The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Macca · Joined: 04 Feb 2014 Posts: 3

Hi my great grandfathers 4 brothers all served in WW1. Two died, John who was in the 10th battalion ASH and died at Loos on 26th September 1915 and Henry who died on 4th May 1917 at Arras and was in the Royal Scots Fusiliers according to ancestry.

Two other brothers Thomas and Peter both served also and Peter died seemingly from war related respiratory illness in 1921 prompting his parents to write to the war office for his medals.

I have two queries, I know there is an inscription on the Loos memorial for John in France but can`t find a mention on any Lothian based ones. There is an obituary here with a nice photo but no mention of him on the Torphicen memorial, he and his family were originally form the Fauldhouse/ Benhar and he is not on that one either.
http://thekirk.torphichen.org/war_memorial/mckayj.html

His brother Henry is wrongly transcribed on the Fauldhouse war memorial as having been with the Royal Warwicks instead of RSF again according to ancestry. If confirmed is it possible to have these changed or updated and who would I contact?

Thanks in anticipation from a newbie.

P.S. I should also ask what the criteria are for having Peter considered as war realted death?

DelBoy · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:42 pm Post subject:

Councils are often the owner of civic memorial, so a good chance it's them.

Errors are common in names and regiment details, even some men who survived the war ended up on memorials!

Often names were supplied by families and friends who would come forward in an appeal in te local newspaper. There were rarely any real rules about who could or couldn't be included.
Somwtimes a family didn't want to have a relation listed for whatever reason. Plenty men are on no memorial in the places they lvied or worked, while some are on several civic memorials.

So a letter to the custodian of the memorial, if you can figure out who that is.

Macca · Joined: 04 Feb 2014 Posts: 3

Thanks for the reply. If I write to Fauldhouse council I may be able to get John added and Henrys amended then?

It seems the right thing to do given the anniversary. I`m too young to have any stories of them other than what aunts and uncles passed on which was only that they died in the war and my aunt remembers going to sign a book of rememberance in Edinburgh possibly in the 50`s.

hondolane · Joined: 17 Jul 2014 Posts: 11

Hi do the details below fit your Gandfather Henry.

DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN, Pas de Calais, France
McKAY, Private, H M, 43064, 1st Bn., Royal Scots Fusiliers. 4 May 1917. Husband of Mrs. Morton (formerly McKay), of Scullery Row, East Benhar, Fauldhouse, West Lothian. Grave Ref. IV. D. 15.

If this is your Gandfather then the Medal Index Card for the above shows him in the Royal Scots (Regimental Number 2586) before joining the Royal Scots Fusiliers.
CWG records also confirm he was in the RSF at time of death.
RSF Roll of Honour says Died of Wounds.
No mention anywhere of Royal Warwicks.

Regards
_________________
Collecting and researching to The Royal Scots Fusiliers (21st Foot).

Macca · Joined: 04 Feb 2014 Posts: 3

Hi yes thats my great,great Uncle Henry. Thank you for confirming his regiment(S). The Fauldhouse memorial has him as Royal Warwicks and may have him confused with a Hugh Mckay who served with them.

I`ll write to or email the council to see if it can be altered.

Thanks again.