The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 2:35 pm Post subject: WW1 - ALPHA

Pte. PETER STROYAN.
Peter Stroyan, Private (29641) 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots. Age 23.
Peter was a butcher and was employed at Holmepark, Minnigaff when he enlisted in December 1915. He was mobilised in January 1916, posted to the 11th Battalion, Royal Scots in France in June and transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 6 July 1916. A week later he was killed near Montauban.
Born 1893 in Newton Stewart, Penninghame, Wigtownshire. Son of Samuel and Kate or Catherine (Johnstone) Stroyan of Reid Terrace, Creebridge, Minnigaff.
Killed in action on 14 July 1916 and buried in Serre Rad Cemetery No.2, Somme, France.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 2:56 pm Post subject: WW2

1939 - 1945

Pte. JAMES DIAMOND.
James Barrie Diamond, Lance Corporal (3184752) 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps. Age 34.
Born 1908 in Creebridge, Minnigaff. Son of Maggie Diamond of Creebridge, Minnigaff and of Stirling.
Missing in action on 30 November 1942 and named on the Medjez-el-Bab, Tunisia.
Also named on the Penninghame Parish War Memorial in Newton Stewart.
The 2nd Parachute Battalion dropped on Depienne near Tunis in North Africa on 29 November but a link-up with the advancing 1st Army did not happen and the battalion was isolated behind enemy lines.

Capt. I. A. S. DODD.
Ian Alastair Scott Dodd, Captain (1274 IA) 4th Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles. Age 23.
Ian attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Indian Army in December 1939. He joined the 1st/6th Gurkha Rifles in 1940 and then the 4th Battalion when it was formed in March 1941. He was serving with the 3rd/6th as part of the Chindit force behind enemy lines in Burma when he was killed after ambushing a Japanese attack on the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade's main position at Mawlu, astride the main railway and road leading to the Japanese northern front.
Born 1920 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. Son of The Rev. George Edward Dodd (Minister at Monigaff Parish Church from 1935) and of Edith May (Brierly) Dodd.
Killed in action on 6 April 1944 and named on the Rangoon Memorial, Mayanmar.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:21 pm Post subject: WW2

F/O. DOUGLAS M. DREW.
Douglas McMillan Drew, B.A. (Oxon) Flying Officer/Navigator (145376) 115 Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Age 35.
Douglas's Lancaster bomber took off from RAF Witchford, near Cambridge, for a raid on Dusseldorf. It was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed in the northern suburbs of the town.
Born 1909 in Newton Stewart, Penninghame, Wigtownshire. Son of James Lawson Drew and of Mary Walker (MacMillan) Drew.
Killed in action on 23 April 1944 and buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Also listed on the Penninghame Parish War Memorial in Newton Stewart and on the Challoch (All Saints) Episcopal Church Memorial.

F/O. ERIC H. FERGUSON.
Eric Hannah Ferguson, Flying Officer/ Air Gunner (116529) 515 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Age 22.
Eric's aircraft was shot down off the Danish coast by a German night fighter Bf.110 based at Bergen in Norway. His body and that of his pilot, Bartholomew McKeon were found on the beach and on 19 April were interred in Lemvig Cemetery.
Born 1920 in Chorlton, Lancashire. Son of David H. Feguson and of Mona (McConchie) Ferguson - who was born in Minnigaff.
Killed in action on 11 April 1943 and buried (with his pilot) in Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark.
515 Squadron flew Boulton Paul Defiants equipped with electronic counter-measures to jam German radar sets and to protect the bomber stream.

Able Seaman WILLIAM McCLEARY.
William McCleary, Able Seaman (P/SSX 24644) HMS Hood, Royal Navy. Age 24.
Born 1918 in Kirkcowan, Wigtownshire. Son of David and Annie (Watt) McCleary of Palnure, Minnigaff.
Killed in action/Lost at Sea 24 May 1941 and listed on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.
The "Hood" was hit by several shells from the "Bismark" and exploded.
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:33 pm Post subject:

Many thanks as usual to Stuart "Stewartry" and to Derek "DelBoy" for all the "ground work" which save so much time. Cheers guys.
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Ken

Mike Morley · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:00 am Post subject:

A little more on John Stroyan.

Wigtownshire Free Press (20/4/1916): Mr William Stroyan, Path Cottage, Blackcraig, has received intimation that his fifth son, Lance-Corporal John Stroyan, HLI, was killed in action on March 19. Lance-Corporal Stroyan, who served an apprenticeship as a fishmonger with Mr Stewart, Victoria Street, Newton Stewart, was in Melton Mowbray when war broke out. He enlisted on January 11 1915 and was wounded at Loos in September of last year. Three other brothers also joined the Forces, and one of them was killed in November 1914.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:40 am Post subject:

Thanks for posting that Mike. The report in the D&G Standard is similar but makes no mention that John Stroyan was in Melton Mowbray before the war. He is named on a number of memorials there
http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/casualty/view/11565

Must try to find out what he was doing there!

Update:
John had been working as a fishmonger for a Mr Hayes in Burton Street, Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire for about three years when he enlisted in January 1915.
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Ken

Mike Morley · Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:30 pm Post subject:

A little more on James McMillan.

Wigtownshire Free Press (August 1916): Intimation was received on Tuesday that Sergeant James McMillan had been killed in action. Prior to the outbreak of the war he was employed as a tailor with Messrs Rowan and Boreland in Newton Stewart. He was also connected with the Volunteer movement.

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

This is now WMR, ex UKNIWM, 69567.

The report was entered by the office, which location I have corrected this morning