The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:08 am Post subject:

FORBES McNEILL
Forbes McNeill – age 25 – Sergeant (1058392) 57 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Forbes had been a Member of the Pharmaceutical Society. He was the pilot of his Wellington bomber which had taken off from RAF Feltwell in Norfolk for a raid on Frankfurt. The aircraft crashed at Stapleford near Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire when returning in bad visibility.
Born 1916 in Tranent. Son of Thomas and Catherine (Livingstone) McNeill of Tranent.
Died on Active Service on 3 September 1941 and buried in Tranent New Cemetery. (CWG)

MATTHEW O'BRIEN
Thought to be:
Matthew O'Brien – age 31 – Private (3194896) 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
The 6th KOSB landed on the Normandy beaches on 15 June 1944, and took part in the battles around Caen and the River Odon. Matthew was killed near Les Loges and was re-interred in July 1946.
Born 1913 in Newbattle. Midlothian. Son of Andrew and Lizzie (Rowan) O'Brien.
Killed in Action on 1 August 1944 and buried in Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery, France.

KENNEDY PATTERSON
Kennedy Paterson – age 22 – Warrant Officer (759154) 267 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Kennedy was the wireless operator and air gunner on his Dakota transport aircraft which dived into the ground near El Aouina, Tunis due to a fire in the air during a flare-dropping sortie to Sicily.
Born 1921 in Tranent. Son of David and Eliza (Yates) Paterson of 69 Loch Road, Tranent.
Died on Active Service on 11 July 1943 and buried in Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery, Tunisia

T. PORTEOUS
Thomas Porteous – age 34 – Gunner (1724445) Royal Artillery.
Thomas was a motor mechanic serving with 235 Searchlight Training Regiment based at Ayr. He died in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary from injuries resulting from a lorry accident.
Born 1907 in Tranent. Son of Thomas and Jane Pagan (Flockhart) Porteous of Tranent. Husband of Margaret Lamont (Gorman) Porteous of Tranent who he married in 1935 in Edinburgh.
Died on Service on 7 November 1941 and buried in Tranent New Cemetery.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2023 11:29 am Post subject:

A. ROBB
Andrew Robb – age 35 – Leading Aircraftman (1105924) 5136 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
5136 Squadron was formed at La Marsa (Tunisia) in December 1943. Their HQ moved to Naples on 20 May 1944.
Born 1909 in Penicuik, Midlothian. Son of James Lamb Robb and Frances Wight (Kerr) Robb. Husband of Margaret Lugton (Oliver) Robb of Tranent who he married in 1937 in Penicuik.
Died on Active Service on 22 July 1944 and buried in Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy.

ALEXANDER ROSS
I cannot identify this man.

D ROUTLEDGE
David Routledge – age 20 – Private (14554332) 5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
The 4th and 5th KOSB landed at Ostend in October 1944 taking part on the strongly contested assault landings on Walcheren Island, at the mouth of the Scheldt. They then fought through into Germany. David was killed near Afferden on the Dutch/German border and was re-interred in May 1947.
Born 1925 in Sunderland, County Durham. Son of Joseph and Florence (Brown) Routledge of Tranent.
Killed in Action on 18 February 1945 and buried in Mook War Cemetery, Netherlands.

SAM ROWLEY
Samuel Rowley – age 23 – Private (3059451) 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.
After their captured at Saint-Valery-en-Caux in Normandy in June 1940 the new 1st Battalion served in North Africa in 1942, fighting at El Alamein, in Lybia and in Tunisia.
Born 1919 in Inveresk, Midlothian. Son of Isaac and Elizabeth Kinloch (Wilkie) Rowley of 46 Lammermoor Terrace, Tranent.
Killed in Action on 15 January 1943 and buried in Tripoli War Cemetery, Libya.

J.O. SMART
John Ormiston Smart – age 19 – Ordinary Seaman (C/JX300859) H.M.S. Beehive, Royal Navy.
“Beehive” was the shore base at Felixstowe for Coastal Forces. John died of peritonitis in the nearby Royal Naval Sick Quarters at Shotley, Suffolk.
Born 1923 in Tranent. Son of James and Janet (Ormiston) Smart of Tranent.
Died on Active Service on 7 October 1942 and buried in Tranent New Cemetery. (CWG)
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Ken