The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 4:06 pm Post subject:

Lots more to follow!

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 1:34 pm Post subject:

W. BAILLIE
William Baillie – age 28 – Private (325518) 1/8th Battalion, Royal Scots.
William was living at 34 High Street, Prestonpans when he enlisted as Private (1794) in the 8th Royal Scots in July 1915. He joined his battalion in France in March 1916. William died in the 17th Casualty Clearing Station at Lijssenthoek.
Born 1889 in Prestonpans as William Southworth Baillie. Son of Robert and Mary (Cunningham) Baillie of High Street, Prestonpans. Husband of Elizabeth (Vessey) Falconer (formerly Baillie) of 190 New Street, Musselburgh who he married in 1915 in Edinburgh.
Died of Wounds on 30 July 1917 and buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

P. BAIRD
Peter Baird – age 24 – Private (702 & 325048) Royal Scots transferred as Private (579291) to the 858th Area Employment Company of the Labour Corps.
Peter was a coal miner with the Summerlee Coal Company in Prestonpans when he enlisted in the Territorial 8th Royal Scots in November 1911. He was mobilised in August 1914 and landed with the 1/8th Royal Scots at Le Havre in November. He became ill with appendicitis and was evacuated home in March 1915 and a year later he contracted bronchitis. He was admitted to the 2nd Scottish General Hospital at Craigleith in January 1917 and he was transferred to the Labour Corps in April 1918 but was unfit and he was discharged from the Army in October. Peter died a month later of influenza and pneumonia in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Born 1894 in Dalmellington, Ayrshire as Peter Routledge Baird. Son of Thomas and Mary (Routledge) Baird of 49 Summerlee Street, Prestonpans.
Died on 14 November 1918 and buried in Prestonpans New Cemetery. (CWG)

J. BANKS
James Banks – age 27 – Private (7325) 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
James was a miner at the Prestongrange Colliery when he enlisted. He joined his battalion in Belgium in March 1915.
Born 1888 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. Son of Thomas and Margaret (Cooney) Banks of 26 Summerlee Street, Prestonpans.
Missing in Action on 18 April 1915 and named on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 1:47 pm Post subject:

J. BARR
John Barr – age 27 – Sapper (79470) 254th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.
John was a coal miner living at 7 Crown Square, Prestonpans with his wife and family in August 1914 when his youngest child was born. He enlisted as Private (15346) in the Cameron Highlanders and was posted to the RE in France in April 1915.
Born 1890 in Larkhall, Lanarkshire. Son of George and Elizabeth (Hughes) Barr of Larkhall. Husband of Elizabeth (Scott) Barr of 7 Crown Square, Prestonpans and of Barrhead, Kirkcaldy, Fife who he married in 1911 in Prestonpans.
Died of Wounds on 21 June 1917 and buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.

A. BAXTER
Arthur Edward Baxter – age 23 – Private (4371) 20th Battalion, Australian Infantry.
Arthur was living at Pitt Street, Sydney, New South Wales when he enlisted in November 1915. He sailed in April 1916 and joined his Battalion in France in October.
Born 1893 in Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, Ireland. Son of the late Thomas Baxter and of Margaret Baxter of the Public Library, Prestonpans and of 131 Grove Street, Edinburgh.
Missing in Action on 12 November 1916 and named on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.

T. BELL
Thomas Bell – age 38 – Private (27521) 14th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Thomas was a member of the Royal Defence Corps at Stobo Camp near Hawick when he married in 1917. He was posted as Private (25242) to the 15th Highland Light Infantry in France before being transferred to the 14th Argylls. Thomas died of influenza in the 32nd Stationary Hospital in Wimereux.
Born 1880 in Kendal, Westmorland. Son of the late Isaac and Jane Bell of Workington, Cumberland. Husband of Mary (Donaldson) Bell of 22 High Street, Prestonpans who he married in 1917 in Edinburgh.
Died on Active Service on 2 November 1918 and buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 1:56 pm Post subject:

W. BELL
Walter Wilson Bell – age 20 – Private (13849) 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers.
Walter joined his battalion in France in March 1915.
Born 1893 in Prestonpans. Son of the late Mary Ann (Wilson) Bell (died 1894) and of James Bell of Prestonpans, Step-son of Frances (Doig) Bell who married James in 1896.
Died of Wounds on 30 April 1915 and buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France.

W. BLACKLEY
William Blackley – age 35 – Trimmer (2692TS) H M. Trawler Strathrannock, Royal Naval Reserve.
William enrolled in the RNR in April 1915. He joined the minesweeper “Strathrannock“ in February 1917 but she struck a mine laid by the German submarine UC-31 off St. Abbs Head and was lost with all hands.
Born 1882 in Carluke, Lanarkshire. Son of the late Duncan Blackley (died 1911) and of Isabella (Wilson) Blackley. Husband of Janet Rose (Muirhead) Blackley of 27 Summerlee Street, Prestonpans.
Missing in Action/Lost at Sea on 6 April 1917 and named on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.

A. BLYTH
Archibald Blyth, Military Medal – age 28 – Sergeant (325003) 1/8th Battalion, Royal Scots.
Archibald was a miner with the Summerlee Coal Company in Prestonpans when he enlisted as Private (82) in the Territorial 8th Royal Scots in April 1908. He was mobilised in August 1914 and landed as Corporal (4169) with the 1/8th Battalion at Le Havre in November 1914. He was promoted to Sergeant in April 1915 but due to illness he was evacuated to hospital in Manchester in May. Archibald returned to France in March 1916 and was awarded a MM in October 1917.
Born 1890 in Gilmerton, Liberton, Midlothian. Son of the late Archibald Blyth (died 1891) and of Martha (Horne) Blyth of 27 Middle Street and of 19 Front Street, Prestonpans. Husband of Mary (Naysmith) Blyth of 116 Summerlee Street, Prestonpans who he married in December 1913 in Musselburgh, Midlothian.
Killed in Action on 21 March 1918 and buried in Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:05 pm Post subject:

G. BOWES
George Bowes – age 46 – Company Sergeant Major (4019) 13th Battalion, Royal Scots.
George had enlisted in the Royal Scots as Private (3445) in 1889 and had served in the 2nd Battalion for 21 years when he was discharged as Colour Sergeant in November 1910. He held Long Service and Good Conduct Medals and the family came to live in the High Street, Prestonpans. George was an officer with the Prestonpans School Board when he enlisted in the Territorial 8th Royal Scots as Sergeant (674) in May 1911 and he was a barman when he re-enlisted in the Royal Scots Reserve in September 1914. He landed with the 13th Battalion in France in July 1915 but was killed two months later during the battle at Loos.
Born 1869 in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.
Son of ?
Husband of Ada (Leech) Bowes of 189 High Street, Prestonpans and of 11 Inveresk Village, Musselburgh, Midlothian who he married in 1895 in Mandalay.
Missing in Action on 26 September 1915 and named on the Loos Memorial, France.

P. BRACKENRIDGE
Note: the family name varies from record to record.
Peter Brickinridge – age 38 – Private (3/2922) 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Peter joined his battalion in France in February 1915 as Brackenridge/Brackinrdge/Brackenbridge.
Born 1876 in Drem, Athelstaneford as Brackenridge.
Son of the late Elizabeth Margaret Russel Brickinridge. Husband of Margaret (Yorkston) Brackinridge who he married in 1903 in Prestonpans.
Missing in Action on 9 May 1915 and named on the Le Touret Memorial, France.

A. BROWN
Andrew Brown – age ?? – Private (S/21815) 5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders.
Andrew enlisted in Prestonpans.
Born ???? in Greengairs, Lanarkshire. Son of Andrew Brown. Brother of Mary Brown of 34 Morrisons Haven, Prestonpans.
Missing in Action on 21 October 1917 and named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:21 pm Post subject:

J. BROWN
John Brown – age 30 – Private (5392) 1st Battalion, Cameron Highlanders.
John enlisted in the Camerons in July 1900 and was a reservist employed at the Dalry Gas Works in Ayrshire, living with his wife and family at Templand Road, when he was recalled to his regiment. He landed with the 1st Battalion at Le Havre in August 1914.
Born 1883 in Whitekirk & Tynninghame, Haddingtonshire/East Lothian as John Bald Brown. Son of the late Margaret (Bald) Brown (died 1883) and of George Brown; and step-son of Elizabeth (Muir or Hendrie) Brown who married George in 1885 in Whitekirk & Tynninghame. Husband of Elizabeth Jane (Cunningham) Brown of 205 High Street, Prestonpans who he married in 1904 in Glasgow.
Missing in Action on 24 October 1914 named on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

A. BUCHANAN
Andrew Alexander Buchanan – age 28 – Private (8/643) Otago Regiment, New Zealand Infantry.
Andrew employed in the electrical department of the Dunedin City Corporation and was living at 26 Cargill Street, Dunedin when he enlisted in August 1914. He sailed from Dunedin in October in October, landing at Alexandria, Egypt before moving to Gallipoli in December. Andrew had been employed at the Preston Links Colliery before emigrating.
Born 1888 in Humbie, Haddingtonshire/East Lothian. Son of the late Alexandrie (Ormiston) Buchanan (died 1911) and of Allan Buchanan of 354 John Williamson Street, South Shields.
Missing in Action on 7 August 1915 and named on the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.

J. BURNS
James Meek Burns – age 32 – Sergeant (8530) 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Prior to the war James was engaged in the coffee bar canteen of the Queen's Barracks in Perth. He joined his batalion in France in November 1914.
Born 1883 in Tranent, Haddingtonshire/East Lothian. Son of George and of Mary Hunter (Meek) Burns of Summerlee Street, Prestonpans. Husband of Jessie (Wylie) Burns of High Street, Perth who he married in 1906 in Perth.
Missing in Action on 9 May 1915 and named on the Le Touret Memorial, France.