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1916-17 (30)

These are the stories behind those who fell between 1916-17

Written by

Hugh McLaughlin

Scottish Rifles

1/8th Batt. Scottish Rifles
He is remembered with honour on St Joseph’s Church memorial and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 12.

The family home was at East King Street, Helensburgh.The son of James and Elizabeth McLaughlin.
Siblings: Not Known
Hugh McLaughlin was born in Helensburgh where his father worked as a stone mason.
He was employed as a dock labourer before joining up. He was married to Helen Bowden in Pollockshields in 1910.
Hugh was registered as missing in August of 1915 and officially declared dead in June of 1916. He was 35 years old.
His wife was living at 22, Portman Street, Paisley Road, Glasgow at the time of his death.
Written by

Abraham McKillop

Black Watch

10th Batt. Black Watch
He is remembered with honour on the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 10.

The family home was 53, James Street, Helensburgh. The son of Archibald and Jane McKillop
Siblings: Abraham had four brothers, James, Archibald, John and David and four sisters, Kate, Lizzie, Jane and Annie. His brother Archibald also died in the war.
Abraham McKillop was born in Helensburgh where his father worked as a coachman. On leaving school, he worked as a carter with the North British Railway Company.
At the outbreak of war, Abraham joined the Black Watch. He died, of dysentery, in a Malta hospital. He was 26 years of age.
Written by

James Mundie

Royal Navy

Royal Navy He is remembered with honour on the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 14.

The family home was at 65, West Clyde Street, Helensburgh The son of Mr and Mrs James Mundie.
Siblings: James had a brother Private John Mundie serving with the Tyneside Scottish and reported as a prisoner of war in August, 1918. 
James Mundie was born in Helensburgh and brought up in the town. Before enlisting he was employed as a gardener at 'Ardvuela'.
At the outbreak of war, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He served on the battle cruiser, HMS Lion, which was involved in the Battle of Jutland.
It was reported that he was killed instantly by a ship's davit falling on him. This was just after the battle. He was 26 years of age.
Written by

William McDougall

Argylls

1/8th Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
He is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial, the Old Parish Church Roll of Honour, and Helensburgh War Memorial Column 2 Line 9.

The family home was at Back Cottage, 55, West King Street and later at 53, James Street, Helensburgh.
The son of Dugald and Annie Morton Thomson McDougall.
Siblings: John, Jennet, Dugald, Robert, Annie and Marion. John, his older brother, also died in the war. Dugald and Robert did not serve.
William McDougall was born and brought up in Helensburgh, where his father was a domestic gardener.
He was employed as a gardener with the Donaldson Family at Blairvadach House before enlisting in September, 1914.
William was first reported missing in action and it was later confirmed that he had died in battle. He was aged 27 years. His remains were not recovered.
Written by

Malcolm Graham McBryde (McBride)

Australian Imperial Force

45th Batt. Australian Imperial Force Infantry
He is remembered with honour on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 8.

The family home was at 126, West Princes Street, Helensburgh.
The son of Andrew and Margaret McBryde.
Siblings: Two brothers, Alex McBryde who joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and William McBryde who was a gunner with the R.G.A. Both brothers survived the war.
Malcolm McBryde was born and brought up in Helensburgh. After training as a blacksmith, before emigrating to Australia. He returned with the Australian Imperial Force to fight for his home country. Malcolm died in Flanders at the age of 34 years.
Monday, 29 June 2020 04:23 Written by

Micheal Garrity

Argylls

1st Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial, St Joseph’s Church Roll of Honour and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 1.

The family home was at 44, Maitland Buildings, Helensburgh. The son of Not Known

Michael Garrity was born in Glasgow. He worked as a carrier in Helensburgh.
He was married and was bringing up three small children at Maitland Buildings, Helensburgh.
The 1st Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders embarked from Marseilles for Macedonia, arriving at Salonika on the 12th December, 1915. Michael was killed in action at the Capture of Karajakois, fighting the Bulgarian Army. He was aged 25 years.

Published in 1916-17
Monday, 29 June 2020 04:09 Written by

Robert Lyle Hedley

Gordons

9th Batt. Gordon Highlanders
He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial, St. Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Merchiston Castle School Memorial, Helensburgh and Gareloch Unionist Association Roll of Honour and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 7.

The family home was at Strathculm, 32, West Montrose Street, Helensburgh.
The son of Robert and Jane Hedley Scott Lyle.
Siblings: One brother Peter was commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and was severely wounded but survived the war. He had two younger siblings, Nancy and Kenneth.

Hedley Lyle was born in Greenock where his father was a ships chandler. He was educated at Collegiate School in Greenock and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh.
Hedley was a keen athlete, played rugby football for the West of Scotland, was a member of both the Helensburgh and Greenock cricket clubs and a keen golfer.
He was employed by Estancias of Corbett in Argentina as a ship’s store merchant before returning to enlist in the Scottish Horse in 1914 and then commissioned to the Gordon Highlanders.
Hedley died, killed by machine gun fire, aged 32 years.

Published in 1916-17
Tuesday, 16 June 2020 12:18 Written by

Alexander Laird

Argylls

1st. Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial, St Andrew Church Roll of Honour and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 6.

The family home was at 122, East Princes Street, Helensburgh. The son of John Laird (tailor) and Catherine Laird.

Alexander Laird was born in Aberdeen and moved to Helensburgh where his father was a tailor.
He was employed as a plumber with the firm of Crawfords in Helensburgh before he enlisted.
He was killed in action at Salonika at the age of 25. He was unmarried.

Published in 1916-17
Saturday, 13 June 2020 08:33 Written by

John Graham

2nd Canadian contingent

8th Batt. Black Watch
He is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial, the Scottish National Memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 3.

The family home was at Avoca, 9, The Avenue, Craigendoran.
The son of John Graham and Susan Ferguson Graham of 1, Central Ave, Broomhill Terrace, Partick.

John Graham was born in Glasgow and at one time lived at Avoca, Craigendoran. He served an apprenticeship with Messrs Stephen, Linthouse before serving as an engineer on the Clyde.
John emigrated to New Zealand and returned to enlist at the outbreak of war.
John died, killed in action, at the Somme. His remains were not recovered. He was aged 24.

Published in 1916-17
Friday, 12 June 2020 12:59 Written by

William Gillies

2nd Canadian contingent

2nd Canadian Contingent He is remembered with honour on the Royal Bank of Canada Roll of Honour, Park Church Roll of Honour and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 2

The family home was at The Avenue, Craigendoran, Helensburgh The son of Captain Malcolm Gillies and Mrs Catherine Gillies.
Siblings: William had one sister, Neta who was a piano teacher. A brother Lt. Malcolm Gillies served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlander and, although wounded at Loos, survived the war.

William Gillies was born in Alexandria and moved to Helensburgh where his father was the Master of the steam ship Waverley. William was employed at the Union Bank of Scotland for 4 years before moving to the Montreal, Quebec branch. In 1909, he became chief accountant with the Royal Bank of Canada in Vancouver. William returned to fight for his home country, firstly with the 29th Batt. British Columbian Regt. and then the 2nd Canadian Contingent.
William died at the Battle of Dickebusch (Ypres), killed in action, aged 26.

Published in 1916-17

John Healy

Highland Light Infantry

16th Batt. Highland Light Infantry
He is remembered with honour on the Loos Memorial, St Joseph's Church Roll of Honour and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 1 Line 53.

Siblings:

John Healy was born in Glasgow and no connection to Helensburgh can be established although it is believed he was related to a Miss Catherine Healy who lived at 49, West King Street in the town. John died at Flanders, firstly reported missing and then confirmed killed in action.
It is reported that his residence was in Uddingston at the time of his death.

Wednesday, 06 May 2020 07:24 Written by

Walter Battison

New Zealand

New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1st Batt. Wellington Regiment.
He is remembered with honour on
the Caterpillar Valley Memorial, Somme, France, the Scottish National War Memorial, The Park Church Roll of Honour and the Helensburgh War Memorial Column 1 Line 48.

The family home was at Kilbride Farm, Row where his father farmed. After the death of her husband, Elizabeth moved to Paxtonville, 34 Montrose Street, Helensburgh, where she lived throughout the war.
The son of the late Walter and Mrs Elizabeth Battison.

Siblings: Walter had one brother, James, and two sisters, Annie and Mary.

Walter Battison was brought up on Kilbride Farm, Row Parish. It was quite a large farm employing three farm labourers and three dairymaids. Walter attended the Hermitage School, but, as the older brother took over the farm, he emigrated to New Zealand. This was some fifteen years before the outbreak of war.
He was home on a visit when war broke out and when he returned to New Zealand joined the Wellington Regiment and returned to fight for his home country.
He first served in Egypt and then France, dying at the Somme aged 38 years.

Published in 1916-17

Alexander Kirkwood Comrie

Highland Light Infantry

9th Batt. (Glasgow) Highland Light Infantry
He is remembered with honour on Scottish National War Memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 1 Line 51.

The family home was at 15, Dixon Avenue, Crosshill, Glasgow.
The son of Daniel and Agnes (nee Armour) Comrie.

Alexander Comrie was born at Fairyknowe, 30 Lomond Street, Helensburgh where his father, Daniel, was a bottled water manufacturer (The Fairy Springs) and also a Town Councillor and Baillie. He was educated at the Hermitage School and was employed as a Clerk in the Burgh Surveyors Office. The family moved to Glasgow and he enlisted at the outbreak of war.
Alexander died during the battle at the Somme, taken ill he died of peritonitis. He was only 20 years of age.
His parents had inscribed on his headstone, 'They loved not their lives unto death'.

James Carson

Quebec regiment

4th Batt. Canadian Contingent of Infantry, Quebec Regiment. He is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 1 Line 50.

The family home was at Holyrood Place, 124 West Princes Street, Helensburgh. Siblings: James had two brothers, Sergeant Jack Carson also serving and a younger brother Robert who was too young to serve.

The son of Robert and Margaret Combs Carson who ran a painting and decorating business from 71 West Clyde Street in the town.

James Carson was brought up in Helensburgh, the son of the local painter and decorator. He was educated at Hermitage School and went on to become a law apprentice in the office of Messrs George MacLachlan and Son.
He had emigrated 8 years before the war to work for the Railway Company in Canada but returned to fight for King and Country.
First reported missing, it was then confirmed he had been killed in action.
He is remembered on the Vimy Memorial - the highest point on the Vimy Ridge at Arras. The Memorial reads: 'To the Valour of their countrymen in the Great War and in Memory of their sixty thousand dead this monument is raised by the people of Canada'.