Thomas Docherty

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 12

Thomas Docherty

Argylls

8th Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 1 Line 52.

The family home was at 23, East Princes Street The son of Thomas Docherty, journeyman mason (deceased) and Mary Johnston, domestic servant, (unmarried).
Thomas Docherty was born in Helensburgh and marked on his birth certificate as illegitimate. Thomas was brought up by his paternal grandmother at 23, East Princes Street in the town. After leaving school, he trained as an upholsterer and moved to Glasgow where he married and was bringing up one small child at Flemington Street, Springburn when called to serve.
Thomas died of wounds received in battle, he was 33 years of age.

Matthew [Mathew] Freer Rodger

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 12

Matthew [Mathew] Freer Rodger

Scottish Rifles

2nd Batt. Scottish Rifles
He is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial, St Columba’s Church Roll of Honour, Larchfield School Memorial, Merchiston Castle School memorial, Corpus Christi Oxford Roll of Honour and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 18.

The family home was Rossland, 19, East Montrose Street, Helensburgh. The son of Campbell and Catherine Rodger.
Siblings: Mathew had one older brother, Patrick.
Mathew Rodger was born in Helensburgh and brought up in the town, where his father was a clay pipe manufacturer. He was educated at Miss Johnston's School, Larchfield Academy and Merchiston Castle School, where he was Captain of the school. He attained a B.A. in Greats at Corpus Christi College, Oxford where he was captain of rugby and rowed for the college at Henley. He also studied at Freiburg University and was awarded a BA LLB at Edinburgh in 1911, being admitted as a Writer to the Signet in the same year, later working for Carmichael and Miller WS. He was a keen sportsman enjoying rugby, gymnastics, shooting and sailing off the West Coast.
Mathew was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in September 1914 and left for France in May 1915. He was killed in action successfully taking a German trench near Le Transloy, aged 30 years. His remains were not recovered.
Matthew was married to his fiancée Nell after his death by a decree of declatory of marriage. He had been unbale to obtain leave to return to marry her and Nell gave birth to their son a week after Matthew’s death.

John Hamilton Ross

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 13

John Hamilton Ross

Royal Naval Reserve

Royal Navy
He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial, Helensburgh and Gareloch Unionist Association Roll of Honour, St Columba’s Church memorial and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 19.

The family home was at Canton Cottage, 5 Suffolk Street, Helensburgh The son of Oliphant and Minnie Ross
Siblings: John had five brothers, James, who served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, David, Oliphant, Thomas and Adam.
John Ross was born in Govan and moved with his family to Helensburgh at a young age, where his father was a boot and shoe agent.
On leaving school he became an apprentice shoemaker. He joined the Royal Navy in early 1916.
John worked as a seaman and in communications. He died in an explosion on board HMS Daybreak and was buried at Archangel, Russia, with full military honours. He was 21 years of age.

Albert W. Smith

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 15

Albert W. Smith

Highland Light Infantry

9th Batt. Highland Light Infantry
He is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 20.

The family home was 73, East Clyde Street, Helensburgh The son of Alfred and Esther Smith of St. John's, Poplar Avenue, Bishopton.
Siblings: Albert had one brother, Frederick and two sisters, Margaret and Mabel.

Albert Smith was born in Helensburgh and educated at Hermitage Higher Grade School. The family then moved to Erskine and Albert was employed as a bank clerk in Paisley. Albert was hospitalised in October of 1915 with the effects of gas poisoning but returned to the front. He died, killed in action, at the Somme, aged 23 years. His remains were not recovered.
His brother Frederick, died in January 1919.
Their names were added to the memorial by their sister, Margaret, who was employed as a cashier in Helensburgh.

Hugh Todd

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 11

Hugh Todd

Royal Engineers

17th Div. Royal Engineers. Inland Water Transport Batt
He is remembered with honour on the Scottish National War Memorial and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 21.

The family home was 42, East King Street, Helensburgh. The son of James (master slater) and Agnes Todd (nee Rice).
Siblings:  Hugh had one brother, James, who did not serve. Andrew and Robert both served in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and survived the war.

 Hugh Todd was born at 15, William Street and brought up in Helensburgh, where his father was a master slater.
He enlisted in Royal Engineers and served in the Inland Waterways Transport Batt., responsible for transporting the wounded to the coast to be sent home.
Hugh was admitted to hospital with pneumonia on the 3rd of April. His father was summoned to his bedside at the military hospital in France but arrived too late. He died on the 21st of April. He was 28 years of age.
His gravestone inscription reads: 'Dearly loved, sadly missed'.

Patrick Welsh

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 14

Patrick Welsh

Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers

Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
He is remembered with honour on St Joseph’s Church Memorial (Walsh), and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 23..

 



  

Patrick Welsh has been difficult to trace with certainty. The family home was Belfast?
His entry in the Helensburgh Roll of Honour identifies Private Patrick Welsh, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, died April 1916. He is recorded on the cenotaph as Private Patrick Welsh, but a Patrick Walsh is named on the St Joseph’s memorial plaque.
The only Patrick Welsh / Walsh of the RIF who died in April 1916 served as a Lance Corporal in the 7th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and died fighting at Loos. His next of kin is a Mrs M Wylie of Falls Road, Belfast.
Local newspaper reports say Patrick was wounded first in June 1915 and then again on the 21st February 1916, and that he had died in April that year.

James Alistair White

Details
Category: 1916-17
Hits: 10

James Alistair White

29th canadian infantry

29th Batt. Canadian Infantry
He is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial, the Park Church Roll of Honour and Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 24.

The family home was 122, East Princes Street, Helensburgh. The son of Lewis White (gardener) and Mary White
Siblings:  James had two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth.

James White was brought up in Helensburgh, where his father was a gardener. He followed his father's trade and on leaving school became a gardener at Moorpark, Cardross before emigrating to Canada. He married Catherine White and lived at 330, 8th Avenue East, Vancouver, where they were bringing up two children.
He enlisted in the Canadian Infantry to return and fight for his country. James died, killed in action, at Vimy Ridge. He was 33 years old.
His remains were not recovered

  1. William McDonald Argylls

Page 4 of 5