – Able Seaman (D/JX 190670) H.M.S. Matabele, Royal Navy.
Alexander had lived in Gretna since childhood and had been educated in Gretna Township school. He was a warehouseman at Carr's Biscuit factory in Carlisle when he joined Navy in 1940. He was killed when the destroyer “Matabele” was torpedoed and sunk off the Kola Inlet by the German submarine U-454 while escorting a convoy to Murmansk in Northern Russia.
Born c.1914 in ?????? I cannot trace.
Son of John and Sarah Graham. Husband of Edna (Forsyth) Graham of 74 Victory Avenue, Gretna and of Hammersmith, London who he married in 1934 in Gretna.
Killed in Action/Lost at Sea on 17 January 1942 and named on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:30 am Post subject:

Neither of the following two men are listed by CWGC.

Both men, who I believe to be brothers, are also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour as being of Victory Avenue, Gretna.
In 1901 in Springfield, Gretna were William Graham 50, his second wife Janet (or Jessie) Rogerson 33, (married 1899) William 3 and Mary Ellen 2.
By 1911 William had died (in1910) and at Hill Old Bar, Gretna Loaning were Janet 42, William 13, Mary Ellen 12, Andrew 10, Caroline Hayton 7, Nora 6, and Henry James Law Graham 5

ANDREW GRAHAM, OFFICER R.N.
Andrew Graham – age 41 – Seaman, Merchant Navy.
Andrew, who lived at 109 Wharton Street, South Shields, County Durham died of tuberculosis in the Emergency Hospital in Shotley Bridge, Consett, Co.Durham. His death was registered by his brother William of 45 Victory Avenue, Gretna.
Born 1901 in Gretna. Son of the late William and Jessie (Rogerson) Graham of 45 Victory Avenue, Gretna. Jessie died on 23 October 1942 and is buried in Gretna Old Parish Churchyard.
Died – 6 September 1942 and buried in Gretna Old Parish Churchyard.

and his brother

WILLIAM GRAHAM, DVR. R.A.S.C.
William Graham – age 48 – Driver (?) Royal Army Service Corps.
William was a grocer when he died of tuberculosis at 45 Victory Avenue Gretna.
Born 1897 in Gretna. Son of the late William and Jessie (Rogerson) Graham of 45 Victory Avenue, Gretna.
Jessie died in 1942 and is buried in Gretna Old Parish Churchyard.
Died on 20 November 1945 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:35 am Post subject:

CHRISr. JOHNSTONE, STOKER H.M.
Christopher Johnstone – age 22 – Stoker 1st Class (D/KX 89683) H.M.S. Bonaventure, Royal Navy.
The light cruiser “Bonaventure” was torpedoed and sunk by the Italian submarine “Ambra” while escorting a convoy from Greece to Alexandria,
Born 1918 Gretna. Son of ??????
Killed in Action/Lost at Sea on 31 March 1941 and named on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon.

WALTER JOHNSTONE, PTE. K.O.S.B.
Walter Graham Johnstone – age 34 – Private (3197099) 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
The 2nd KOSB served in Burma from September 1943. Walter was buried in the battlefield cemetery at Meiktila but was re-interred at Taukkyan in 1951.
Born 1911 in Longtown, Cumberland. Son of William and Jane McKay Johnstone. Husband of Marjorie (Dargue) Johnstone of 77 Ashley Street, Raffles, Carlisle who he married in 1934 in Gretna.
Killed in Action on 23 May 1945 and buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar (Burma)

WILLIAM KENNEDY, CORPL. K.O.S.B.
William Graham Kennedy – age 24 – Corporal (3193310) 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
William was educated at Gretna school and was employed in Springfield when he enlisted.
The 1st KOSB returned to France on D-Day, 6th June, landing at ‘Queen’ Beach.
Born 1919 in Bogside, Tundergarth, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire. Son of Thomas and Agnes Kennedy, of Hill View, Springfield, Gretna.
Killed in Action on 6 June 1944 and buried in Dover (St. James) Cemetery, Kent.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour.

JOHN KERR, PTE. ROYAL SIGNALS.
John Voyle Kerr – age 23 – Signalman (2337398) 15th Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.
John was educated at Dumfries Academy, while his father was curate at St. John's church, and was employed in the Electricity Department of Dumfries County Council when he enlisted. He had been in training for 3 weeks when he collapsed and died in his barracks in Partick, Glasgow.
Born 1917 in Edmonton, London. Son of the Rev. John Cyril Kerr and Winifred (Massey) Kerr of All Saints' Parsonage, Gretna.
Died on Service on 13 April 1940 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.
Also named on an individual memorial in the Gretna Old Parish Church.

JAMES K. MITCHELL, SERGT. A.G. R.A.F.
James Kinloch Mitchell – age 20 – Sergeant (1051250) 500 Squadron, Coastal Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
James was educated at Gretna school, at Annan Academy, where he was sports champion in 1935, and at Dumfries Academy, before he joined the Carlisle Post Office. He enlisted a year later in August 1940. In 1941 500 Squadron had converted to Blenheims and were flying from RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk on reconnaissance patrols and bombing raids on enemy coastal targets.
Born 1920 in Gretna. Son of James and Elizabeth Mitchell of the Post Office, Central Avenue, Gretna.
Missing in Action on 25 October 1941 and named on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:41 am Post subject:

EDWARD T. MUIR, PTE. R.A.S.C.
Edward Thomas Muir – age 22 – Driver (97920) Royal Army Service Corps.
Edward was accidentally killed near Norwich while leading a convoy on his motor cycle. He had escaped from Dunkirk earlier in the year.
Born 1918 in Hoddom, Dumfrieshire. Son of Edward T. Muir and Annie Muir. Husband of Sarah or Sadie (Cartwright) Muir of B West 1, Gretna and of Raffles, Carlisle who he married in 1939 in Carlisle.
Died on Active Service on 29 August 1940 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

MILES McINNES, M.N.
Myles MacInnes – age 32 – Cook (LT/MX84685) H.M. Motor Vessel “Roseden”, Royal Naval Patrol Service.
Myles had been discharged from the navy when he died of tuberculosis in the Dumfries and Galloway Sanatorium in Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire.
Born 1910 in Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire. Son of Donald and Janet Stewart (McKendrick) McInnes.
Husband of Margaret Ann (Conroy) MacInnes of 89 Victory Avenue, Gretna who he married in 1938 in Gretna.
Died on 28 July 1942 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

SINCLAIR R. NEALE, TROOPER R.T.C.
Sinclair Rayment Neale – age 23 – Trooper (14217820) 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps.
During the Second World War, Tel el Kebir was a hospital centre and a great ordnance depot was also established there, with many workshops for the repair of armoured cars and other weapons of war. Sinclair was killed in an accident.
Born 1923 in West Ham, London. Son of Rayment and Janet (Sinclair) Neale of the Union Jack Hotel, Gretna.
Died on Service 14 March 1946 and buried in Tel el Kebir War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.

ERNEST NICHOLSON, PTE. EAST YORKS.
Ernest Nicholson – age 25 – Private (3133353) 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment.
Ernest was killed at the Nijmegen Bridgehead in Holland and was buried in the Brigade Cemetery in Lent, Nijmegen. He was re-interred in Arnhem in September 1945.
Born 1919 in Annan, Dumfriesshire as Ernest Anderson. Son of Janet (Anderson) Nicholson and step-son of James Nicholson of Gretna.
Killed in Action between 1 & 2 October 1944 and buried in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Netherlands.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:49 am Post subject:

JOSEPH NICHOLSON, CAPT. M.N.
Joseph Hewitson Nicholson – age 49 – Master, S.S. Stonepool (West Hartlepool) Merchant Navy.
Joseph was educated at Grosvenor College in Carlisle. He joined the Merchant service 35 years previously and served throughout the First War. He and his wife came to Gretna in the 1920's.
The “Stonepool” was in a convoy from Canada to Avonmouth when she was torpedoed and sunk off Cape Farewell, Greenland by the German submarine U-207, which was sunk a few hours later by the escorts. Joseph was picked up by a rescue ship but died of exposure.
Born 1892 in Carlisle. Son of Capt. Joseph Nicholson and Rebecca (Hewitson) Nicholson. Husband of Catherine Niven (Dobinson) Nicholson of 103 Annan Road, Gretna and of Carlisle who he married in 1917 in Carlisle.
Died as the result of enemy action on 11 September 1941 and named on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.

JOHN PHILLIPSON, SPR. ROYAL ENGINEERS.
Note: All records spell his name with one “L”
John Addison Philipson – age 19 – Sapper (14327345) Royal Engineers.
John was a clerk when he enlisted. He was serving in the 8th Training Battalion, Royal Engineers at Pinefield Camp in Elgin when he became ill. John died of meningitis in the Joint County Hospital at Spynie, Elgin, Morayshire.
Born 1924 Whitehaven, Cumberland. Son of James and Agnes Jane (Postlethwaite) Philipson of 21 Victory Avenue, Gretna.
Died on Service on 3 April 1943 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

WILLIAM POWELL, FLIGHT SERGT. R.A.F.
William Powell – age 20 – Flight Sergeant, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (552157) Royal Air Force.
William was educated at Gretna Township school where he was dux in 1936. He joined the RAF in January 1939 but was killed in an accident in Cardiganshire. Mid-Wales.
Born c.1921 but I cannot trace. Son of Robert and Stella Powell of 21 Annan Road, Gretna.
Died on Active Service on13 June 1941 and buried in Gretna Cemetery.

THOMAS B. RAE, SERGT. K.O.S.B.
Thomas Bell Rae – age 25 – Sergeant (3190895) “C” Company, No.11 Platoon, 7th (Airborne) Battalion (Galloway) King's Own Scottish Borderers.
The first of the Horsa gliders carrying the 7th Battalion KOSB landed at Arnhem on the first day of the battle, Sunday 17 September 1944, to secure the Ginkel Heath position, designated as DZ-Y for the 4th Parachute Brigade.
Born 1919 in Kelton Parish, Kirkcudbrightshire. Son of the late Andrew Rae and of Margaret Rae of Field View, Gretna Green.
Killed in Action on 21 September 1944 and buried in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Also named on the Gretna Old Parish Church WW2 Roll of Honour.

LENARD WHITE, PTE. K.O.S.B.
Note: military records spell his first name as Leonard.
Lenard George White – age 21 – Private (3197774) 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
The 6th battalion, KOSB landed on the Normandy beaches on 15 June 1944 and took part in the battles around Caen and the River Odon. Lenard was buried at Tourmauville but was re-interred in January 1946.
Born 1923 in Gretna as Lenard George White. Son of Charles and Amy (Dawes) White of Carlisle who married in Dumfries in 1917.
Killed in Action on 16 July 1944 and buried in Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery, Calvados, France.
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Ken