The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 10:34 am Post subject:

WATSON, PTE. J. KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS.
James Watson – age 21 – Private (23638) 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
James was a farm hand at Chapel Farm, Moffat when he enlisted. He was posted to the 7th/8th KOSB before being transferred to the 1st Battalion. He was killed during a German air raid on the transport line.
Born 1897 in Moffat. Son of Thomas and Marion (Orr) Watson of Chapel Cottage, Moffat.
Killed in Action on 12 May 1918 and buried in Cinq Rues British Cemetery, Hazebrouck, France.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial and on the Kirkpatrick Juxta Parish War Memorial in Beattock, Dumfriesshire.

WELSH, CAPT. T. KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS.
Tom Welsh – age 36 – Captain, 1/5th (Dumfries and Galloway) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Tom was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. He farmed the family land at Earlshaugh and tenanted sheep farms at Carterhope and at Ericstane near Moffat where he lived with his own family. He had been a Town Councillor in Moffat and had represented the town on the County Council. He had been commissioned in the 3rd (Dumfries) Volunteer Battalion in June1900, was transferred as Captain to the Territorial 5th KOSB in June 1908 and latterly commanded the Sanquhar and Kirkconnel Company. He landed with his battalion at Gallipoli in June 1915 but was killed a month later during the battle of Achi Baba Nullah.
Born 1879 in Moffat as Tom Welsh. Son of the late Thomas of Earlshaugh and of the late Jane Jardine (Halliday) Welsh of Ericstane. Husband of Alexandra Mary Bell (Smith) Welsh who he married in 1907 in Moffat.
Killed in Action on 12 July 1915 and buried in Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey.
Also named on an individual memorial tablet in the County Council Buildings in Dumfries, and on the Merchiston Castle School memorial together with his cousin Tom Welsh, Military Cross – age 33 – Captain 1st Field Ambulance, South African Medical Corps attached to the 2nd Regiment, South African Infantry who was killed on 12 April 1917 in France.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 10:41 am Post subject:

WHITE, CPL. D. R. F. A.
David White – age 32 – Corporal (7298) 64th Army Brigade Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery.
David had been a coachman at the Buccleuch Arms Hotel in Moffat, Dumfriesshire before being employed at the Castlemilk hunting stables in St. Mungo, Dumfriesshire. He had been at the front since June 1915 as a Driver and Corporal.
Born 1885 in Johnstone, Dumfriesshire. Son of William White of St. Ann's, Raehills, Johnstonebridge (formerly forester on the Annadale Estate at Moffat) and of Margaret (Rogerson) White of Upper Murthat Cottage, Beattock, Dumfriesshire.
Killed in Action on 19 October 1917 and buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No.3, Belgium.
Also named on the St. Mungo Parish War Memorial in the parish church in Kettleholm village, on the Johnstone Parish War Memorial (as Bombardier) on the Lockerbie War Memorial (as Driver) and on the Moffat Academy memorial.

WILSON, GUNNER. J. N. Z. F. A.
James Wilson – age 45 – Gunner (43468) 9th Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery.
James emigrated to New Zealand in 1913 and was an engineer at Tahunga near Gisborne on the North Island. He enlisted there in December 1916 and sailed from Wellington in June 1917, arriving in France in October. James joined the 9th Battery on 24 April 1918 but was killed exactly four months later near Bapaume. His body was buried by the Germans in Achiet-le-Petit but was re-interred after the war,
Born 1873 in Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire. Son of the late Dr. John Wilson and of the late Helen Louden (Murray) Wilson of Wanlockhead, Leadhills and of Yewlands, Liberton, Edinburgh.
Brother of John Wilson and of Lilias Mary (Wilson) Crawford, both of 2 Vicarsland Moffat.
Killed in Action on 24 August 1918 and buried in Achiet-Le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 10:53 am Post subject:

1939 - 1945.

SGT. J. S. BEATTIE, R.A.F.
John Stainton Beattie – age 19 – Sergeant/Air Gunner (910397) 115 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
John's Wellington bomber took off from RAF Marham in Norfolk for a raid on the railway marshalling yards at Hamm but crashed near Dortmund.
John and his crew were buried in Bochum Cemetery but re-interred in Reichswald in June 1947.
Born 1921 in Edinburgh. Son of Ian Hodgeson Beattie and Mary Beattie of Moffat.
Killed in Action on 29 December 1940 and buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.

PTE. W. H. BELL, K.O.S.B.
Walter Halliday Bell – age 22 – Private (3191781) King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Walter died in the Howbeck Hospital, West Hartlepool, County Durham.
Born 1918 in Kirkpatrick Juxta, Dumfriesshire. Son of William and Janet Bell of Warrender House, Moffat.
Died on Service on 24 May 1940 and buried in Moffat Cemetery. (CWG)
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.

LT. O. W. BUTLER, R.A.C.
Oswald William Butler – age 24 – Lieutenant (91058) 46th Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps, Royal Armoured Corps.
Oswald was educated at Greenock Academy and at Trinity College Glenalmond, where he joined the Officer Training Corps, before training in hotel management in a London Hotel. He was commissioned in the Territorial 5th King's Own Scottish Borderers in May 1939 and was mobilised at the outbreak of war. He transferred to the Reconnaissance Corps in January 1941 and served in North Africa and Italy.
Born 1919 in Greenock, Renfrewshire. Son of Oswald William and Jean Slimmond (Ferguson) Butler of the Star Hotel in Moffat and of Muasdale, Kintyre, Argyllshire.
Killed in Action on 19 January 1944 and buried in Minturno War Cemetery. Italy.
Also named on the Glenalmond School memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 11:01 am Post subject:

PTE. H. CORBETT, R.S.F.
Thought to be:
Harvey Corbett – age 24 – Private (3133350) 156th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps.
The 156th battalion was raised in October 1941 from volunteers from all of the 27 British infantry battalions then in India. Their first combat experience was during Operation Slapstick in Italy on 9 September 1943. The landings at Taranto were unopposed as the Italians surrendering the night before, but German forces engaged the advancing British in ambushes and at roadblocks during a fighting withdrawal north.
Born 1919 in Moffat. Son of Robert and Margaret (Hiddleston) Corbett of Coutts Street, Moffat. Husband of Barbara (Mayers) Corbett, of 36 Catrwright Road, Haslington near Crewe, Cheshire who he married in 1941 in Crewe.
Killed in Action on 15 September 1943 and buried in Bari War Cemetery, Italy.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial as Harvey Corbett.

SGT. J. T. CORBETT, R.A.F.
John Turner Corbett – age 24 – Sergeant/Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (977033) 15 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
John was employed in Moffat Post Office when he enlisted. His Stirling bomber took off from RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire for a raid on Essen but crashed at Overasselt near Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Born 1917 in Glasgow. Son of John Turner Corbett and Helen Jane (McGregor) Corbett, of Seamore House, Moffat.
Killed in Action on 8 August 1941 and buried in Uden War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.

SGT. P. DICERBO, R.A.F.
Philip Dicerbo, – age 19 – Sergeant/Flight Engineer (1825388) 582 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Phillip's Lancaster bomber, as part of the Pathfinder Force, took off from RAF Little Staughton in Cambridgeshire for a raid on Stuttgart. During the flight Philip was killed by cannon fire from a German night fighter. The damaged aircraft made an emergency landing at RAF Woodbridge.
Born 1925 in Moffat as Fillipo Dicerbo. Son of Antonio and Pasqualina (Minchella) Dicerbo of Moffat.
Phillip's parents settled in Moffat in 1922 and soon afterwards established a chip shop named 'The Moffat Chippy'. They were interned in the Isle of Man when war broke out.
Killed in Action on 25 July 1944 and buried in Moffat Cemetery. (CWG)
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 11:13 am Post subject:

PTE. J. DONALDSON, HAMPSHIRE REGT.
John Donaldson – age 32 – Private (1679872) 5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment.
Born 1912 in Moffat. Son of Andrew and Isabella (Cuthbertson) Donaldson of Moffat. Husband of Jessie (Jack) Donaldson of Moffat who he married in 1936 in Moffat.
Killed in Action on 16 September 1944 and buried in Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.
The Hampshire Brigade landed at Salerno in September 1943. After fighting up through Italy the Brigade was taken out of the line in February 1944, and taken to Egypt where reinforcements were taken on. In August 1944 they were back in action in Italy.

DVR. S. FERGUSON, R.E.
Stewart Ferguson – age 25 – Sapper (1881153) 232 Field Company, Royal Engineers.
Born 1915 in Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire. Son of Thomas Martin Ferguson and Elizabeth (Blackstock) Ferguson of Moffat.
Died on Active Service on 2 December 1940 and buried in Clevedon Cemetery, Weston super Mare, Somerset.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.

LT. I. G. GOW, SCOTS GUARDS.
Ian Graham Gow – age 24 – Lieutenant (186919) 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards.
Graham was commissioned from an Officer Cadet Training Unit to the Scots Guards in May 1941. He was killed near the town of Alpon in Germany as the Guards Armoured Division attacked from the Dutch border south of Nijmegen toward the Rhine. He was buried in Alpon but was re-interred in Reichswald in December 1946.
Born 1921 in Epsom, Surrey. Son of the late Ian Barnett Gow and of Elizabeth Muriel (Teacher) Gow of Reddings, Moffat.
Killed in Action on 8 March 1945 and buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 11:18 am Post subject:

PTE. S. C. LITTLE, K.O.S.B.
Sydney Courtould Little – age 19 – Private (3190196) 5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Sidney was employed as a baker in Well Street in Moffat and was a member of the Moffat detachment of the Territorial 5th KOSB. He landed with his battalion at St. Malo in Brittany on the 13 June 1940 but France capitulated and the 5th KOSB, which was the covering battalion during the withdrawal, itself left from Cherbourg in the afternoon of 18 June.
Born 1920 in Moffat as Sidney Addison Little. Son of Robert and Elspeth Wilson (Addison) Little of Mearsdale Park, Moffat.
Missing in Action on 1 July 1940 and named on the Dunkirk Memorial, France.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.

CAPT. A. D. MITCHELL, ROYAL SCOTS.
Alexander David Mitchell – age 34 – Captain (37894) 1st Battalion, Royal Scots.
Alexander was commissioned in the Royal Scots in September 1939. The 1st Battalion embarked for France as part of the BEF. Forced into the retreat the survivors were taken off the beaches at Dunkirk. In April 1942 the battalion moved to Bombay, and then to Chittagong to train for jungle warfare. It then fought in the Burma Campaign, first seeing action in the Arakan operations from March to May 1943.
Born c.1909 in Jubbulpore, India. Son of Sir David George Mitchell, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., V.D., and of Lady Mitchell (Elizabeth Duncan Wharton) of Moffat. Missing in Action on 2 April 1943 and named on the Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar (Burma)

CPL. W. C. RAE, BLACK WATCH.
William Chisholm Rae – age 23 – Corporal (2764417) 5th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
Born 1921 in Moffat. Son of Robert McMorran Rae and Jean (Chisholm) Rae of Moffat.
Killed in Action on 11 July 1944 and buried in Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial.
The 5th Battalion landed in Normandy on D Day, 6 June 1944. They were heavily involved in the actions leading to the breakout from Caen , experiencing severe fighting at Breville and Colombelles.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 11:25 am Post subject:

F/LT. A.T. HOPE ROBERTSON, R.A.F.
Alastair Tennant Hope-Robertson – age 21 – Flight Lieutenant/Pilot (127900) 578 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Alastair was educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh until April 1941. He joined the RAF as a Cadet and had some training at Aberdeen University and in England before going to Arizona for flight training. He was commissioned from Leading Aircraftman (1343895) to Pilot Officer in August 1942 and was promoted to Flying Officer in February 1943. He was a temporary Flight Lieutenant when he took off in his Halifax bomber from RAF Burn near Selby in Yorkshire for a raid on Bottrop, north of Essen, in Germany but the aircraft was shot down by a German night-fighter and crashed at Oldebroek in Gelderland, Netherlands.
Born 1923 in Moffat. Son of the late Laurence Hope-Robertson and of Mora Tennant (Sloan) Hope-Robertson of the Lodge, Moffat.
Killed in Action on 21 July 1944 and buried in Heerde General Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands
Also named on an individual memorial outside Dowding House RAFA Sheltered Housing Project in Moffat and on the Loretto School memorial.

LT. COL. C. J. W. SIMPSON, MAHRATTA L.I.
Cecil John William Simpson – age 40 – Lieutenant Colonel (IA/787) 4th Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry.
Cecil was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. From there he went to the Quetta Staff College and was commissioned in the Indian Army in 1924, was posted to the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry in 1925 and served with them as Lieutenant (April 1926) and Captain (January 1933) until 1939. He was brought back to the UK in February 1939 and served in the War Office as a General Staff Officer (Major January 1941) for two years before being sent on a mission to the Far East. He escaped from Hong Kong just before it fell to the Japanese in December 1941. He returned to India in 1943 as the Chief Administrative Officer of a Division and later was given command of the 4th Battalion of his old regiment. They battled the Japanese around Imphal in early 1944 and Cecil was was killed during an attack on the Battalion Headquarters. He was buried in Palel Military Cemetery but was re-interred in Imphal in April 1945.
Born 1904 in Moffat. Son of the late Alexander Morgan Simpson and Annie Cecile Simpson, of Claremont, Moffat. Husband of Margaret Agnes (McConnell) Simpson, formerly Mrs Philip Fleetford Sise of Montreal, who he married in June 1942 in London.
Killed in Action on 6 July 1944 and buried in Imphal War Cemetery, India.
Also named on the Merchiston Castle School memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 11:32 am Post subject:

F/SGT. W. D. SMAIL, R.A.F.
William Derek Smail – age 20 – Flight Sergeant (578230) 354 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Derek passed an open examination for entry as an aircraft apprentice in the RAF. He joined 354 Squadron which was a general reconnaissance squadron, first formed at Karachi in May 1943 as part of Coastal Command. The squadron, flying Liberator bombers, redeployed to Ceylon in October 1944. Derek's aircraft took off from Kankesanturai in the north of the island for a search operation but failed to return. Wreckage seen by other aircraft from the squadron but no signs of life.
Born 1924 in Moffat as William Derek Smail. Grandson of John and Jane Thorburn Smail and nephew of Isabella Munro Smail of Moffat.
Missing in Action/Lost at Sea on 4 December 1944 and named on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore.
Also named on the Moffat Academy memorial as Derek Smail.

PTE. D. L. STEWART, SEAFORTHS.
Thought to be – but link to Moffat is not known.
Donald Lennox Stewart – age 19 – Private (14412012) 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.
Born 1925 at Hillside, Umtali, Southern Rhodesia. Son of Captain James Lennox Stewart, DSO, MC and Bar, and of Florence Evelyn Stewart of Venlaw, Peebles.
Killed in Action on 11 July 1944 and buried in Ryes War Cemetery, Bazenville, Calvados, France.
On 11 July the 7th Seaforths were part of the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division during Operation Jupiter, an offensive to clear Hill 112 to the south west of Caen.

Donald's father,James Lennox Stewart, trained at Guy's Hospital in London and graduated M.B. & B.S. London in 1912. He was commissioned in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 15 August 1914 and was attached to the 1st Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders. He was awarded a Military Cross on two occasions and a Distinguished Service Order. (Source: London Gazette 18/8/1914 p.6580)

London Gazette 16/5/1916 p.4928 MC - Citation
Temp. Capt. James Lennox Stewart, M.B., R.A.M.C. (attd. 1st Bn., Gord. Highrs.). For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on several occasions when tending the wounded under heavy fire. On one occasion he rallied men and set a splendid example of coolness and bravery.

London Gazette 17/7/1917 p.7217 Bar to MC - Citation
Temp. Capt. James Lennox Stewart, M.C., M.B , R.A.M.C., attd. Gord. Highrs. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He behaved with the utmost gallantry in removing the .wounded under shell fire. He continued to work in the open exposed to severe shell and machine gun fire until every wounded man had been brought in.

London Gazette 23/7/1918 p.8750 DSO - Citation
T./Capt. James Lennox Stewart, M.C., M.B., R.A.M.C. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Although his aid post was in the open, a few yards behind the front line, he remained there, caring for the wounded, and through his efforts they were all dressed and evacuated. He was the only Medical Officer of the Brigade left.
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Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 1:39 pm Post subject:

Named on the Moffat Academy Memorial and buried in Moffat Cemetery but not named on the Moffat War Memorial.

Walter Rutherford Thomson – age 26 – Flying Officer (49416) Royal Air Force.
Walter was commissioned from Corporal (569171) to Pilot Officer in October 1941 and promoted to F/O in January 1943. He died in Tor-na-Dee Sanatorium, Milltimber, West Peterculter, Aberdeenshire after an operation (Thoracoplasty) in the treatment of his pulmonary tuberculosis.
Born 1920 in Moffat. Son of the late Walter Rutherford Thomson and of Mary Campbell (Johnstone) Thomson of Moffat. Husband of Jean Gordon (Murray) Thomson of Creighton Grove, East Kilbride, Lanarkshire who he married in 1944 in Cambridge.
Died on 18 June 1946 and buried in Moffat Cemetery. (CWG)
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Ken