The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Mike Morley · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 12:56 pm Post subject:

Name: MACKNIGHT, ROBERT GILCHRIST
Initials: RG
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Service Number: 132180
Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps, (Infantry), 41st Bn
Date of Death: 12/8/1918
Age: 20
Additional Information: Son of Andrew and Janet MacKnight. Born Carmiecleuch, Dunscore, Dumfriesshire.
Grave Reference: XXV B 24A
Cemetery: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery

Mike Morley · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:03 pm Post subject:

Name: MCCRACKEN, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Private
Service Number: 246109
Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry, 2nd Bn
Date of Death: 21/3/1918
Age: 40
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Janet McCracken; husband of Helen McCracken, of 195, Concord St., Ottawa. Born at Barrhill, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Grave Reference: II C 23
Cemetery: Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension

Mike Morley · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:32 am Post subject:

Name: EWING, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Service Number: 225203
Regiment/Service: Cameron Highlanders, 1st Bn
Date of Death: 18/4/1918
Panel Reference: Panel 119 to 124
Memorial: Loos Memorial

John Ewing was born on 20/9/1894 at 42 Arthur Street, Newton Stewart, the son of William Ewing, police constable, and Elizabeth Ewing, nee Reid. (GRoS via Scotland's People)
1901 Stranraer Parish Census: Lewis Street County Buildings: John Ewing (6, born Newton Stewart) with father, William, police constable, mother, Elizabeth + 3 brothers and 4 sisters. (Ancestry)
1911 Wigtown Census: Wigtown Prison Cells, Harbour Rd: John Ewing (16, born Newton Stewart, post boy), with father, Inspector William Ewing; mother, Elizabeth Ewing; + 4 brothers and 6 sisters. (Scotland's People)
Soldiers who died in the Great War: John Ewing. Residence, Wigtown. Killed in action in Western Europe 18/4/1918. Enlisted Newton Stewart. Rank: Private. Regiment: 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Regimental Number: 225203. Formerly 1078 Scottish Horse and 225203, Lovat Scouts.
Galloway Gazette (4/5/1918): Information has been received from one of his companions that Pte John Ewing, third son of Inspector Ewing, Wigtown, was killed by a shell at Givenchy on 18th ult. Previous to the war he was in the employment of Sir W P Beale, Drumlanford. He joined the Scottish Horse, but was afterwards transferred to the Camerons, and he had seen a good deal of fighting on different fronts. He was 23 years of age, and was home on leave just before the New Year.

Also named on Wigtown War Memorial.

Mike Morley · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 11:54 am Post subject:

Name: MEIKLE, GILBERT
Initials: G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1st/5th Bn
Date of Death: 12/7/1915
Age: 21
Service No: 8356
Additional information: Son of Robert and Mary Meikle,of Ballantrae, Ayr.
Panel Reference: Addenda Panel
Memorial: Helles Memorial

Wigtownshire Free Press (5/8/1915): Pte Gilbert Meikle, 1st/5th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed instantaeously on 11th July in the fighting at the Dardanelles by a bullet wound in the neck. Pte Meikle was born in Ballantrae parish 22 years ago, and at the time of enlistment, was a gardener at Pinmore House. The Commanding Officer (Colonel Pollok-McCall), in a letter to the soldier's parents (Mr Na dMrs Meikle, Crailoch, Ballantrae) speaks of their son as a fine, gallant fellow, in whom he took a great interest.

Also named on Colmonell Roll of Honour and Ballantrae War Memorial

Mike Morley · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 12:03 pm Post subject:

Name: MCGEOCH, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Service Number: S/1654
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders, 7th Bn
Date of Death: 15/7/1916
Age: 22
Additional Information: Son of William and Maggie McQuaker McGeoch, of Lochton, Barrhill, Ayrshire.
Grave Reference: III D 20
Cemetery: Serre Road Cemetery No 2

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

This information is from War Memorials Online-

It was constructed as a result of fund raising by three survivors of the 1st World War - Andrew Scott, Joseph Blackstock and William McQuarter. Major Gray, whose son was killed in the great war was a major organiser and contributer

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

This is WMR 80431.

In 2017 War Memorials Trust offered a grant of £24,910 for conservation and repair works. Accessing this memorial was a challenge. The steps leading to the memorial were uneven and loose and there was no hand rail. In addition, the risk of falling from the elevated position of the memorial had been identified. The memorial and surrounding boundary wall had a number of open joints and some small cracks had been found in the memorial’s plinth. Grant funding supported works to repair the access steps and to install a new handrail to aid access up to the memorial. A new section of ironwork fencing was installed at the memorial’s base for safety reasons and it was painted alongside the existing ironwork. Cracks in the plinth were repaired and the construction joints of the memorial and wall were re-pointed.

It is by Scott and Rae

There is also a War Memorial Hall, built in 1924, which does not seem to be on this forum. WMR 80430 has been raised by another contributor this morning for the Hall, which seems to have been rebuilt in the last few years.