The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Mary Young · Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Edinburgh

This memorial to 29 local men is attached to No.5 Robert Street (previously No.5 Glasgow Road), a new red sandstone tenement built on the site of The Old Toll House at the corner of Caledonia Street, Port Glasgow
The memorial was unveiled on 3rd September 1921 by my father, JOHN LEWIS, a wounded veteran who had been one of "The Toll Boys".

My website carries newspaper reports from The Port Glasgow Express and The Gourock Telegraph, plus a picture of the unique gold medallion presented to Dad on the occasion.

PRO PATRIA
1914 - 1919
ERECTED IN GRATEFUL MEMORY
OF THE TOLL BOYS WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR

BURNSIDE W. Royal Garrison Artillery
COLLINS N. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
COUPER A. 1st Royal Dragoons
COUPER P. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
DUFFY J. Naval Division
GILMOUR S. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
GOURLAY S. Naval Division
GRAHAM R. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
KANE S. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
KINCAID J. Cameron Highlanders
LOGAN A. Cameron Highlanders
LOGAN J. Highland Light Infantry
LOVE J. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
McCORKINDALE F. Royal Scots
McGHIE J. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
McKAY A. Cameron Highlanders
McKAY J. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
McLEAN R. Inniskilling Fusiliers
MITCHELL S. Naval Division
MOONEY D. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
ORR A. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
POTTER G. Cameron Highlanders
PTOLOMEY S. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
RORRISON J. Seaforth Highlanders
SHIELDS J. Royal Field Artillery
SIMPSON C. Royal Navy
TANNER W. Royal Field Artillery (Howitzer Brigade)
WALKER T. Durham Light Infantry
WILSON D. Royal Navy

"THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE"
_________________
Mary Young
Edinburgh, Scotland

milmor_1 · Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 118 Location: Ireland

This is the CWGC entry for Private Robert McLean, killed in action, 1/4/17.(It should be noted that the CWGC shows his unit as 2nd Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, whilst Soldiers Died in the Great War (Part 32) and the Irish War Memorial Records Volume VI, Page 72, shows his unit as 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers).

Name: McLEAN
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 01/04/1917
Service No: 19833
Additional information: Son of Robert and Mary McLean, of 16, Osborne St., Rosemount, Londonderry. Born at Londonderry.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: A. 6.
Cemetery: ROUPY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:54 am Post subject: Pte. Samuel Ptolomey

Tam Nugent · Joined: 20 Aug 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Czech Republic

Here is a hi-res photo from February 2007.

apanderson · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:34 pm Post subject:

Can't find any J. Rorrisons in the Seaforths?

2 listed on CWGC, SNWM & SDGW, one Royal Scots, other Royal Scots Fusiliers.

Medal Card for John Rorrison shows Acting L.Cpl., Seaforths 19898, then Labour Corps 8180

No Service/Pension Records either.

Anne Confused

apanderson · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:52 pm Post subject:

Ignore above post please - I fell into the trap of accepting the way the surname was spelt on the memorial (with 2 rr's)

Here he is:

CWGC:
Name: RORISON, JAMES
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders
Unit Text: 1st/6th Bn.
Secondary Regiment: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Secondary Unit Text: formerly 5th Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 24/07/1918
Service No: 285312
Additional information: Son of James and Ann Jane Rorison, of Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XVII. D. 6.
Cemetery: TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE

SNWM:
Surname RORISON
Firstname James
Service Number 285312
Date Death 24/07/1918
Decoration
Place of birth Port Glasgow Renfrewshire
Other 6th Bn. formerly 2670 A.& S.H.
SNWM roll THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS
Rank L/Cpl
Theatre of death

SDGW:
Name: James Rorison
Birth Place: Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire
Death Date: 24 Jul 1918
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Greenock, Renfrewshire
Rank: L/Corporal
Regiment: Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany's)
Battalion: 6th Battalion
Number: 285312
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre
Comments: Formerly 2670, A. & S.H.

His Medal Card lists a different (Argyll's) number from SNWM & SDGW.
The card lists 285312, Seaforths, consistent with all 3 sources above, but lists Pte., 200888, A. & S. H. Confused

Anne

Tam Nugent · Joined: 20 Aug 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Czech Republic

This memorial was relocated to a small nearby garden in early February 2018 due to the imminent demolition of the tenement to which the memorial was attached.

The new memorial is a very solid looking Celtic cross on a plinth, all made made of polished white granite and standing around 3 metres high. The original bronze plaque has been inset into the plinth.

I have some photos, but have no means of loading them.

The local online news web site 'Inverclyde Now' has a photo and some details of the unveiling https://www.inverclydenow.com/news/local-news/new-toll-boys-war-memorial-unveiled-in-port-glasgow

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:48 am Post subject:

Tam

Many thanks for the update. That looks like a great job the locals have done in relocating it.

We are currently discussing a solution to the lack of photographs so hopefully you'll be able to share them soon.

Kind regards

Adam

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

I have now updated and otherwise corrected the existing WMR report 55048 for this memorial, showing that we can be rapidly responsive, when we try. I have also added the names. This 'should' refresh to the public site overnight.

If Tam PM's me I will give him my e-mail address to send photos to add to the report, credited/copyrighted to you as soon as possible.

Its a shame that Mary Young's original photo on the old site is probably not now available to illustrate how it was.

The IWM is not always this fast to respond!!

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 5:24 am Post subject:

The COUPERs were killed a day apart.

Private
COUPER, A
Service Number 3700
Died 20/10/1914
1st (Royal) Dragoons
POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY
Location: West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
SNWM has Alexander, born Port Glasgow.

Lance Corporal
COUPER, PETER
Service Number 3/6636
Died 21/10/1914
2nd Bn.
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Location: Hainaut, Belgium
SNWM has born Port Glasgow.
_________________
Ken

Tam Nugent · Joined: 20 Aug 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Czech Republic

staurtn
I will PM you shortly. I also have a photo of the old memorial which you can use.

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

Photos (both past and present) are now on the WMR record, which should refresh to the public website in the early hours of Saturday morning. Thanks to all for this collaborative exercise, in updating the record

Stuart