The Scottish War Memorials Project

spoons · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 7:54 pm Post subject: Springholm Great War

UKNIWM 44451

Location in Springholm village hall at OS Map Ref: NX 805 700

Apologies for the angle of the shot, there is very poor contrast between the wood and the lettering and this was the best of around 20 pics. I tried looking up all the names and got a rather poor success rate, some I could not find at all and others seem to have no obvious connection with the area although I am sure I have the right man. Kirkpatrick Durham is the local parish church so it may have a memorial that helps clarify things but there is nothing listed on UKNIWM and I have not visited the church yet.

Names:
CAPTAIN P A BLAIR MC R SCOTS
2ND LIEUT H M GUTHRIE LAN FUS
SERGEANT P GALLACHER R S FUS
CAPT A D Y HERRIES KOSB
PRIVATE C GALLACHER KOSB
PRIVATE J KERR KOSB
PRIVATE J H MILLER KOSB
PRIVATE A H McCAIG KOSB
PRIVATE W McCLUNE KOSB
PRIVATE A W McMORRINE KOSB
PRIVATE R L DAVIDSON WELCH R
PRIVATE A M THOMSON CANADIANS

Name: BLAIR, PATRICK ALEXANDER
Initials: P A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots
Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Age: 37
Date of Death: 23/04/1917
Awards: M C
Additional information: Son of Alexander Blair (Sheriff of the Lothians), and Fairley Kerr, his wife. A Chartered Accountant. Born at Edinburgh.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 1.
Cemetery: LEVEL CROSSING CEMETERY, FAMPOUX

Name: GUTHRIE, HECTOR MACLENNAN
Initials: H M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Lancashire Fusiliers
Unit Text: 3rd Bn. attd. 1st Bn
Age: 22
Date of Death: 04/06/1915
Additional information: Son of Bella Guthrie, of Dowan Place, Stirling, and the late James Guthrie. Honours Degree (1st Cl.) Aberdeen University, July, 1914.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 58 to 72 or 218 to 219.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

I drew a blank trying to identify Sgt P Gallacher
Capt Herries has also defeated me I am afraid
Name: GALLAGHER (notice name misspelt)
Initials: C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Unit Text: 14th Coy.
Date of Death: 13/07/1917
Service No: 42665
Additional information: Son of Peter Gallagher, of 286, High St., Dalbeattie.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. F. 1.
Cemetery: COXYDE MILITARY CEMETERY

Name: KERR, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 1st/5th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 12/07/1915
Service No: 1904
Additional information: Son of John and Anne Elizabeth Kerr, of Springholm, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 84 to 92 or 220 to 222.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

Private J H Miller – no luck

Name: McCAIG, ARCHIBALD H.
Initials: A H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 7th/8th Bn.
Date of Death: 31/07/1917
Service No: 25001
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 22.
Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

No sign of McClune on CWGC or SNWM either

Name: McMORRINE, ALEXANDER WATSON
Initials: A W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 04/10/1917
Service No: 40164
Additional information: Son of Peter and Elizabeth McMorrine, of Springholm, Dalbeattie.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 66 to 68.
Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL

Possibly Robert Davidson died 25 September 1915

Name: THOMSON, ALEXANDER MCNAUGHT
Initials: A M
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
Age: 30
Date of Death: 16/09/1916
Service No: 105537
Additional information: Son of the late James and Jane Thomson, of Springholm, Kirkpatrick Durham Kirkcudbrightshire-brother of Mary Papple, of St. Ninians, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 1.G.14.
Cemetery: LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL

Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 234 Location: nr Nottingham

I can see why you had trouble finding some of these men - one wrong initial, one double-barrelled surname, two men listed as KOSB but died serving with MGC, and another whose surname was mis-spelt officially, died after discharge and isn't listed on CWGC or SNWM!

Filling in the gaps:

Private John Kerr, please see: http://www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk/5thkosb/stories.html

Sgt T Gallacher: (note initial)
Name: GALLACHER, THOMAS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Fusiliers
Unit Text: 7th Bn.
Date of Death: 26/09/1915
Service No: 12581
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 46 to 49.
Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL

Son of Peter Gallacher (perhaps a clue to the mix-up with his initial?). Killed in action, age 20.

Private C Gallacher:
The youngest brother of Sgt T Gallacher. Originally, Private, 2159, 1/5th KOSB. Previously, wounded at Gallipoli.

Capt ADY Herries:

Name: YOUNG-HERRIES, ALEXANDER DOBREE
Initials: A D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 23/07/1916
Additional information: Son of Lt. Col. William Dobree Young-Herries (K.O.S.B.) and of the late Bethia Marion Young-Herries, of Spottes, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. A. 6.
Cemetery: DANTZIG ALLEY BRITISH CEMETERY, MAMETZ

Private J H Miller:
Name: MILLER, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Unit Text: 187th Coy.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 15/12/1916
Service No: 33950
Additional information: Son of William Miller, of Springholm, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 41.
Memorial: BASRA MEMORIAL

Previously: Private, 1488, 1/5th KOSB

Private W McClune:
Not listed on CWGC or SNWM. MIC mis-spells his surname as McClure:
Private, 1992, William McClure, 1/5th KOSB
Wounded at Gallipoli and discharged in April 1916. Died at home 12th Dec 1918.

Robert Davidson:
Name: DAVIDSON, ROBERT
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Welsh Regiment
Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Date of Death: 25/09/1915
Service No: 2618
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 77 and 78.
Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL

Was working in Argentina at outbreak of war, but returned home and rejoined his old regiment in October 1914. Killed in action, age 36.
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5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book

dhubthaigh · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:52 am Post subject:

Magnificent 'gap-filling' by Stewartry. Very Happy

spoons · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:39 am Post subject:

Excellent stuff. This memorial must have a higher proportion of errors/problems of any that I have seen. The ones I originally found were not trouble free either, but of course the locals at the time would have known who the men were. I can imagine a few blokes sitting around in the village pub 'doing something about a memorial' that resulted in this one.

\Spoons

DerekR · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:54 am Post subject:

The SDGW has another man listed as having resided there:

Pte James Campbell, no.9299, 1st Bn. KOSB kia Gallipoli, 27/4/15 - one of the campaigns earliest victims.
Born and lived Springholm, enlisted Dumfries.

Sadly, no family details on the CWGC:

Name: CAMPBELL, JAMES
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Date of Death: 27/04/1915
Service No: 9299
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 84 to 92 or 220 to 222.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

Alexander Stewart was born at Springholm according to the SDGW:

Name: STEWART
Initials: A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 3rd Bn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 10/09/1916
Service No: 9530
Additional information: Son of Mrs. Jeannie Wilson, of Overlaw, Rerrick, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: D. 27.
Cemetery: EDINBURGH (COMELY BANK) CEMETERY
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Stewartry · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 234 Location: nr Nottingham

Alexander Stewart was actually Alexander Wilson. He was a pre-war regular and enlisted in 1906 under his mother's maiden name, Stewart. He served with the 1st KOSB in Egypt and India.

He was mobilised with his battalion in India and came back to the UK via a brief stay on the Suez Canal defences in November 1914. On 25th April 1915 he landed with the 1st KOSB at Gallipoli and was subsequently wounded. So it looks like he returned to Scotland to hospital and was transferred to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion KOSB while recuperating, but died in September 1916.

He is commemorated on Borgue War Memorial, along with his brother: Sergeant, 169890, Robert Alfred Wilson, 'D' Battery, 190th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action at Ypres, 3rd October 1918.

James Campbell is given the rank of Sergeant and commemorated on Dalbeattie War Memorial. He was also a pre-war regular with the 1st KOSB, enlisting about a year earlier than Alexander Wilson. He died of wounds. I can find no report of his death in the local newspaper.
_________________
www.sonsofgalloway.org.uk
5th KOSB
Stewartry RoH
ATC Auchencairn book