The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:33 am Post subject:

PTE. J. P. PURVES, R.SCOTS 1917
John Burns Purves – age 24 – Private (203267) 1st Garrison Battalion, Royal Scots.
John was a ploughman at Kelloe Mains, Edrom, Berwickshire when he enlisted as Private (8222) in the 3/4th King's Own Scottish Borderers in November 1915. He joined the 1/4th KOSB in Egypt in January 1917 but he contracted diphtheria and was admitted to hospital in May. After he had recovered he was transferred to the Royal Scots in June 1918 and he sailed to join his battalion on Cyprus but he was drowned when the S.S. Kosseir was torpedoed and sunk north of Alexandria by the German submarine UB 51.
Born 1894 in Cranshaws, Berwickshire. Son of the late Agnes (Burns) Purves (died 1906) and of James Purves of Auchencrow Mains, and of Heughhead, Reston.
Killed by enemy action/Lost at Sea on 20 July 1918 and named on the Doiran Memorial, Greece.
Also named on the Reston United Free Church memorial as John Purves, 3/4th KOSB of Haughhead.

GUNNER ADAM SHEARLAW, R.F.A. 1917
Adam Shearlaw – age 33 – Gunner (109242) “B” Battery, 107th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.
In 1901 Adam was a ploughman in Whittinghame. East Lothian. He enlisted in November 1915.
Born 1884 in Coldingham. Son of the late George Shearlaw of Paxton, Hutton, Berwickshire (died 1915) and of Janet (Johnston) Shearlaw of Greenhead Farm, Reston, Houndwood and of Lumsden, Coldingham.
Husband of the late Helen or Nellie (Tait) Shearlaw (died 1914) of Cheeklaw, Duns who he married in 1909 in Garvald, Haddingtn, East Lothian.
Died of Wounds on 16 April 1917 and buried in Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial on the Duns Parish Church memorial.

and his brother

L/CPL. GEO. SHEARLAW, M.G.C. 1918
George Shearlaw – age 24 – Private (124805) 50th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.
George enlisted as Private (5684) in the Gordon Highlanders and was posted to the MGC in France. He was made a prisoner of war in May 1918 but he died two months later and was buried in St Michel Communal Cemetery German Military Extension, Aisne. George was re-interred in 1924.
Born 1894 in Whittingehame, Haddington, East Lothian. Son of the late George Shearlaw of Paxton, Hutton, Berwickshire (died 1915) and of Janet (Johnston) Shearlaw of Greenhead Farm, Reston, Houndwood and of Lumsden, Coldingham.
Died on Service on 26 August 1918 and buried in Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery, France.
Also named on the Reston United Free Church memorial.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:38 am Post subject:

L/CPL. J.T. STIRLING, R.SCOTS 1918
John Turner Stirling – age 20 – Lance Corporal (376161) 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Scots.
John was living in Grantshouse when he enlisted.
Born 1897 in Drem, Athelstaneford, East Lothian. Son of Crawford Leslie Stirling and of Elizabeth Laurie (Turner) Stirling of Samuelston Mains, Pencaitland, Edinburgh.
Killed in Action on 11 August 1918 and buried in Bouchoir New British Cemetery, France.
Also named on the Grantshouse United Free Church Roll of Honour.

CAPt. S. STIRLING-COOKSON, R.S.F 1915
Samuel Baillie Stirling-Cookson – age 23 – Captain, 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Samuel was a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College when he was commissioned in the RSF in March 1911. He was promoted to Lieutenant in January 1912 and to Captain in November 1914. His battalion was based at Gosport in Hampshire at the outbreak of war and they landed at Le Havre on 14 August 1914,
Born 1891 in Grantshouse, Berwickshire. Son of the late Mary Eleanor (Stirling) Stirling-Cookson (died 1898) and of Charles Lisle Stirling-Cookson of Renton House and Houndwood. Step-son of Mary Elizabeth Milliken Napier who married Charles in 1902 in Edinburgh.
Killed in Action on 17 May 1915 and buried in Dickebusch New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Also named on the Houndwood Parish Church Roll of Honour and on an individual memorial there.

PTE. AND. C. SWAN, K.O.S.B. 1915
Andrew Campbell Swan – age 19 – Private (7376) 1/4th (Border) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Andrew was an apprentice tailor with his father when he enlisted in November 1914. He landed with his battalion at Gallipoli in June 1915 but he was fatally wounded a month later during the battle at Achi Baba Nullah and he died on the Hospital Ship “Asturias”.
Born 1896 in Reston Village, Coldingham. Son of Walter Johnston Swan and of Mary (Rose) Swan of Reston, Coldingham.
Died of Wounds on 13 July 1915 and buried in Lancashire Landing Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey.
Also named on the Houndwood Parish Church Roll of Honour.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:42 am Post subject:

PTE. Wm. WALLACE, GORDONS 1914
William Wallace – age 31 – Private (8645) 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.
William was serving with the 1st Gordons in Plymouth when war was declared and they landed at Boulogne in mid-August 1914.
Born 1882 in Oldhamstocks, East Lothian. Son of Laurence and Margaret (Gibson) Wallace of Loanside, Reston, Coldingham.
Missing in Action on 24 November 1914 and named on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, France.
Also named on the Houndwood Parish Church Roll of Honour

2ND, LIEUT. W. WIGHT, R.SCOTS 1917
William Stewart Balmain Wight – age 19 – Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion attached to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots.
William was educated at Dunbar High School before studying at the East of Scotland Agriculture College in Edinburgh. He joined the Edinburgh University Officer Training Corps in October 1915 and was commissioned from there in January 1916.
Born 1897 in Grantshouse, Berwickshire. Son of James and Jane Elizabeth (Burnside) Wight of Greenwood Farm, Grantshouse.
Killed in Action on 9 April 1917 and buried in Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines, France.
Also named on the Houndwood Parish Church Roll of Honour and on the Edinburgh University Roll of the Fallen.

PTE. JOHN WOOD, H.L.I. 1918
John Wood – age 23 – Private (31892) 10th/11th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.
Born 1894 in Coldingham. Son of Thomas Wood and of Jane Dunlop Gibson (Dickson) Wood of Sunnyside Farm, Coldingham and of Warlawbank, Reston, Coldingham.
Missing in Action on 9 April 1918 and named on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.
Also named on the Houndwood Parish Church Roll of Honour

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:49 am Post subject:

1939 – 1945

F/SGT. R. AITCHISON, R.A.F.
Robert Aitchison – age 23 – Sergeant (1824340) 102 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Robert had enlisted in August 1943 and had completed his training a year later. He was the Flight Engineer on his Halifax bomber which had taken off from RAF Pocklington in Yorkshire on a training flight, tasked with disposing of bombs in the North Sea but the aircraft failed to return.
Born 1921 in Hutton, Berwickshire. Son of John and Jane Aitchison of Ferneycastle, Reston, Coldingham.
Missing in Action on 17 September 1944 and named on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
Also named on the Reston United Free Church memorial.

PTE. Wm. COWE, H.L.I.
William Cowe – age 24 – Private (3059398) 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
William worked on a farm before he enlisted in 1939. The 10th HLI landed in Normandy on the 18 June 1944 and took part in Operation Epsom, engaging in heavy fighting around Cheux.
Born 1919 in Coldingham. Son of William Cowe and the late Isabella (Armstrong) Cowe (died 1943) of Ryslaw, Duns, Berwickshire. Husband of Euphemia Denholm (Blair) Cowe, of Red Row. Aberlady, East Lothian who he married in 1942 in Aberlady.
Killed in Action on 27 June 1944 and buried in St. Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux, France.
Also named on the Reston United Free Church memorial.

L/AC. R, DODDS, R.A.F.
Richard Dodds – age 29 – Aircraftman 1st Class (1096473) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Richard was educated at Berwickshire High School in Duns before becoming a carpenter in Reston, Coldingham and he was employed at the Tweed Saw Mills in Tweedmouth, Northumberland when he enlisted. Richard was accidentally drowned.
Born 1912 in North Berwick, Dirleton, East Lothian. Son of Richard and Margaret Hope (Paterson) Dodds of Reston. Husband of Helen Fulton (Dudgeon) Dodds of Tweed Street, Berwick-on-Tweed who he married in 1937 in Tweedmouth.
Died on Active Service on 26 May 1942 and named on the Singapore Memorial, Singapore.
Also named on the Reston United Free Church memorial and on the Berwickshire High School memorial.

CPL. Wm. J. WATSON, R.A.F.
William John Watson – age 29 – Corporal (1017861) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
William was educated at Berwickshire High School in Duns and was a porter at Reston Railway Station when he enlisted. He was drowned when his RAF lorry fell into the Imperial Dock at Leith during the black-out.
Born 1914 in Reston, Coldingham. Son of William and Helen (Dickson) Watson of Coveyheugh, Reston. Husband of Margaret Henderson (Mitchell) Watson of Coldland Cottage, Braehead, Reston and of Ford, Midlothian who he married in 1940 in Edinburgh.
Died on Active Service on 11 January 1943 and buried in Houndwood Churchyard. (CWG)
Also named on the Berwickshire High School memorial.
_________________
Ken