The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison

I have been working my way (slowly) through the list of WW1 names on the North Berwick War Memorial and have six left to identify:

W.S. GILBERT. SIG

T. GRAY. PTE

J. McLAREN, GR

J. MAVIN, GR

R. THOMSON, GR

J. YATES, LT - now found !

I should point out that the rank GR is used a lot on the memorial and has been transcribed as Gunner but many of the men listed this way were in fact Infantry.

I'd be happy for any help in identifying these men.
Cheers
_________________
Ken

David McNay · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2022 11:38 am Post subject:

Daily Record, Saturday 6 April 1918:

"Mrs Yates, 20 Balfour Street, North Berwick, has been notified that her husband, Lieut. John Carrington Yates, RFA, has been killed in action."

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2022 3:51 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much for that David.
I have now been able to track him down as:

John Carrington Yates – age 27 – Lieutenant 160th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
John was a seed merchant in Didsbury, Lancashire when he enlisted as Private (775) in the Territorial Cheshire Yeomanry in November 1912 and was a corporal with the 2/1st regiment in August 1914. He was discharged as no longer fit for war service in April 1915 after he had broken his leg in a motor cycle accident. However he obtained a commission in the East Lancashire Brigade of the RFA in December 1915 and went to France in January 1917. He was promoted in July 1917.
Born 1891 in Didsbury, Chorlton, Lancashire. Son of the late William George Yates (died 1891) and of Lizzie Carrington (Smith) Yates of Belfield Road, Didsbury. Husband of Elizabeth Anderson (Bertram) Yates of 20 Balfour Street, North Berwick who he married in 1916 in Portobello, Edinburgh.
Missing in Action on 21 March 1918 and named on the Arras Memorial, France.
Also named on the Didsbury War Memorial.
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Ken