The Scottish War Memorials Project

spoons

Not listed on UKNIWM

OS Map Ref NX 766 586

Located in Gelston Primary School, Gelston nr Castle Douglas

My thanks to David Tyson for the photographs

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:46 am Post subject:

The man lost whilst serving with US forces has already been identified on the Gelston War Memorial thread. This Roll adds that he was 'killed'.

John Dalrymple
Private First Class, U.S. Army
363rd Infantry Regiment, 91st Division
Entered the Service from: Washington
Died: September 28, 1918
Buried at: Plot H Row 33 Grave 24
Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery
Romagne, France

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:56 am Post subject:

On Gelston War Memorial Pte William Gordon is listed as Ayrshire Yeomanry. On SNWM is this man

GORDON, William
Service Number 2138
Date Death 27/11/1917
Decoration
Place of birth Kelton
Other latterly 50447 Machine Gun Corps (Infantry).
SNWM roll AYRSHIRE YEOMANRY
Rank Pte
Theatre of death Palestine.

Here is the CWGC details where he is listed as MGC. No mention of Camel Corps though. The Ayrshire Yeomanry were in Egypt when the British contingent of the camel corps was formed from Yeomanry units.

GORDON, WILLIAM MCADAM
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Unit Text: 256th Coy.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 27/11/1917
Service No: 50447
Additional information: Son of William and Agnes Gordon, of Castle Hill, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: B. 18.
Cemetery: RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:05 am Post subject:

The first man on the list

BONE, QUINTIN
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
Unit Text: Adjt. 9th Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 19/09/1918
Awards: M C
Additional information: Son of Robert and Jessie Bone, of Halmyre, Castle Douglas. Native of Perth.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: F. 1252.
Cemetery: KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY, GREECE

spoons · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject:

Name: GRIERSON, JOSEPH
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots
Unit Text: 3rd Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 10/11/1916
Service No: 24156
Additional information: Son of A. Grierson, of Breoch Cottage, Castle-Douglas, and the late James Grierson.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: C. 112.
Cemetery: CASTLE DOUGLAS CEMETERY, KELTON

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject:

JOSEPH GRIERSON - died of meningitis at City Hospital, Edinburgh.
He enlisted in April 1916 and was still in training when taken ill.
He is listed on the Buittle WW1 Memorial - his birthplace.

Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject:

Adam

WILLIAM McADAM GORDON - re the comments above.

Can't make a Camel Corps connection either, but the Ayrshire Yeomanry (as far as I can work out) fought as dismounted troops attached to the 52nd (Lowland) Div. at Gallipoli from October 1915 and then in Egypt (as part of the 1st Dismounted Brigade) until late June 1916.
In January 1917 they and the Lanark Yeomary were amalgamated as the 12th Battalion (Ayr and Lanark Yeomanry) Royal Scots Fusiliers and placed in the 229th Brigade, 74th Division.

The Camel Brigade were in the Ramleh area in November 1917 (when Gordon was killed) but so was the 156th Brigade, 52nd Div. with the 156th Company MGC - and I can find no record of a 256 Co. MGC

So what unit did William Gordon serve with - I'm still not sure!!!
_________________
Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:20 pm Post subject:

Thanks Ken. Still no Camel Corps connection but could CWGC be wrong and instead of 256 Coy it should be 156 Coy?

Regards

Adam

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject:

The entry for WILLIAM McADAM GORDON in the Stewartry Roll of Honour
"Enlisted 30th November 1914 1st Battalion Ayrshire Yeomanry. Transferred to Machine Gun Coy., Imperial Camel Corps. Served on Eastern Front (Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine). Killed near Jaffa 27th November 1917."

I wonder if 256 Coy MGC did exist, although not listed on 1914-1918.net (The Long, long Trail)? but then why does CWGC show it as MGC (Infantry)?
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: WILLIAM GORDON - MGC/CAMEL CORPS

Info from Steve Bekker on the Great War Forum

William Gordon was with the 26th Machine Gun Squadron, 2nd Battalion, Imperial Camel Corps. Also know as 256th Coy. MGC.

The 1st & 3rd Battalions were Australian, the 4th Anzacs and the 2nd British.

Details of the action:
At Corps headquarters the loss of Bald Hill caused considerable alarm and much finger pointing at the Camel Brigade and forced General Chaytor to order its immediate recapture, this was in part due to the problems on the right flank with the 1/4th Northamptonshire Battalion at Wilhelma and Yehudiyeh who were under heavy pressure from the 48th and 125th Turkish regiments (16th Division) which due to the withdrawal of the Camel Brigade on their left, were in danger of being overrun. General Smith was insistent that as a matter of honour an attack is put in before dark by Lieutenant Colonel Lee and the 4th Battalion was ordered to recover the ground abandoned during the day.

Lieutenant Colonel Lee quickly began to organize this counterattack, to carry out his plan he had only the well-used 16th company, still they were familiar with the objective and was more then willing to regain their former posts, also the attacking force would have two sections each from the 17th and 18th company and a section from the newly arrived 7th company to carry out the attack while the remainder of the battalion was needed to occupy the defences. The 2nd Battalion had been released from the Anzac Mounted Division reserve at 10 am and ordered to move from Selmeh to the Camel Brigade’s exposed right flank to cover the area south from Yafa Hill and Wilhelma this allowed the 4th Battalion to concentrate for their counterattack. The 10th company relieved the single section of the 17th company at post 1 on Point 249 at 3 pm while the 7th company moved to support the 4th Battalion as the remainder of the 2nd Battalion dug support and reserve lines, the brigade machine gun squadron was committed to support the battalion, and Private William Gordon was killed by shell fire. By 7.30 pm patrols had reported the Turkish positions around the objectives and the attack went in at 8 pm in darkness.
_________________
Ken

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject:

Excellent update Ken. Even more units listed which could have confused matters even more!

Luckily a detailed answer from Steve has clarified his unit and manner of death.

Thanks

Adam