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Preston Recreation Rooms (T*)
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IanA



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:31 pm    Post subject: Preston Recreation Rooms (T*) Reply with quote

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IanA



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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IanA



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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DerekR
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Location: Hawick, Scotland

PostPosted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

UKNIWM Ref No. not listed
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.
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Adam Brown
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Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a transcription of thenames. I haven't got the dates on this transcription:

1914-1918

BURNS , John G , Private , 11th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
CLAPHAM , Robert , Lance Corporal , King's Own Scottish Borderers
FORREST , Alexander L , Signaller , 11tth Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
HALL , William , Private , Scottish Rifles
HENDERSON , Alexander C , Private , 10/11th Bn Highland Light Infantry
JOHNSTON , Wellwood M , Sergeant , 4th Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers
JOHNSTON , William , Sergeant , 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards
LEITHEAD , Robert , Private , 2nd Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers
MURRAY , Charles , Private , Canadian Expeditionary Force
SIMPSON , Henry , Private , 7th Bn Highland Light Infantry

Adam
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Merseman



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

PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Only 3 of the names on this memorial appear on the civic memorial found on the opposite side of the road (Burns and the Johnstons): while 4 of the others are found on the civic memorial in the neighbouring parish of Duns and another 2 on the civic memorial at Greenlaw.

However, the village of Preston is at the extreme southerly limit of Bonkyl parish - barely are you past the 30mph signs at the foot of the village and you cross the boundary. At the foot of this slope was Cumledge Mill which although but a row of cottages nowadays was once a notable place due to the Cumledge Mill blanket factory. (Alongwith the papermill at Chirnside it was one of only 2 'proper' factories in Berwickshire in the first half of 20th Century). A short history of Cumledge Mill can be found here:
http://www.dunsehistorysociety.co.uk/cumledge.shtml

To give some more perspective it's only a couple of hundred metres from Cumledge Mill to Preston, but it is over 3 kilometres to Duns up steep hills.


Of the 4, both Simpson and Forrest are known to be from Cumledge Mill... the other pair may have also lived in the vicinity or worked at the Mill and thus used the recreation rooms? Hall and Clapham are more of a mystery as it is quite a way from Greenlaw (where their parents are noted to have lived as well as where they appear on the civic memorial) to Preston, and the Coldstream History Society website states Hall worked at Tyninghame in Haddingtonshire before the war. Perhaps they worked here in the years leading up to 1914.

Preston Recreation Rooms were built in 1911. Although known universally as 'Preston Village Hall', it is still registered at OSCR as 'Preston & District Reading & Recreation Room Association'.
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Merseman



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Location: Duns, Berwickshire

PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That leaves the real mystery as Private Charles Murray. This from CWGC:

MURRAY, CHARLES
Rank:Private
Service No:1233
Date of Death:17/01/1918
Age:25
Regiment/Service:Canadian Infantry
4th Bn.
Grave ReferenceSec. 7. Lot 73.
CemeteryTORONTO (PROSPECT) CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of the late John and Janet Murray.



As far as I am aware, he does not appear on any of the Berwickshire civil memorials.

Perhaps he lived in or around Preston, or even worked in Cumledge Mills, before emigrating? It would be interesting if anyone could discover more - the fact he died while in Toronto is also interesting.


It's worth adding that Preston is the village but Bonkyl is the church. Back in history there was a village at Bonkyl, between the castle (now a mound of earth) and the church (still extant and now alone alongside the manse), as well as a parish of Preston, with its own church. The two were united in 1621, and Preston church was abandoned in the early 1700s and is now a ruin. Both churchyards are still in use, but for the last 300 years or so the parishioners of Preston village have had to trek out to Bonkyl church of a Sunday for worship. There are also numerous spelling variations in use to recent times including Buncle, Bunkle, Bonkill and Bonkyl. Sometimes you see documents give the parish as Preston, sometimes Bonkyl, sometimes Bonkyl & Preston.
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Kenneth Morrison



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
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Location: Rockcliffe Dalbeattie

PostPosted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A photo of Charles Murray's grave marker is at:
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/virtualmem/photos/425755
Interesting that some Canadian records show his age as 35 but the gravestone and CWGC show 25.
It's a pity that his attestation papers are not on LAC as his service number would appear to indicate a very early enlistment.
I wonder if he was wounded and evacuated back to Canada.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=208367&interval=20&&PHPSESSID=hmk3fk8ah2c8hl80pfp72kc2e4
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Merseman



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Location: Duns, Berwickshire

PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This absolutely exquisite roll is mounted prominently in the main hall. It is really magnificent.

34 men who served and returned are named.

10 who died - same 10 on the tablet outside - have photos and other info.








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Merseman



Joined: 07 Aug 2013
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Location: Duns, Berwickshire

PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PRESTON
RECREATION
HALL
ROLL OF HONOUR

On this Roll are inscribed the names of Members
who served in the Great European War

1914 - 1918

War Declared August 4th 1914
Armistice Signed November 11th 1918
Peace Signed June 28th 1919



...
...


Private Henry Simpson
HLI
Killed in France
September 27th 1918
Aged 19




...
...


Private Alex C Henderson
HLI
Killed
April 9th 1918
Aged 19




...
...


Private Charles Murray
Canadians
Died in Toronto
June 17th 1918
Aged 35




...
...


Sergeant William Johnstone
Coldstream Guards
Killed in France
October 9th 1917
Aged 25




...
...


Sergeant Alex Forrest
A&S Highlanders
Killed in France
April 9th 1917
Aged 27

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Merseman



Joined: 07 Aug 2013
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Location: Duns, Berwickshire

PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Private John C Burns
A&S Highlanders
Killed in France
April 6th 1918
Aged 27




...
...


Private Robert Leithead
KOSB
Killed in France
October 4th 1917
Aged 32




...
...


Sergeant Wellwood M Johnstone
KOSB
Killed Dardanelles
July 12th 1915
Aged 25




...
...


Sergeant Robert Clapham
KOSB
Killed Dardanelles
July 12th 1915
Aged 28




...
...


Private William Hall
Scottish Rifles
Killed in France
29th October 1916
Aged 27




...
...


(Potraits posted in clockwise order starting from bottom left)
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stuartn



Joined: 13 Dec 2016
Posts: 2551

PostPosted: Thu May 24, 2018 6:50 am    Post subject: WMR (ex UKNIWM) number Reply with quote

The external memorial is WMR 76385

The internal memorial is WMR 76386
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Kenneth Morrison



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

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2021 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Merseman wrote:
That leaves the real mystery as Private Charles Murray. This from CWGC:

MURRAY, CHARLES
Rank:Private
Service No:1233
Date of Death:17/01/1918
Age:25
Regiment/Service:Canadian Infantry
4th Bn.
Grave ReferenceSec. 7. Lot 73.
CemeteryTORONTO (PROSPECT) CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of the late John and Janet Murray.



As far as I am aware, he does not appear on any of the Berwickshire civil memorials.

Perhaps he lived in or around Preston, or even worked in Cumledge Mills, before emigrating? It would be interesting if anyone could discover more - the fact he died while in Toronto is also interesting.


From the Berwickshire News 19/2/1918 p.3

CUMLEDGE MILL CANADIAN’S DEATH.
Many of our readers will hear with much regret of the death of Pte. Charles Murray, Canadian Infantry, which occurred at Military Hospital, Toronto, 16th January. Pte. Charles Murray (who was a brother of Mr Wm. Murray, Cumledge Mill) was a native of Hawick, but was employed at Cumledge Mill before emigrating to Canada in 1913. He left a good situation in Toronto to join up in the A.S.C. in November, 1914, and afterwards voluntarily exchanged into a line regiment. After some months training in Canada, he came to England in May, 1915, and was drafted to France in September of the same year. On September 19th. 1916, he was severely wounded and taken prisoner. He was at the time on listening post duty near Courcelette, with three companions, when the party was suddenly attacked by Germans and bombed. Two of the four were killed outright, and Murray and another Canadian severely wounded and taken prisoner. It was believed at the time that all four had been killed, and official intimation of Murray’s death was accordingly sent his relatives. Their mourning was however, turned into joy about a month later by the receipt of a postcard from Murray himself, who was then in an hospital in Germany, having undergone amputation of the leg, and not long afterwards he was repatriated, when he visited his friends at Cumledge Mill, and other places in the Borders. He afterwards returned to Canada where arrangements were in course of being carried out for his entry into the Canadian Civil Service on discharge, and for which he recently received his qualifying diploma. In the interval between his return Canada and his untimely death, he was engaged on a lecturing tour in West Virginia and Pennsylvania on behalf of the thirty-seven-million-dollar scheme the Y.M.C.A. of the United States, travelling many hundreds of miles and addressing several meetings per day. On one occasion he had the honour of sharing the same platform as Mr Gerard, the late U.S. Ambassador to Berlin, on which occasion the audience was composed of 5000 students. His death took place from pneumonia after a six days’ illness. After his return to Canada, he had been fitted with an artificial limb, but the replacement not proving entirely successful, arrangements were made for his admission into hospital to be re-fitted. It was there he developed the illness which cut short his career, and under which sank, despite every care and attention, including the services of outside specialist. It is scarcely an exaggeration say that there never was more popular young man at Cumledge Mill than ‘'Charlie” Murray, nor one who better deserved his popularity. His blythe good nature made him an university favourite; and that characteristic did not desert him while on active service in the Army, nor even through the trying experiences he was called upon pass through. At Cumledge Mill he was a keen and successful angler, and only a few days before he left for Canada he took 1st prize in the Cumledge Mill Angling Club’s annual competition. He was also fond of whist, at which he played very strong game. A brother, Lieut. R. Murray, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, holds Military Medal for gallantry in the field. Pte. Murray was in his 25th year at the time of his death.
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Kenneth Morrison



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PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PTE. JOHN C. BURNS, A. & S. H.
KILLED IN FRANCE, 6th APRIL 1918. AGED 27.
John Common Burns – age 27 – Private (3590) 11th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
John was a ploughman at Primrose Hill, Preston when he enlisted in September 1914. He landed with his battalion at Boulogne in July 1915.
Born 1890 in Coldingham, Berwickshire. Son of the late George Alexander Burns of Primrose Hill, Preston (died 1912) and of Isabella Johnston (Common) Burns of Bogend, Duns.
Killed in Action on 6 April 1918 and buried in Wanquetin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Also named on the Bunkle and Preston United Parish War Memorial and on the Bunkle Parish Church memorial.


LCE-CPL. ROBERT CLAPHAM, K.O.S.B.
KILLED AT DARDANNELLES 12th JULY 1915. AGED 29.

Robert Clapham – age 29 – Corporal (4039) 1/4th (Border) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
In 1901 Robert was a pantry boy at Marchmont House, Polwarth, Berwickshire but latterly he assisted his father in his rabbit catching business. He had been a member of the local Volunteers and the Territorial 4th KOSB for many years and he landed with his battalion at Gallipoli in June 1915 but he was killed a month later during the battle at Achi Baba Nullah.
Born 1886 in Dunbar, East Lothian. Son of James and Janet (Liddell) Clapham of High Street, Greenlaw, Berwickshire.
Missing in Action on 12 July 1915 and named on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.
Also named on the Greenlaw Parish War Memorial and on the Berwickshire High School memorial.
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Kenneth Morrison



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PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2021 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SIGNALLER ALEX. L. FORREST, A.& S.H.
KILLED IN FRANCE, 9th APRIL 1917. AGED 27.

Alexander Lauder Forrest – age 27 – Private (3760) 11th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Alexander enlisted in September 1914 and he landed with his battalion at Boulogne in July 1915. He was a member of the signalling section when he was killed and he was buried in Blangy Military Cemetery. He was re-interred at Souchez after the war.
Born 1890 in Duns, Berwickshire. Son of John and Margaret (Lauder) Forrest of Cumledge Mill, Duns.
Killed in Action on 9 April 1917 and buried in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial and on the Duns Parish Church memorial


PTE. WILLIAM HALL, SCOTTISH RIFLES.
KILLED IN FRANCE 29th OCT. 1916. aged 27.

William Hall – age 27 – Private (1913) 5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
William was an under-keeper with the Earl of Haddington at Tyninghame, Prestonkirk, East Lothian when he enlisted at East Linton as Private (4256) in the Royal Scots in February 1916. He was posted to the 5th Scottish Rifles in France and had been at the front for only a few weeks when he was killed.
Born 1889 at Yester, Garvald, Haddington, East Lothian.
Son of Andrew and Jane (Rankin) Hall of High Street, Greenlaw, Berwickshire.
Missing in Action on 29 October 1916 and named on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.
Also named on the Whitekirk & Tyninghame Parish War Memorial and on the Greenlaw Parish War Memorial.


PTE. ALEXANDER C. HENDERSON, H.L.I.
REPORTED MISSING, 9th APRIL 1918. AGED 19.

Alexander Clark Henderson – age 19 – Private (55269) 10th/11th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.
Alexander was living in Duns, Berwickshire when he enlisted in the 18th HLI. He was transferred to the 10th/11th Battalion in France.
Born 1899 in Bridgeton, Glasgow. Son of James and Jessie (Clark) Henderson.
Jessie Clark was born in 1869 in Coldingham, Berwickshire and a Jessie Henderson (widow) was at a house at Cumledge Mill, Duns from 1915. Jessie (Clark) Henderson died in 1935 in Duns.
Missing in Action on 9 April 1918 and named on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.
Also named on the Duns Burgh and Parish War Memorial and on the Duns Parish Church memorial
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