The Scottish War Memorials Project

birkettm · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 3

Apologies for the darkness of these photos of the War Memorial in Kelton Church.

spoons · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:12 am Post subject:

Great posting - I have suspected that there was a memorial in this church but had not managed to get there when it would be open.
This memorial is not listed on UKNIWM.
I presume that this is the church at OS Map Ref: NX 759 603 - if not, please let us know.
Does anyone know if there is a WW2 memorial for Kelton? Perhaps a plaque or framed roll of honour?

spoons · Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject:

The church in question is Kelton church Rhonehouse at OS Map Ref NX 759 603. There are no other memorials inside the church and the WW2 casualties are listed on the Rhonehouse WW2 memorial in Rhonehouse village hall.

A photo of Kelton church.

DerekR · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:03 pm Post subject:

Name: MARSHALL, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Unit Text: 17th Bn.
Age: 37
Date of Death: 09/10/1917
Service No: 4157
Additional information: Son of John and Mary Jane Burns Marshall, of Rhone House, Kelton, Castle Douglas, Scotland.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31.
Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
_________________
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Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:43 am Post subject:

Kelton Parish covers most of the town of Castle Douglas as well as areas to the west of the town including the villages of Gelston and Rhonehouse.
Many of the men listed here are also listed on the various Castle Douglas Church memorials (M. Phillips, for example, is on the St. Ninian's Episcopal Church Memorial) so this might be a "civic" or parish memorial rather than a "church" memorial.

QUINTIN BONE, CPT. Royal Lancaster Regt. 19/9/1918 Gelston WM
E. BOULTON, PTE. 1/5th KOSB 21/11/1915 Rhonehouse WM
DAVID CALLANDER, PTE. 1/7th Royal Scots 24/11/1917 Auchencairn WM
JOSEPH CAVEN, L/CPL. 7th/8th KOSB 23/7/1918 Castle Douglas WM
JOHN DALRYMPLE, PTE. US Infantry 28/9/1918 Gelston WM
JOSEPH EDGAR, PTE. 1/5th RSF 11/5/1917 Rhonehouse WM
ROBERT EDGAR, L/CPL. 7th Camerons 9/4/1917 Rhonehouse WM
ROBERT EDGAR, PTE. 1st KOSB 1/7/1916 Rhonehouse WM
MALCOLM FERGUSON, PTE. 2nd KOSB 25/8/1918 Castle Douglas WM
WILLIAM GORDON, PTE. MGC attached Imperial Camel Corps 27/11/1917 Gelston WM
WILLIAM IRELAND, PTE. 7th/8th KOSB 23/7/1918 Castle Douglas WM
ROBERT JAMIESON, PTE. 13th Royal Scots 28/3/1918 Castle Douglas WM
FREDERICK LAURIE JOHNSTONE, CPT. King's Royal Rifles 29/8/1916 Gelston and Crossmichael WMs
HAMILTON LINDSAY, Gordon Highlanders 4/11/1918 Gelston WM
DAVID McDILL, PTE. Canadians 11/12/1915 Rhonehouse WM
JAMES McGAW, PTE. Cameron Highlanders 26/9/1915 Gelston and Borgue WMs
ROBERT McQUEEN, PTE. 7th/8th KOSB 19/8/1917 Castle Douglas WM
JAMES McVEE, PTE. 1/5th KOSB 12/7/1915 Gelston WM
WILLIAM McVINNIE, PTE. 1/6th Black Watch 6/4/1917 Rhonehouse WM
ADAM McWILLIAM, CPL. 6th KOSB 13/10/1917 Gelston WM
JAMES McWILLIAM, PTE. 1/5th KOSB 29/7/1918 Gelston WM
WILLIAM MARSHALL, PTE. Australians 9/10/1917 Rhonehouse WM
ARCHIBALD MOFFATT, Lt. Col. 2nd Border Regiment 16/5/1915 Parton WM
WILLIAM MURRAY, PTE. 1/9th HLI 27/9/1917 Castle Douglas WM
ALEXANDER NICHOLSON, PTE. 11th Royal Scots 9/4/1917 Rhonehouse WM
THOMAS NICHOLSON, L/CPL. 6th KOSB 25/9/1915 Rhonehouse WM
MAURICE PHILLIPS, CPT. 31 Battery, RFA 21/5/1915 Rhonehouse WM
ALEXANDER RAE, PTE. KOSB 6/5/1918 Buittle and Gelston WMs
WILLIAM McCOSKRY RAE, PTE. RSF 14/12/1918 Rhonehouse WM
JOHN HENRY RITCHIE, L/CPL. Canadians 22/7/1917 Gelston WM
HUGH SMITH, Driver. 381 Battery, RFA 18/11/1917 Castle Douglas WM
JAMES TURNBULL, PTE. 1/5th KOSB 12/7/1915 Gelston WM
ROBERT WATSON, PTE. 15th HLI 15/7/1917 Castle Douglas

Possibly JOHN WILSON on Crossmichael WM
See post below
ALEXANDER YOUNG, Stoker 1st Class, R.N. 31/5/1916 Borgue WM
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 2:28 pm Post subject:

ARCHIBALD SHIRVING WOOLERY MOFFATT
Lieutenant Colonel, 1st Bn. attached to 2nd Bn. Border Regiment.
Age: 47. Date of Death: 16/5/1915. Le Touret Memorial.
Son of the late James Moffatt of Ken Ervie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Husband of Marjorie Moffat.

The Stewartry RoH has him as of Lochbank, Castle Douglas.
Commissioned in the Border Regiment 1889. Pre-war service in India (Waziri campaign) Burma and South Africa and awarded DSO
Killed at Festubert.
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:17 am Post subject:

The John Wilson mentioned above is indeed the man on Crossmichael WM.

He is Sergeant John Wilson (34798) 8th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. Age 27. He was killed on 9 April 1917 and is buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, Ypres, Belgium.
Son of John and Agnes Wilson of Crossmichael and husband of Isabel Wilson of Rhonehouse.
Both he and his brother, James, worked for Glasgow Corporation Tramways and enlisted together in September 1914 in the 15th HLI.

James later transferred to the 9th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Lance Sergeant James Wison (30354) Military Medal, was killed on 3 May 1917 and is listed on the Arras Memorial.

Both brothers are listed on the two civic memorials and the Church Roll of Honour in Crossmichael but don't seem to be on the 15th HLI Memorial in the Transport Museum, Glasgow.
_________________
Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:25 am Post subject:

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:39 am Post subject:

Adam - I think you are right, although on the "header" of the Memorial it reads:
Also of those members of the battalion who died while serving with other units.
But you can read that in a couple of ways.
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 4:08 pm Post subject:

The Dumfries & Galloway Standard of 21 June 1922 reports:
KELTON CHURCH MEMORIAL

Tablet Unveiled by Dr. Welsh.

The war memorial erected by the congregation of Kelton Parish Church was unveiled on Sunday by Dr. Welsh, Castle Douglas....
The service was conducted by the Rev. D. M. Henry, minister of the parish....
The memorial is a mural tablet of Sicilian marble on a heavy black and gold marble background. The top piece is carved and moulded to an excellent design and at the sides are dark green marble columns. The bottom part is a plain slab also of Sicilian marble, and bearing the names of the fallen. The work was carried out by Messrs. R. and J. Little, monumental masons, Castle Douglas.....
Dr. Welsh said..... in grateful and affectionate memory of the men of this parish who gave their lives in the Great War, this memorial is now unveiled.....
_________________
Ken