The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

brysoni · Joined: 11 Aug 2015 Posts: 5

While researching the men on the Kirkgunzeon War Memorial I found a very moving piece in the Dumfries & Galloway Standard dated 6th Feb 1916 entitled
"In the trenches at fifteen - Kirkgunzeon boy's pluck"
At a meeting of the Dumfries and Maxwelltown Trades Council on Thursday evening, Mr Thom, Vice president, who presided, extended a cordial welcome on behalf of the members to Mr W.W. Richardson, the President who is serving with the R.A.M.C. and who has arrived home from furlough from France.
At the close of business Mr Richardson gave an account of his experiences at an ambulance base at the front. In the course of his narrative he told of an incident which came under his notice in connection with a lad named Milligan, who came from Kirkgunzeon. The lad was youthful in appearance and when asked his age, said it was nineteen. Inquiries, however elicited the information that he was 15 years 10 months and that he had been six months in the trenches. During the attack at Loos at a certain point the lad got over the parapet of the trench, and, in face of the Germans, whose advances trench was only 20 yards off, searched among the dead for his brother, who was killed at that battle. He succeeded in finding the body of his brother. The officer sent the boy down to the hospital as suffering from "nervous debility". So keen was the boy to get back to the firing line that he still maintained to the officer at the hospital that he was nineteen; but the last time the speaker saw the boy he was marked "hospital ship" and would probably now be in this country"

I checked the 1911 census for verification and there was a younger brother, George Milligan - age 9 years- with the family at Blairshinnoch, Kirkgunzeon. This would tie in with this boy in the article being about 15 in 1916. His older brothers, James and Robert must have been looking out for him up till the start of the battle of Loos, but as one was killed and the other wounded on the first day of the battle, the boy must have been beside himself, especially if he had found his brother Robert's body. Robert is remembered on the Loos Memorial. It's likely that his body may not have been identifiable after the battle. I did a quick search but could not find a record of enlistment in the Seaforths for a George Milligan.

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 5:55 pm Post subject:

The information contained within newspapers of the day never ceases to amaze me. Thank you for posting this, it's a very interesting read.

Adam

stuartn · Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Posts: 2551

This is now WMR, ex UKNIWM 71733

spoons · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:15 pm Post subject:

Posted on behalf of Irene Bryson.

The name of David John Smith Gillies has now been added to the memorial.

brysoni · Joined: 11 Aug 2015 Posts: 5