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Keith McNally
SRoH. Private Keith McInally. Home: Garden Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted December 1914, 2/5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Home Service.
Anwoth Gravestone : parents are James McNally and Mary Nelson.
Military Records : Private Keith McNally 2651 5th KOSB F Coy Territorial Force - enlisted 02/12/1914 at Dumfries.
Home - Fleet Street, Gatehouse. Aged 28 years 11 months. 5' 7½''. Good physical development. Presbyterian
Next of kin - Mrs Maggie McNally (wife), Fleet Street, Gatehouse
Formerly served with Galloway Rifles until detachment was disbanded.
30/06/1915 - transferred to 12th Scottish Prov. Battalion
Served at home 1/12/1914 to 03/03/1916
Discharge Document 07/03/1916: Pte. Keith McNally 12th Prov. Battalion 2651. Good character. Home: Fleet Street, Gatehouse.
Born Gaitgil, Borgue 20/01/1885. Father James McNally, Mother Mary Wife: Maggie Brown, married 13/12/1912 Kirkmabreck. Children - Alexander & Agnes
Fair hair, blue eyes. Woodcutter Slightly emaciated.
Medical Report 14/02/1916: Pte. Keith McNally (2651) 2/5th KOSB. Valvular Disease, Mitral for 5 years. 'Felt a nagging pain in his chest occasionally night or day. He stated that he was not 'stethoscoped' when he enlisted. Rejected for foreign draft in March last. Doing full duty until November when he became worse...saw a doctor...was sent to hospital. Never had Rheumatic Fever, had measles (in Dumfries) a year ago.
16/02/1916: Pain over chest at all times...worse at night...murmurs more resonant on any exertion. Been rested in bed...no improvement. Discharged as unfit.
1891 Anwoth Census, at Castle Cottage : Keith McNally (born c.1885 Borgue) with father James (coachman), mother Mary, 2 sisters and 4 brothers. Keith was the youngest in the family.
1901 Anwoth Census, at Boreland (of Anwoth) : Keith McNally (farm servant, born 1885 Anwoth ). (Note: Keith may not have remembered that he was born in Borgue. This was the only person with first name Keith living in Girthon or Anwoth Parishes in 1901).
1911 Anwoth Census, in Fleet Street : Keith McNally (wood cutter, born c.1885, Borgue) with father James (crofter), mother Mary and an elder sister and two brothers.
Anwoth Banns : 13th December 1912, Keith McNally, a labourer from Fleet St. Gatehouse married Maggie Brown, a servant from Kirkinner, Wigtownshire.
Gatehouse link : Born in Borgue and lived in Gatehouse.
James Neilson
SRoH. Listed in Roll of Honour as coming from Gatehouse, but no known details.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : James Neilson A & SH
James Neilson is probably a double entry for James Nelson on the Stewarrtry Roll of Honour (see James Nelson below) and is spelt wrongly on the Gatehouse War Memorial. His parents had moved to Bridge of Dee by 1921 and may not have been around to check the War Memorial inscription.
James Nelson
SRoH. Lance-Corporal James Nelson. Home: Birtwhistle Street, Gatehouse. Enlisted 1914, 10th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Served on Western Front. Wounded once and died at No. 10 General Hospital, Rouen.
Balmaghie War Memorial inscription : Pte. J. Nelson A & S Highlrs
Balmaghie Parish Church Roll of Honour : James Nelson, Bridge of Dee.
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Died of wounds in France 25/04/1918.
see John Neilson above for Anwoth & Girthon.
Girthon Gravestone : … Also James Nelson, son of John and Mary S. (née Johnston). James died of wounds received in the war 1918, aged 33 years.
CWGC : Private James Nelson S/7570 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (10th Battalion). Died 30/08/1918 (aged 33). Buried St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France Grave: Q.V.C.2 . Parents: John & Mary Nelson, Bridge of Dee, Castle Douglas. James was a native of Gatehouse.
Scottish War Memorial website : Private (S/7570) James Nelson, Argyll & Southern Highlanders. Enlisted 1914. Died of wounds 30/08/1918 at No 10 General Hospital Rouen, France, aged 33.
1891 Girthon Census, at Birtwhistle St. : James Nelson (5, born Gatehouse) with father John (41, coachman) & mother Mary (39) + 3 siblings.
1901 Morton Census (Dumfriesshire), Hayfield Cottage : James Nelson (15, groom, born Gatehouse) with father John (51, coachman) and mother (49) + 1 younger brother.
ScotlandsPeople Index : 1885 in Anwoth, Kirkcudbrightshire birth of James Nelson.
Born 1885 at Gatehouse of Fleet (Girthon). Parents John & Mary Nelson, later of Bridge of Dee, Balmaghie.
The James Neilson entry in the Roll of Honour , and the Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial inscription are probably both references to James Nelson.
Note : There is a difference between the dates quoted on the Balmaghie Church RoH (25th April 1918) and on the CWGC / SWM websites (30th August 1918).
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse.
John Nelson
SRoH. Driver John Nelson. Home: Nelson Square, Gatehouse. (actually Neilson Sq.).
Mobilised 5th August 1914, 1st Kirkcudbrightshire Battery Royal Field Artillery.
Served on Western Front (Messines Ridge). - from May 1917 to October 1917.
Wounded at Messines Ridge. - (shrapnel wounds to chest & both legs)
Military Records : Re-enlisted 15th April 1916 in 1/2 Lowland Brigade as a driver (No. 8709).
Address Barwhill Cottage, Gatehouse.
Next of kin Mrs John Nelson, Barwhill Cottage.
He was a plumber & unmarried.
Aged 22 years & 300 days (born 1894).
A bounty of £15 paid 17th August 1916.
In October 1916 he was a gunner with the 41st Division Artillery Co.(Royal Field Artillery).
1901 Girthon Census, Birtwhistle Street : John Nelson (7, born Gatehouse) with grandparents William & Jane McLellan and mother Elizabeth Nelson (whose husband was away at sea) + brothers Tom (4) & William (13).
1911 Girthon Census, Birtwhistle Street : John Nelson (17, apprentice plumber, born Gatehouse) with widowed grandfather William McLellan, mother Elizabeth Nelson + brother Thomas M.(14). Mother was married 20 years.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 05/10/1917: John Nelson, RFA, son of Mrs Nelson, Neilson Square, Gatehouse, has been wounded in the side and leg and is in hospital in France.
Info. ex son Jack Nelson : John’s brothers Thomas & William were both killed 1915 by the same shell. John found out about the death of his brothers from a newspaper report (Kirkcudbright Advertiser?) while he was still abroad. He was sent home on compassionate leave. Whilst at home he sent his uniform to the cleaners. Someone saw him walking around Gatehouse without a uniform, reported him and he was ordered back on duty.
His mother wrote to the army in Jan.1918 asking that John be sent home as he was her only surviving son – police enquiry about the position of the family.
When he was discharged in 1919 he was a signaller. He received a Victory Medal (sent to Neilson Square) and a pension of 8/-.
Nelson family tree : John’s father was John Cooper Nelson who emigrated to Australia – presumably intending that his wife and family would follow him. They never did, and the family believed he had been lost at sea. John C. Nelson actually died in New Guinea where he was a pearl trader.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
Thomas Nelson
SRoH. Private Thomas Nelson. Home: Ontario, Canada. Born in Gatehouse. Enlisted 19th February 1915, 18th Battalion Canadian Infantry. Served on Western Front (Ypres). Killed 13th September 1915.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Tom Nelson Canadians.
Girthon Church Memorial : T. Nelson Canadians
Girthon Gravestone : … Thomas aged 18 years Pte Canadian Forces, killed in action in France 13th Octr 1915. Mother: Bessie Nelson.
CWGC : Private T. Nelson 54356 Canadian Infantry 18th Battalion Died 13/10/1915
Buried Ridge Wood Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.Grave 11.1.4
1901 Girthon Census, Birtwhistle Street : Tom Nelson (4, born Gatehouse) with grandparents, William & Jane McLellan and mother Elizabeth Nelson (whose husband was away at sea) + brothers John (7) & William (13).
1911 Girthon Census, Birtwhistle Street : Thomas M Nelson (14, born Gatehouse) with widowed grandfather William McLellan, mother Elizabeth Nelson + brother John (17). Mother had been married 20 years.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 29/10/1915 :‘Mrs Nelson, Barwhill Cottage, Gatehouse desires to express her sincere thanks to her numerous friends for their sincere sympathies extended to her in her recent sad bereavement and great loss’
Ex Jack Nelson, grand nephew : Thomas emigrated to Canada before the war. He and his brother William were both killed by the same shell.
Nelson family tree : Thomas’ father was John Cooper Nelson who emigrated to Australia – presumably intending that his wife and family would follow him. They never did, and the family believed he had been lost at sea. John C. Nelson actually died in New Guinea where he was a pearl trader.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
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