The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

jock297 · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:15 am Post subject: borgue

hello there people this is my first proper post and i was wondering if anyone might be able to help .
i'm in the midst of tracing some of my family background.
my great grandfather was robert brydson a l/cpl with the 2nd battalion gordon highlanders i know that he died and was buried at hazebrouk comunal cemetery in france on the 2nd nov 1914.
my problem is that i have no D.O.B. all i know is that he and his brothers came from the dumfries galloway region after looking on the site i found a l/cpl robert brydson on the memorial at borgue and wondered if this is the same man and hope that someone might be able confirm this for me.
with regards james[the new guy]

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 274 Location: nr Nottingham

Hello James,

A very warm welcome to the forum. I think we will be able to help regards your great grandfather.

9848 L/Cpl Robert Brydson and the man commemorated on Borgue War Memorial are definitely one and the same - no other person of that name from this area was killed in WW1. I do have other information to confirm this and hope to post it later this morning when I have pulled it from my files.

Can I ask, do you have any WW1 photographs of your great grandfather or his brothers? Also, what were the names of his brothers?

Cheers,

Stuart
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

spoons · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:33 am Post subject:

There is only one Roberty Brydson listed on CWGC and SNWM so he must be your man.

This from SNWM

Surname BRYDSON
Firstname Robert
Service Number 9848
Date Death 02/11/1914
Decoration
Place of birth Tynholm Kirkcudbright
Other 2nd Bn.
SNWM roll THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS
Rank L/Cpl
Theatre of death F.& F.

Twynholm (note spelling) is the next parish over to Borgue (it's where David Coulthard comes from). He is not listed on the Twynholm memorial. I did not notice any Brydson gravestones mentioning men who died in the war in Borgue churchyard but I will keep an eye out when I get around to photografing the gravestones in Twynholm.

Let me know if you would like me to look up anything on Ancestry for you; medal index card, entry in 1901 census with approximate age etc.

(edit - trust Stuart to get his post in while I was writing mine Laughing

- don't all fall over yourselves in the rush to help chaps)

\Paul

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 274 Location: nr Nottingham

Robert Brydson
b. 1886, Tongland, Kirkcudbright. Son of Margaret Brydson. Brother of Joseph and William.
Birth certificate can be downloaded from ScotlandsPeople (pay-per-view site)

1891 census: Risk, Borgue
All brothers entered as 'Stepsons'

William Marshall 54 Farm Labourer
Margaret Marshall 31
Joseph Brydson 9
Robert Brydson 4
William Brydson 2

1901 census: living away from home at Barlocco, Borgue
Robert Brydson 14 Farm Servant (Carter)

Both censuses state Tongland as birthplace. The original census forms can be downloaded from ScotlandsPeople.

Luckily, Robert's service file has survived. It isn't in great condition but is certainly packed with enough dates etc. to be able to put together a reasonable service history.

4th October 1905: Attested at Dumfries for 9 years with the Colours/3 years in Reserve as Private 9848 with the Gordon Highlanders. Height: 5 ft 7.5 in; Chest: 34 in, 3 in expansion
6th October 1905: Posted to Depot
19th October 1905: 3rd Class Certificate of Education
20th December 1905: 2nd Class Certificate of Education
10th Feb 1906: Posted to 1st Bn.
2nd December 1908: Appointed Lance Corporal
18th March 1909: 1st Good Conduct badge
August 1910: Examined and found fit for service in India
21st September 1910: Posted to 2nd Bn. as Private
12th October 1910: Landed in India aboard H.T. Dongola
14th October 1910: Joined 2nd Bn.
Abt 24th Oct 1910 until 15th May 1911: Hospitalised with Sciatica
1911: Entitled to Dehli Durbar Medal 1911
18th March 1912: 2nd Good Conduct badge
4th November 1912: Appointed Lance Corporal
28th Oct 1913: Character report by 2nd Gordon Highlanders - 'Very good NCO. Honest, sober, and reliable. Clean, smart, and intelligent. Exemplary character.'
August 1914: 2nd Gordons in Cairo. Returned to England, landing Southampton on 1st October 1914. Moved to Lyndhurst and attached to 20th Brigade in 7th Division.
5th October 1914: Embarked at Southampton
7th October 1914: Disembarked at Zeebrugge
2nd November 1914: Died from haemorrhage of the lung while aboard the 6th Ambulance Train. Interred at St. Martins Allotment, The Cemetery, Hazebrouck.

His service file also gives address information for his mother and brothers in 1919.

Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser, 5th March 1915, 4C:

Private (sic) Robert Brydson, who fell in action towards the end of October, belonged to Borgue, and was well known in that district. He resided at Liggates, and was farm servant and labourer under Mr Joseph Blaikie, contractor. He enlisted on 3rd October, 1905, in the 1st Gordon Highlanders, specialised in signalling, and was afterwards drafted into the 2nd battalion, with which he went to India, where he served four years. His period of nine years' active service being then complete, he was on his way home, but on reaching Egypt he transferred again to the 1st battalion to see active service in France. His last wish, expressed to a friend in his native parish, was that he might be spared to take part in the great war then impending. His pride was in the British Army and its glorious name. Private Brydson's mother resides at Kirkcarswell, Rerrick.

Part of the above story ('transferred again to the 1st battalion to see active service in France') doesn't quite fit with his service record, but I think that it is more to demonstrate his determination to get to France i.e. that is what he was going to do. As it happened, the 2nd Gordons were on their way back to Britain at the same time.

The date of entry to theatre of war stated on Robert's MIC is 7th October 1914, which fits exactly with the above.

Perhaps Paul will do the favour of sending you the records/MIC available from Ancestry.

Cheers,

Stuart
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

jock297 · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject: l/cpl robert brydson

hi guys ref ;paul and stuart.
thanks for the speedy replies i was just about to reply to state that i had very little to go on ie: no pictures or documentation other than robert and williams great war medals also untill recently i didn't even know about joseph as both my parents died some years ago and all the documentation had ben lost somewhere.
for robert i have his delhi durbar 1911 and great war trio mons star with clasp.
william brydson m2-099810 A.S.C served in the 2nd new army mt coy[mechanical transport] and went to france on the 3rd oct 1915 .
he was then demobelized to class z reserve [cpl]on the 26th march 1919 and i have his 14/15 star ,british war medal and interallied victory medal other than that all i've had to go on is some memories of my early years growing up in my granny brydsons house in annan and later living with relatives in kirkconnel.
so its with great thanks to you guys that i've been able to fill in the blanks
that have puzzled me for quite some time .
so once again cheers guys
with regards james
[edit] ps paul i would appreciate it very much if you could send me any documentation that you might have thanks mate
cheers
james
_________________
in memory of l/cpl 9848 robert brydson 2nd bn gordon highlanders

spoons · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject:

James can you PM me with your email address so I can send the MIC please?

Stuart - where did you find the service record? I cannot find it in service records or pension records on Ancestry.

\Paul

jock297 · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject:

hi paul got all the attachment's came out great many thanks indeed.with regards James
_________________
in memory of l/cpl 9848 robert brydson 2nd bn gordon highlanders