The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

anne park

Thomas William Johnston Sjt 8040 Canadian Inf (Eastern Ontario Regt)born Sault Ste Marie 17/04/1887 enlisted Valcartier Age 29 Died U. K. 23-Jan-17 Son of the late Thomas and Mary Johnston, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Peterhead MI I 40. Was buried at Dalbeatie. Killed at Auchengairn. now buried Peterhead Cemetery U. K. Peterhead H.4. Anne

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

This must have been the wishes of his NOK.
The Army may have buried him locally and they (NOK) then organised the move later. IWGC (now CWGC) would not have been involved with this burial till after 1920.
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

spoons · Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject:

That all sounds very strange. I would guess that Auchengairn should be Auchencairn which is quite near Dalbeattie.

KenMorrison is the expert on Dalbeattie and Stewartry is the expert on Auchencairn so I think you should send them both a PM to see if they have any idea.

I would be interested to know the end result.

I might have a chance to check the local papers for you around that time if you like?

\Paul

anne park · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:38 am Post subject: Thanks for the replies

Will try to get to the bottom of this query....
Anne

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 4:32 pm Post subject:

I have PM'd some info to Anne but since Sgt Johnston is featured in Stuart's book on Auchencairn it's better if he provides the detail here.
_________________
Ken

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

Is it certain he was buried at Dalbeattie, if so when were the remains exhumed and transferred to Peterhead? Peterhead lair records should confirm this date.
This would be very unusual. Where NOK could not be contacted the Military would have organised the original burial. The move will have involved NOK, whom I suspect have a link to Peterhead.
The man's service file in Ottawa might show NOK correspondence on the subject (cost involved).
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

anne park · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:00 pm Post subject: Peterhead burial

I know that when the burial project was being done the women doing it found it interesting as to why this man was there.
Anne

Buchan Quine · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:36 pm Post subject: More details

I asked Anne to try to find out more for us. I have done a little research as follows:
Three lairs at Constitution Street Cemetery were purchased together by Alexander Young of Mountpleasant, Peterhead - H72, H73 and H74. He and his family are buried in H72 and H73, and Thomas William Johnston in H74.
He was killed in an accident at Auchencairn in January 1917 and buried with full military honours in Dalbeattie Cemetery, in a manner to allow for his body to be returned to Canada after the war. However his body was exhumed and taken to Peterhead to be reburied on 26 July 1917, just 6 months later. I have not managed to find any connection between the Youngs and Sgt Johnston. Mrs Young was a Canadian widow when she married Alexander. her married name was Fairley, and her own name was Young, so she was possibly related to her future husband. She lived in Montreal before she came to Scotland, but was born at Wellington, Canada West.
Thomas came from Ontario, his mother was a Wilson as was his fathers mother. I haven't been able to discover any more about him.
I suspect there must have been some sort of relationship between the Youngs and the Thomsons, but what!

Anne Allan

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 3:16 pm Post subject:

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the Archivist at Dumfries and Galloway Council about a couple of photos which had been donated to the Reference Library in Dumfries.
They showed a military funeral in, from the archives, Dalbeattie but there was confusion about the flag on the coffin.
It turned out to be the Canadian "Red Ensign" which until 1921 carried the crests of the 4 founding Provinces. (One of which has a distinctive red cross).
We are now fairly convinced that this is the funeral of Sgt. Johnstone.

Mr Bown, who donated the photos, has kindly agreed to have them posted here.

_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 4:21 pm Post subject:

A bit more background:

Thomas Johnston was born in Ireland Feb. 5th, 1846 and emigrated to Canada in 1864, he worked as a Contractor here in the Sault, his wife May Anna was born Aug. 18th, 1854 in Ontario, Canada. They lived at 112 Pim Street which is located at the east end of the business district here in the city.

Their Children
Joseph Hugh born June 12th, 1876
George born Sept. 15th, 1878
John H. born Aug. 18th, 1880
Robert Beatle born Aug. 18th, 1880
Cora born May 17th, 1883
Thomas William born Apr. 17th, 1886

Mr. Kim Forbes
Director / Curator
Sault Ste. Marie Museum
690 Queen St. E.
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2A4
Phone - 705-759-7278
Fax - 705 - 759 - 3058
www.saultmuseum.com
_________________
Ken

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

I have been asked to add my story of Sgt Johnston to this thread. The following is an excerpt taken from 'The Canadian Forestry Corps at Orchardton, 1916-1918, and the Death of Sergeant Thomas W Johnston', published in the Newsletter of Auchencairn History Society, Issue No 17 (Spring 2008). An amended version was published in my book 'Answering the Call: Auchencairn and the First World War', Stuart Wilson (published 2009).

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