The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

anne park · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:54 pm Post subject: Sutherland Joseph

Sutherland Joseph Seaman 7369A Royal Naval Reserve HMT "Alcantara" Age 21 29-Feb-16 Son of William & Jane Sutherland, 10 Sandend, Portsoy, Banffshire. Portsmouth Naval Memorial M. R. 3 Panel 23

anne park · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:55 pm Post subject: Sutherland William P

Sutherland William Priest Deck Hand 16745DA Royal Naval Reserve HMT "Gowan" Age 30 04-Jul-18 Son of William & M Sutherland, 30 Sandend, Portsoy, Banffshire. Portsmouth Naval Memorial M. R. 3 Panel 31

anne park · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: Shearer William P

Shearer William Percy Trimmer 6145TS Royal Naval Reserve HMPMS Kempton Age 18 24-Jun-17 Son of George Barbar Shearer & Helen Keith Shearer, The Lodge, Glassaugh, Portsoy, Banffshire. Portsmouth Naval Memorial M. R. 3 Panel 28

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

Name: ROBERTSON, HELEN MURRAY
Initials: H M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sister
Regiment/Service: Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
Age: 21
Date of Death: 12/02/1944
Service No: 274402
Additional information: Daughter of William and Jessie Robertson, of Fordyce, Banffshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 22. Column 3.
Memorial: BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

The details below were the result of research by C.S.M. Ogilvie's grandaughter Ann Marr of Lincoln, a native of nearby Ordiquhill.

They appear here with her kind permission.

William Ogilvie – Son of John and Mary Ogilvie, Badenhannen, Deskford; husband of Netta Ogilvie (born Jessie Johnston Gray at, Easter Gollachy, Buckie), of Burnside Smiddy, Fordyce. He was a Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant Major), Service No 2872417, serving with the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders. Bill had already served for 7 years, from 1925 to 1933, in the Gordons, spending much of that time in India at the Khyber Pass. He rejoined for a 21 year term in 1937. He died near Best, Holland on 25th of September 1944, aged 37. A newspaper cutting from the time tells the story of his death. I’ve quite a few cuttings but none with dates, or which paper they come from, recorded on them. The story of German perfidy was revealed by Major D.C.D. Duff (Gordon Highlander) of Edinburgh, the only one of the Scots to escape unwounded. “In the attack we had taken between 40 and 50 German prisoners” Major Duff said ”and we were busy rounding them up when on our right flank some more Germans came forward carrying Red Cross flags. As we moved over to collect them in as well they dropped their flags and opened fire on us with automatic weapons. With their first burst they killed eight of their comrades among our prisoners and several of my men. To make things more difficult, the rest of the prisoners panicked. Somehow we managed to get behind the cover of the railway embankment and we also got nearly 40 of our prisoners back. I think this was largely due to the sacrifice of CSM W Ogilvie. He summed up the situation in a flash, and grabbing a Bren gun and firing from the hip, he advanced towards the Germans until he was fatally wounded.”
For his bravery Bill was mentioned in despatches. His grave reference is IV. F. 5. Cemetery Mierlo War Cemetery near Eindhoven. His death is also recorded on the Fordyce Memorial and on his parent’s gravestone in Grange cemetery. Libindex reference No. is NM145592. The Mierlo cemetery was started in the spring of 1945 when graves were brought in from the surrounding district, most of them being casualties of September-November 1944. At that time the main fighting was concerned with clearing the region south and west of the Maas and with opening up the Scheldt estuary further west. Helmond itself was occupied on 25th of September 1944. If you want to know the day to day details of the 2nd Battalions from Jan 1944 there is a wonderful diary on the Gordons website. www.thegordonhighlanders.co.uk/diary_sergeantjsrobertson.htm . Bill’s wife, Netta, was not informed officially of his death until the 1st of November but before that a comrade, Jock Burns, had written to his wife telling her that Bill was dead and she’d passed on the news to Netta.

William Ogilvie is also commemorated on the war memorial at Deskford.

CWGC Entry
Name: OGILVIE, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Warrant Officer Class II (C.S.M.)
Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 37
Date of Death: 25/09/1944
Service No: 2872417
Additional information: Son of John and Mary Ogilvie; husband of Janet Ogilvie, of Fordyce, Banffshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. F. 5.
Cemetery: MIERLO WAR CEMETERY
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

A.N.Other · Joined: 29 Aug 2012 Posts: 46

Details taken from :- Page 67,
THE HISTORY OF THE FIFTY FIRST(HIGHLAND) DIVISION 1914 - 1918.
by Major F.W.Bewsher,DSO,MC.

FRONT LINE,BETWEEN THE LABYRINTH & NEUVILLE ST.VAAST SECTORS
MAY AND JUNE,1916.
"A certain Pte.Robertson of the 5th bn.Seaforth Highlanders was captured in a saphead after having
made a gallant attempt to defend himself, in spite of a fractured skull. The following day a number of
undetonated rifle grenades were fired into the British Lines stating in English that the gallant soldier,
Private Robertson,Seaforth Highlanders had died of his wounds and had been buried with full Military
Honours in the Cemetery at Rouvroy."
The only Seaforth Highlander soldier that matches the description is :-
Robertson,William P.,2421,Pte.,6th bn.Seaf.H.,152nd Bde.,51st DIV.,d.of w.,France,27/06/1916.
b.1897-98,f.Alexander,m.Isabella,enlisted Grantown-on-Spey.
Buried Maroeuil British Cemetery,Pas-de-Calais,France.Grave Ref.II.H.3.

1911 Census 139 006,003 High St.,North Side,Knockando,Elginshire.
Morrison,Annie,head,77 yrs.,Wid.,retired general merchant,b.Banffshire,Aberlour.
Robertson,William P.,grandson,13 yrs.,school, b.Banffshire,Boharm.

B1898 153 /1 14,D1916 128/AF 376(20),parents M.Ordiquhill,20/05/1885.
Robertson,William Proctor,2421,Pte.,6th bn.Seaf.H.,d.of w.,France,27/06/1916.
b.21/02/1898 at Village of Fordyce,f.Alexander(general merchant),,m.Isabella MS Raeburn..