The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

William Alexander Polson, KIA, 30/08/1917.

I have been researching my local war memorial here in Otley, West Yorkshire for several years.
I spent months trawling the local newspaper from 1914-1922 and had a very good success rate with regards to finding articles and photographs for the soldiers who are on the memorial.
However, I have one soldier who is not mentioned at all, no article or photograph etc. I suspect that he may not have had very strong ties with Otley.
I would be very grateful if anyone could help me try and locate a newspaper article/Photograph/ general information of William, so that he might be commemorated in a book (not for profit) that I am hoping to publish in the future

POLSON, William Alexander, b.Glasgow, e. Edinburgh, 96659, GUNNER, Killed in action, France & Flanders, 30/08/1917, Royal Field Artillery.

Son of Donald and Mary Polson, of 51, Young St., Glasgow; husband of Mary Eleanor Polson, of 51, Danefield Terrace, Otley, Yorks.

What I know about William,
He was born circa-1896 in Glasgow to the above parents (i don’t have access to the Scottish census)
He was serving with “D” Battery, 150th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
His MIC shows that he first entered theatre in the Balkans in October 1915.

Here is his entry as it appears on page 205 of the book Roll of Honour of the citizens of Glasgow who died in the Great War 1914-18

Polson William A. Corporal Royal Field Artillery 51 Young Street Gallowgate

I am hoping that one of the forum members might have William on one of their already researched memorials, or more importantly someone might be able to suggest which local newspapers would need to be searched in order to try and find a photograph/article.
I have had the following newspapers suggested to me on another forum,

Evening Times (Checked by Spoons, nothing found) (Sept - Dec 1917)

Daily Record (Sept - Dec 1917 nothing found)

Glasgow Record.

Evening Citizen (Sept Only)

The Scotsman (Checked by Spoons, nothing found)

Obviously I have no easy way of accessing the archives of these newspapers, or any real knowledge of the exact areas these covered.
If someone would like to help me have this soldier better commemorated, then I would greatly appreciate any offer of help or advice,

Kind regards,

Pete.

Keptie · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject: Soldier from Scotland

Hi Pete

have you emailed the MITCHELL LIBRARY in Glasgow to see what they have on him and may have a look at the newspapers around that date area for a casualty report in their papers ?

What's in the newspapers for the Otley area as he was resident in that town in the former West Riding ?

best wishes

patrick w anderson

David McNay · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject:

The City of Glasgow Roll of Honour has the following entry:

POLSON, William A. Corporal. Royal Field Artillery. Address: 51 Young Street, Gallowgate.

Clearly his parents have provided his name for the roll and given their address - this is fairly common for this Roll.

The index to the Evening Times should be viewable online but for some reason is asking me for a usder ID and password so I can't access it. I have saved down an earlier version and there are no entries for POLSON - it is an earlier version I have so it may be they have since located an entry.

Myself and John Houston are in the process of indexing the Daily Record but we are by no means complete so at the moment checking of that would be rather pointless.

spoons · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 9:45 pm Post subject:

Not listed in the Evening Times Roll of Honour, no obituary published in The Scotsman.

Little info on the Scottish National War Memorial...........

Surname POLSON
Firstname William Alex
Service Number 96659
Date Death 30/08/1917
Decoration
Place of birth Glasgow
Other
SNWM roll ROYAL HORSE AND ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
Rank Gnr
Theatre of death

\Paul

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 1:40 pm Post subject:

From FreeBMD - A William A Polson Married Mary Eleanor Nelson at Newcastle upon Tyne during the September Quarter 1917.
If this is the same man then this would have been a very short marriage.
_________________
Ken

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 4:36 pm Post subject:

William Alexander Poulson was born in 1896 in the Calton District of Glasgow. He was the son of Donald A. Polson and of Elizabeth McGinnigal who had married in 1894 in Dennistoun, Glasgow.
In 1911 he was living with his family at 51 Young Street, Calton, Glasgow.
Donald A Polson 42 Railway Shunter - Born Edinburgh
Elizabeth 40 - born Glasgow
Mary 11 - born Glasgow
William - 15 Plasterer, House, - born Glasgow
_________________
Ken

dhubthaigh · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:07 pm Post subject:

Possibly a child born of the union - Richard D. Polson bn. Wharfedale, Yorkshire, Jul-Aug-Sep 1917 (Mother's maiden name - Nelson).

Note:
Mary Eleanor Nelson's father was called Richard.
Mary Eleanor was born in Knaresborough, Yorks. A Richard D. Polson (son) died in Knaresborough in 1936 aged 18.
Mary E. Polson died in Bradford in 1967 aged 76

In summary; William and Mary have formed a relationship from which she has fallen pregnant with a son, Richard D. William has done the decent thing and married Mary, a local girl. After the war there is no doubt that Mary has forwarded William's name for inclusion on the war memorial.
Unsure whether William may have moved to the area and had been carrying out his trade as a plasterer or had been billeted in the area for a time when they met

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 5:33 pm Post subject:

Pete - can you send me a Personal Message with your e-mail address?
I've tried to send a PM to you but it don't work - don't ask me why not Confused

_________________
Ken

Gunner R.A. · Joined: 23 Oct 2011 Posts: 13 Location: West Yorkshire