The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:40 am Post subject: John Craig A&SH

Looking for some help please with a man listed on the Kirkcowan WM, Wigtownshire (near Newton Stewart) as SGT. JOHN CRAIG A&SH.
I'm pretty sure that he is John Craig, Private (9704) 2nd Bn. A&SH. died 4 July 1915 and buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France.
SDGW has born Stirling, resident Kirkcowan, enlisted Stirling, so I suspect that he was a reservist and formerly a Sergeant who returned to his Battalion but had to serve as a Private.
A local newspaper of 10 July reporting his death from wounds at the No.8 CCS (which was at Bailleul) states that he was "very popular in the Kirkcowan area" but there are no details of his employment, his age, etc.
There are lots of "possibles" on Death Returns, Service files, etc.
Any ideas on identifying this man would be welcome.
Cheers.
_________________
Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:06 am Post subject:

I can't help with this specific case but on my local memorial there is a man listed as a sergeant who held that rank in the Boer War but was a private when he died during the First World War.

Thanks

Adam

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

Ken

The memorial might simply be wrong.
You could get hold of Pte. Craig's will dated October 1914. It may give details of NOK, etc. There is a cost involved.
_________________
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: Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys, but don't tell a man born in Aberdeenshire that there's a cost involved!
_________________
Ken

FionaGaskell · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 43 Location: Cardiff

I had a look at the 1911 census on ScotlandsPeople. Only 1 John Craig listed for Kirkcowan (14 for Wigtown overall). Unfortunately he's 54. Haven't checked the details. Found probably the same one on Ancestry for 1901 - he's a Farm Manager, born Dalrymple, Ayrshire so not necessarily the one you are after.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:40 am Post subject:

Thanks for looking Fiona. It is the same man on both census. Both he and his wife, Janet, were born in Ayrshire and their children, Hugh 9, Adam 7 and Sarah 1, were too young to serve in the war.
I'm afraid the name Craig is just too common; and although SDGW shows born Stirling does that mean the town or St.Ninians or where ever?
His death was only reported in one of the local newspapers and was as "vague" as I have indicated.
Cheers
_________________
Ken