The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 11:18 am Post subject:

SERGT. WELLWOOD M. JOHNSTON, K.O.S.B.
KILLED AT DARDANELLES, 12th JULY 1915. AGED 25.
Wellwood Maxwell Johnston – age 25 – Sergeant (4020) 1/4th Battalion (Border) King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Wellwood was a former pupil of the Dalbeattie Higher Grade Public School. He was a forester, employed by the Earl of Home at Preston when he joined the Territorial 4th KOSB in April 1908. He was mobilised in August 1914, promoted to Sergeant in April 1915 and landed with his battalion at Gallipoli in June 1915 but he was killed a month later during the battle at Achi Baba Nullah..
Born 1890 at Harbridge, Ringwood, Hampshire. Son of Robert and Mary Agnes (McKnight) Johnston of Angus Cottage, Preston and of The Crooks, Coldstream, Berwickshire who had married in 1887 in Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Missing in Action on 12 July 1915 and named on the Helles Memorial, Galipoli, Turkey.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial, on the Duns Parish Church memorial and on the Coldstream and Dalbeattie War Memorials.

and his brother

SERGT. WILLIAM JOHNSTON, COLDSTREAM GDS.
KILLED IN FRANCE, 9th OCT. 1917. AGED 25.
William Johnston – age 25 – Lance Sergeant (16242) 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
William was serving with the Metropolitan Police when he enlisted at Shepherds Bush, London.
Born 1892 at Harbridge, Ringwood, Hampshire. Son of Robert and Mary Agnes (McKnight) Johnston of Angus Cottage, Preston and of The Crooks, Coldstream, Berwickshire who had married in 1887 at Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Missing in Action on 9 October 1917 and named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial, on the Duns Parish Church memorial and on the Coldstream and Dalbeattie War Memorials.

PTE. ROBERT LEITHEAD, K.O.S.B.
KILLED IN FRANCE, 4th OCT. 1917. AGED 32.
Robert Leithead – age 35 – Private (40096) 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Robert had been educated at the Berwickshire High School in Duns and he lived with his sisters at Cumledge Mills. He was a draper in Duns when he enlisted in February 1915 and he joined his battalion in the summer of 1916.
Born 1882 in Duns. Son of the late Richard Leithead (died 1901) and of the late Margaret (Frier) Leithead (died 1913)
Missing in Action on 4 October 1917 and named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial and on the Berwickshire High School memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed May 26, 2021 11:40 am Post subject:

PTE. CHARLES MURRAY, CANADIANS
DIED IN TORONTO 17th JAN. 1918. AGED 25.
See also earlier post above on page 1
Charles Murray – age 25 – Private (1233) 4th Battalion, Canadian Infantry.
Charles was employed at Cumledge Mill before he emigrated to Canada in 1913. He was working as a cement finisher when he enlisted in the 2nd Railhead Supply Detachment of the Canadian Army Service Corps in Toronto in December 1914. He sailed with his unit from Halifax, Nova Scotia in April 1915 and was posted to 358th Company in France in November. He transferred to the 4th Battalion in August 1916 but he was badly wounded and captured near Courcelette in September. He was treated at a German field hospital but had to have a further amputation in Coblenz before he was repatriated in a prisoner exchange to Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Ramsgate in December 1916. Charles returned to Canada in May 1917 but, while attending the Military Orthopaedic Hospital in Davisville, Toronto, he contracted pneumonia and died.
Born 1892 in Wilton, Hawick, Roxburghshire. Son of the late John and Janet Murray. Brother of William Murray of Cumledge Mill, Duns, Berwickshire
Died on 17 January 1918 and buried in Toronto (Prospect) Cemetery, Canada. (CWG)
Also named on the Hawick Burgh Roll of Honour.

PTE. HENRY SIMPSON, H.L.I.
KILLED IN FRANCE, 27th SEP. 1918. AGED 19.
Henry Simpson – age 19 – Private (55205) 1/7th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.
Henry was employed at Cumledge Mill when he enlisted in February 1916. He was posted to the 2nd HLI in France in February 1917 and attached to the 5th Machine Gun Company, but he was evacuated home a month later suffering from gas poisoning. He returned to France in May 1918.
Born 1899 in Duns, Berwickshire. Son of John and Esther (Hay) Simpson of Cumledge Mills, Duns.
Killed in Action on 27 September 1918 and buried in Moeuvres British Cemetery, France.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial and on the Boston United Free Church memorial in Duns.
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Ken