| George Morton |
|
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Picture of Capt. Morton: |
Captain
abt. 1882, Glasgow, Lanarkshire
13 July 1915, Gallipoli
5th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
Helles Memorial, Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Son of George and Janet Morton, nee Wilson.
© IWM (HU 125953) |
The following text extract was taken from
"The Fifth Battalion Highland Infantry in the War 1914-1918"
Please click here for the full text.
Printed for Private Circulation by MacLehose, Jackson and Co., Glasgow
Publishers to the University, 1921
. . . At this stage, through some misunderstanding, two machine guns arrived from another unit in response to a verbal message passed back through the crowded trenches asking for "a machine gun in a hurry."
The enemy had all along been using grenades freely, and very soon after the arrival of the machine guns a vigorous counter-attack was pushed against our narrow front under cover of a perfect hail of bombs. Sec.-Lieut. J.W. Malcolm, who was with our most advanced party and had been handling his men coolly and steadying them by a splendid example of courage and endurance, was killed.
Simultaneously with his fall one of the machine guns was disabled and put out of action. The men, deprived of their leader, gave back about 20 yards, leaving the machine gun behind, while the Turks pushed on still under cover of a storm of bombs, to which our men could not reply as they had not been issued with grenades.
For a time the situation was critical. It looked as if "A" Company were to be driven back and the trench lost. But they soon steadied down to hold on. The Turkish grenade had a fuse which burns for 8 to 10 seconds; it therefore rarely explodes until some seconds after it has fallen. Recognising this, some of our bolder spirits began to pick up and throw back the enemy's grenades. Pte. J. Melrose and Corporal A.R. Kelly were amongst the first to attempt this and their example was quickly followed by others. It was a deadly dangerous game, for it was impossible to tell how long any fuse had still to burn and the grenade might explode at any moment, but though several men were killed and wounded in this way, the survivors persisted bravely and the Turkish advance was effectually checked. Their bombing slackened off gradually and it became possible to hold on until the R.E. came up and erected a barricade across the trench.
While this was transpiring word of the loss of the machine-guns had gone back. Captain Morton heard of the incident and decided to make an effort to recover them. Having collected a small party of six or eight volunteers, he climbed out of the trench and worked his way along the open ground beside it, making a slight detour apparently with the intention of rushing the guns from the flank. Dusk was now turning to darkness and those who were in the trench were unable to see what actually happened. The little party evidently came under heavy fire before they were in a position to make the rush. One or two got back unhurt; one (Private Cleugh) mortally wounded, staggered into the trench just in front of the barricade which was being erected, and was brought in only to die; of Captain Morton and the others nothing more was seen. One can only hope that their deaths came quickly and that they were mercifully spared the lingering torture of waiting wounded for succour which could not be rendered. It was a splendid plucky effort, which might well have succeeded, and, though it did not succeed, it at least failed gloriously. . . |
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| Hector William McJannet |
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Captain
abt. 1893
28 October 1918
25
"C" Bty. 261st Bde. Royal Field Artillery
Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Only son of Frederick William and Margaret McIntyre McJannet,
of Southwood, Monkton, Ayrshire.
Born at Glasgow. |
| John Ross Devine |
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Lieutenant
Military Cross
26 August 1917
15th Bn. Royal Scots
Thiepval Memorial, France
|
| The "People's Journal" on 15 September 1917: Lieut. J. Ross Devine, M. C., Royal Scots, (killed). - The deceased officer joined up the first week of the war, and served five months as a Private in the Scottish Horse. He was granted a commission in the Royal Scots, with which regiment he had seen much active service. He was stationed at Dundee for a short period in the early part of last year. Lieut. Devine, who was 25 years of age, belonged to Ayrshire, but had been out in Egypt for some years. He was awarded the Military Cross early in the year, and was also mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatches. A Captain of the Headquarter's staff, to which Lieut. Devine was attached as a bombing officer, in a letter to his friends in Dundee says: - "It has been a very great loss to us that Ross Devine should have been killed. He died fighting gallantly, four dead Germans being found round him. He was a gallant soldier and popular with all of us, who appreciated his great worth and sterling qualities to the full." |
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| William McDougall |
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Lance Corporal
Military Medal
QoSH
|
| William Briggs |
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Private
7151
abt. 1890
17 August 1915
25
1st/5th Bn. Royal Scots Fusilliers
Helles Memorial, Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Son of Thomas and Robina Briggs,
of Cemetery Cottage, Troon, Ayrshire. |
A newspaper reported on September 10, 1915:
KILLED IN ACTION - PRIVATE WM BRIGGS, TROON
Mr Thomas Briggs, Lochgreen, Troon, received a letter this week from Captain J. B. Cook, officer commanding D Company, 1/5th Royal Scots Fusiliers, informing him of the death of Private William Briggs, 1/5th R. S. F., at the Dardanelles, while the company occupied the firing line on 17th August.
Referring to Private Briggs the Captain says in the letter "He did his part manfully and uncomplainingly gave up his life for King and country. We, his comrades who are left, trust some measure of comfort will come to you from this knowledge, and we join in offering our sincere sympathy with your sorrow"
Private Briggs, who before the war, was a blacksmith in the shipyard at Troon, was formerly a member of the Troon Territorial Company, from which he retired after serving four years. He re-enlisted on 5th August of last year, was 25 years of age and was the eldest son of the family. As a golfer he was well-known, being a scratch player of the Troon Portland Club and during his membership he won most of the principal prizes in the club. Two years ago, at the opening of Dundonald Golf Club at Gailes, when the members of the Portland Golf Club lifted practically the whole of the prizes in the open competition then held, W. Briggs returned the best score. He was a very popular member of the Portland Club and regularly took part in the competitions, and his death is deeply deplored by fellow members. |
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| George Campbell |
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Private
Highland Light Infantry
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| William Coulter |
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Driver
T4/083183
abt. 1889
06 April 1918
29
10th Div. Train, attd. H. Q. Army Service Corps
Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Husband of Ann Jane Coulter,
of Loan, Troon, Ayrshire. |
| James Cowan |
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Private
17398
abt. 1895
14 July 1916
21
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
CWGC: "D" Coy. 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers
attd. 1st Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
Thiepval Memorial, France
Son of James and Willie Minna McClounie Cowan,
of 74, North Shore Rd., Troon, Ayrshire. |
| George Napier Kane |
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Private
49408
abt. 1899
07 October 1918
19
13th Bn. Royal Scots
Houchin British Cemetery, France
Son of Edward and Margaret Kane,
of Scullochflat, Loans, Troon, Ayrshire. |
| Andrew Kerr (Probably) |
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Private
8845
12 July 1915
1st/4th Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
Helles Memorial, Turkey (including Gallipoli)
|
| Alexander MacTaggart (Probably) |
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Trooper (CWGC: Private)
3166
27 July 1916
Ayrshire Yeomanry
CWGC: 8th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Dernacourt Communal Cemetery, France
|
| George McCririck |
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Trooper (CWGC: Private)
295220
27 December 1917
12th (Ayr and Lanark Yeomanry) Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
|
| John H. McLean |
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Private
Highland Light Infantry
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| Thomas Moir |
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Acting Bombardier
23003
abt. 1891
11 March 1917
26
H. Q. 71st Bde. Royal Field Artillery
Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France
Son of Thomas and Janet Moir,
of South Queensferry, West Lothian. |
| George Munro |
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Private
242006
abt. 1880
17 June 1917
37
2nd/6th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
Oldcastle Cemetery, Co. Meath, Republic of Ireland
Husband of Mary Hyslop Munro,
of 70, Crosbie Rd., Troon, Ayrshire. |
| Thomas Murphy |
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Private
53070
abt. 1899
21 June 1918
19
13th Bn. Royal Scots
Arras Memorial, France
Son of James and Margaret Lynch Murphy,
of Muirhead, Troon, Ayrshire. |
| Duncan Ritchie |
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Private
13706
abt. 1896
31 July 1917
21
6th/7th Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium
Son of John and Annie Ritchie,
of Crossburn Cottages, Loans, Troon, Ayrshire. |
| Thomas Turner |
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Private
20765
13 November 1916
1st Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
Thiepval Memorial, France
|
| Robert William Caldwell |
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Private
3132837
abt. 1919
13 January 1942
23
2nd Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Singapore Memorial, Singapore
Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Caldwell,
of Loans, Ayrshire. |
| Thomas Fullarton |
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Sergeant
745234
abt. 1918
23 April 1941
23
55 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Son of Robert and Janet Fullarton,
of Loans, Ayrshire. |
| A. Johnstone |
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Gunner
Ayrshire Yeomanry
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| William Kilpatrick |
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Lance Corporal
T/129533
abt. 1916
03 June 1942
26
113 Gen. Transport Coy. Royal Army Service Corps
Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Son of William and Elizabeth Kilpatrick,
of Loans, Ayrshire. |
| James Richmond |
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Company Serjeant-Major
CWGC: Warrant Officer Class II (Drill Serjeant)
2692726
Distinguished Conduct Medal
abt. 1906
06 March 1943
37
2nd Bn. Scots Guards
Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia
Son of James and Jane Patterson Smith Richmond,
of Loans, Ayrshire. |
| Joseph Patrick O'Donnell |
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Gunner
322856
abt. 1923
17 July 1945
22
152 (The Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regt. Royal Artillery
Klagenfurt War Cemetery, Austria
Son of Charles and Lucy E. R. Murgatroyd O'Donnell,
of Troon, Ayrshire. |
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