The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison

I'm trying to link two deaths with two separate incidents and could do with some help please.

Stoker (D/KX 108945) Gordon Kerr Haining RN died 4 November 1940, serving at HMS Drake (RN Barracks) Next to his CWGC stone in Urr Churchyard is a "local stone" which says "Killed"
http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/scottishwargraves-ftopic685.html
On that day 27 people including 13 naval personnel were killed in a train crash at Norton Fitzwarren but I cannot find a casualty list.
Any ideas?

Private (3188733) Thomas Kennedy 5th Bn. KOSB died 30 December 1940
On his family gravestone (CWG) in Dumfries (St.Michael's) it says "Died suddenly at Dunbar"
http://scottishwargraves.phpbbweb.com/scottishwargraves-ftopic707-0-asc-15.html
In a personal story about serving in the 5th KOSB the writer talks about the battalion after evacuation from France in 1940.
"In November the battalion transferred from Norfolk to Kirkintilloch...... In Dunbar, where we went next for a while, six of our men were killed on the beach by a mine we were guarding"
www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/96/a1107596.shtml

Geoff's WW2 search engine does show three men from 5 KOSB killed 30/31 December.

Again any ideas about a casualty list for this incident?
_________________
Ken

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 274 Location: nr Nottingham

Hi Ken,

I have emailed you a partial casualty list published in The Scotsman on the day following the crash.

Stuart
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

Ken

I could only find three KOSB's.

I suspect the casualties were not all KOSB men. The exact text on the BBC site is " Next it was to Dunbar for a while where 6 men were killed by a mine on the beach that we were guarding " which may have a different meaning without the word " our ". They could in theory have been civilians, I suppose.

Johnson and Thomson both died at St Margarets, Dunbar on the 31st December at 4.0pm. In both cases the cause is given as " Gunshot wounds of the head " This may mean fragmments from a mine but I would have expected the mine explosion to be recorded, as I have seen elsewhere.

Kennedy had no connection to the incident involving Johnson and Thomson since he died the previous morning in a Church Canteen. The cause is given as " Natural causes, namely heart failure ".

Name: KENNEDY, THOMAS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Date of Death: 30/12/1940
Service No: 3188733
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 36. Grave 25.
Cemetery: DUMFRIES (ST. MICHAEL'S) CEMETERY

Name: JOHNSON, THOMAS ROBERT
Initials: T R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 31/12/1940
Service No: 3192468
Additional information: Son of George W. Johnson and Lily Jane Johnson, of Sheepwash.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: CHOPPINGTON (ST. PAUL) CHURCHYARD

Name: THOMSON, DAVID
Initials: D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 31/12/1940
Service No: 3193075
Additional information: Son of James Boyd Thomson and Isabella Robertson Thomson, of Galashiels.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. E. Grave 87.
Cemetery: GALASHIELS (EASTLANDS) CEMETERY
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:35 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys - God, you lot are good.
_________________
Ken

5 KOSB Historian · Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Posts: 2

Hi there

I have just joined the Forum, having come across the posting relating to the 5th KOSB casualties.

I am currently researching the wartime history of the 5th Battalion KOSB, 1939-46.

Through my research, I had noted the cluster of 5th KOSB deaths around December 30/31 1940.

I was especially interested by the additional information that Kinnethmont gives about the cause of death of both Johnson and Thomson. It is interesting that it took place at Hogmanay and maybe suggests some sort of accident involving the discharge of a weapon.

What I can confirm for certain is that these two deaths are totally unrelated to the reported mine explosion at Dunbar. This in fact took place on April 21st 1941 and, according to the Regimental History, caused six 5th KOSB casualties.

I have managed to track down two of these casualties so far :

Stranraer
CASEY, ROBERT SMITH
20
PTE
3188902
21-Apr-41
5th Bn., King's Own Scottish Borderers
Buried : STRANRAER (GLEBE) CEMETERY Wigtownshire
Son of David McDowall Casey and Jeannie McCaig Casey, of Stranraer

Death reported in the Wigton Free Press on April 24th 1941 and in the Deaths column of the same newspaper on that date

Whithorn
McCUTCHEON, JAMES
PTE
3192340
21-Apr-41
5th Bn, King's Own Scottish Borderers
Buried : GIRTHON PARISH CEMETERY Kirkcudbrightshire

Death reported in the Deaths column of the GallowayGazette on 26th April 1941. Only son of Hugh & Janet McCutcheon of Culvennan, Castle Douglas.

I would be very interested in finding the names, details and grave locations of the 4 other men reported to have been killed in this incident. If anyone can assist in this do please let me know.

I am also trying to track down the names and details of any other 5th KOSB casualties who died on the Home Front between 1940 and 1944. For most of this period 5th KOSB were on home service, and between 1942 & 1944 training as specialist mountain troops in the Scottish Highlands. Any information or assistance would be welcome.

Hope the information on the 5th KOSB casualties of 1940/41 is of interest.

Best regards,

Rod Barron
_________________
Rod Barron
Researching wartime history of 5th KOSB
1939-46

5 KOSB Historian · Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Posts: 2

Just following up on the casualties from the reported Dunbar Mine explosion that caused a number of casualties to the men of the 5th Battalion KOSB.

Thanks to Geoff's superb WWII CWGC search engine, I have now tracked down all of the six reported casualties from this incident on 21/04/1941. They would appear to be :

3191950 Pte J Breen - Huddersfield (Egerton) Cemetery
3192320 Pte David W Caldwell - Neilston Cemtery
3188902 Pte Robert S Casey - Stranraer (Glebe) Cemetery
3193351 Pte John B Jardine - Kirkconnel Cemetery
3192340 Pte James McCutchoen - Girthon Parish Cemetery
3188119 Pte John Muirhead - Gamerig Cemetery

Best regards,

Rod Barron
_________________
Rod Barron
Researching wartime history of 5th KOSB
1939-46

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:19 am Post subject: Re: 5 KOSB Casualties -1940/41

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

Rod

Have sent you a PM. It is interesting that Johnson and Thomson had nothing to do with the mine. This takes us back to two men with GSW to the head died at the exact same time. There must have been some record / enquiry of this unusual occurance.
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk