The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

FionaGaskell · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 43 Location: Cardiff

Hi, just to introduce myself, my name's Fiona and I'm currently researching my Granny's half-brother who died in WWI. He's commemorated on the Portsoy memorial and I've found the info already recorded about that memorial interesting ... but alas nothing about my great-uncle, one Andrew Benzie (though he may have gone by a number of alternative surnames).

I'll post some info there - not least because in trying to track him down I'm finding out about potential comrades in the Gordon Highlanders.

Regards

Fiona

spoons · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 8:51 pm Post subject:

Hi Fiona and welcome

You'll find us a friendly bunch.

Andrew Benzie, an unusual name, WW1 I presume? Did he die in the war or survive? Any other info about him?

I have found 3 Andrew Benzies from WW1 (there may be more)
one in RAMC who got MM
a second in 14th London Regt
and a third in the Army Pay Corps

Let us know what else you have on him.

Regards

FionaGaskell · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 43 Location: Cardiff

Thanks for the welcome!

It gets complicated ... In the Banffshire way of things my gt-granny had at least 7 children by (at the last count) 5 men. I have a birth registration for Andrew Benzie of 2 October 1895 in Portsoy. His mother had left her first husband (surname McKenzie) before Andrew was born and subsequently (when the 1st husband died) married a chap by the name of Andrew Gibson McKerrow. In the 1911 census from the ditto marks you could infer that Andrew Benzie was using the surname McKerrow. As far as I'm aware my granny was only ever known as Benzie or McKenzie, regardless of gt-granny's 2nd marriage.

Moving on to WWI, Andrew enlisted and never came back - his body was never found. According to my father (who was brought up in Portsoy) he is recorded on the Portsoy war memorial as Andrew G McKerrow, Pte, Gordon Highlanders.

I can't find an Andrew Benzie, Andrew McKenzie or Andrew McKerrow in the Gordon Highlanders who matches. I have found an Andrew Gibson (Pte 11249 6th Bn) who died on 25 September 1915 aged 19 (commemorated on the Loos Memorial). Alas I have yet to find enlistment records. This may be a long shot but there is another curious fact. Another of my gt-granny's daughters had a son in the early 1920s. His first names were Andrew Gibson. This may be a coincidence but then again has she commemorated her dead half-brother? I can find no other use of the surname Gibson in the family (other than gt-granny's 2nd husband).

Not sure if I'll get to the bottom of this but I've been trawling enlistment records to see if I can find any close to his regimental number - sadly several died, some on the same day. Curiously they are 'reported for official purposes as having died'. I assume this is because they were never found.

spoons · Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:45 pm Post subject:

If it helps, I normally work on the assumption that one fact can be wrong but very rarely two, so either he served under a name other than mckerrow or his regiment is wrong on the memorial - you would be very unlucky if it's both. It would certainly help if you could pin down a date of death. Have you looked in the local library for newspapers of the period to see if his death is recorded?

How about this man (born in Aberdeen) and enlisted in Montrose

McKENZIE, ANDREW
Rank:Lance CorporalService No:310056Date of Death:21/03/1918Regiment/Service:Gordon Highlanders 7th Bn. Panel ReferenceBay 8 and 9.MemorialARRAS MEMORIAL
Additional Information:

FionaGaskell · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 43 Location: Cardiff

Thanks for the the advice!

I was working on the assumption that he probably hadn't served under the name of McKerrow but am not clear why he would enlist as Gibson - so I have toyed with this theory for some months. Ideally I'd find an enlistment record but no joy yet despite many an hour looking through what's on ancestry.

I have intended to look at the local papers but unfortunately live at some distance from Portsoy. Hopefully will have a few days in the locale this summer though I'm aware that FindMyPast does have some newspapers online but I don't think the Banffshire Journal is there. Another thing to check!

I think I've looked at this L/Cpl McKenzie but had worked on the basis that mine wasn't born in Aberdeen ... then again I've been looking at someone with a different surname so why not ... I guess I could find a rough age from the Service Returns of deaths on Scotlands People, and extrapolate from that to see what I find in births there or indeed census records. Again, I can't find the service record on ancestry for this one.

anne park · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 7:37 am Post subject: Salmon Bothy, Portsoy

Salmon Bothy, Portsoy
www.salmonbothy.org.uk/
The Salmon Bothy, Portsoy a multifacted visitor attraction which illustrates the facinating history of Portsoy. It does have Family History rearching done there. Ask if they can help.
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Researching WWI info from Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire & Morayshire.

anne park

Libindx System - Online Genealogical Search
libindx.moray.gov.uk/
LIBINDX. Libindx is the Local Heritage Service's index to sources of information about people, places and subjects relating to Moray. All indexed references to names and newspapers. There is also info of grave stones.
I have used the site lots of times and once you get into using it you just want more. Even terms like soldier in occupations.
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Researching WWI info from Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire & Morayshire.

FionaGaskell · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 43 Location: Cardiff

Many thanks for the suggestions, Anne. I've visited the Bothy in the past and will hopefully get there again this summer if only to catch up with Alison, who is a cousin of my mother's.

I'd forgotten about libindx and the ability to search by occupation was a revelation (although I haven't yet found my man). I think I may have to resort to reading back issues of the Banffshire Journal for the war years to see what I can find!

I found your descriptions of individuals on the Portsoy memorial very interesting. I may have found another one, but I need to go through my notes to check. If I have, I'll post it on that thread.

anne park · Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:21 am Post subject: Posting info

While your looking at the Banffshire papers you might be able to update info of the other men. If you printed of the pages from the site then you could do a nice job.
I gave a talk for Alison a while back. When I went to look at the notice on the notice board it said Anne Park will be doing a talk about WWI & WWII. No. I usually do WWI, well I used the time between my first vist and the talk to do a wee bit of researching for info about the WWII mannies.
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Researching WWI info from Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire & Morayshire.

FionaGaskell · Joined: 17 Jan 2013 Posts: 43 Location: Cardiff

Anne, this would certainly be interesting ... I'll focus on WWI though - that's more relevant for me at the moment.