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Three O'Donnell brothers on Edrom WM but why?

 
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Kenneth Morrison



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 7749
Location: Rockcliffe Dalbeattie

PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:40 pm    Post subject: Three O'Donnell brothers on Edrom WM but why? Reply with quote

Three brothers are listed on the Edrom Parish War Memorial in east-central Berwickshire, near Duns, but I cannot find any obvious connection to the area.

SERGt. NIEL O' DONNELL, DURm. L.I.
PRIVATE THOMAS O' DONNELL, S.AFn. SCOT.
PRIVATE WILLIAM O' DONNELL, S.AFn. SCOT.


They were the sons of Peter and Catherine (Dickson) O'Donnell of Craighton Farm, Winchburgh, Linlithgowshire,

Neil O'Donnell, Military Medal, Lance Corporal (25940) 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.
Neil was born in 1884 at Easter Kinleith Farm in Currie, Mid Lothian as Cornelious O'Donnell and he was the husband of Margaret Clarkson (Whigham) O'Donnell of Auld Cathie, Winchburgh, West Lothian who he married in 1913 in Livingston as Neil Dickson O'Donnell.
He was a reservist and as Private (4575) 15th (The King's) Hussars he landed with his squadron at Rouen in August 1914. He was transferred to the Durham Light Infantry in 1915 and was awarded a M.M. for his actions in February 1917.
He was killed on 22 May 1917 and is buried in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery, France.
He is named on the Winchburgh War Memorial as L/CPL. Neil O'Donnell.

Thomas Donald, Private (X/804) 4th Regiment (South African Scottish) South African Infantry.
Thomas O'Donnell was born in 1880 in Bathgate, West Lothian and he enlisted as Private (5143) in the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) in November 1900. He served in South Africa from December 1901 until February 1903 when he bought his discharge from the army for £18, and he seems to have settled in South Africa as he married Annie Dingwall Donald of Beresford Buildings, Johannesburg. He was using the family name Donald when he enlisted as a Sapper and Fitter in the Miscellaneous Trades Company in June 1917 and was transferred to the 4th Regiment in July 1918.
He was killed on 8 October 1918 and is buried in Beaurevoir British Cemetery, France.

William Donald, Private (9178) 4th Regiment (South African Scottish) South African Infantry.
William Mannas O'Donnell was born in 1893 in Riccarton, Linlithgow, West Lothian and like Thomas he used the family name of Donald when he enlisted. He sailed from Cape Town to join his regiment in Rouen in August 1916. He was killed near Fampoux on 12 April 1917 and is named on the Arras Memorial.


I assume that the “South Africans” didn't make it onto the Winchburgh memorial because of the name issue but why are they on the Edrom memorial?
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Merseman



Joined: 07 Aug 2013
Posts: 339
Location: Duns, Berwickshire

PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 12:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This was asked back in 2018 when I noted:

Merseman wrote:

They appear to have been 3 relations and presumably brothers. In the "Roll of Honour" printed in the Berwickshire News in May and again in July 1919, they feature as: Sergeant Neil (DLI), Private AW (South African Contingent) and Private T (South African Contingent) O'Donnell; all from Kimmerghame Mains Farm by Edrom. They appear to have had connections to Winchburgh.


Searching in British Newspaper Archive there was a Neil O'Donnell who enlisted at Galashiels in June 1915.
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