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James Murray
SRoH. Gunner James Murray. No home address given.
Enlisted November 1914, Royal Field Artillery. Served on Western Front.
Wounded twice & died of his wounds May 1917.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : James Murray R.F.A.
Anwoth Church Memorial : Gunner James Murray RFA
Kells War Memorial : Gunner James Murray R.F.A.
CWGC : Gunner James Murray (104629) Royal Field Artillery. 21st Battalion, 2nd Brigade. Died 02/05/1917 (aged 29). Buried Noeux-Les-Mines, Pas de Calais, France. Father John Murray Mother Agnes Dempster.
Wife Mary Johnston of Forrest Lodge, Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire.
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : James Murray, Gunner (104629) of Royal Field Artillery and Royal Horse Artilley. Died of his wounds 22/05/1917.
1891 Straiton Census, at Little Barbeth : James Murray (3, born Straiton) with father John (40, gamekeeper), mother Agnes (43), + 2 brothers (inc. William, 12) and 1 sister.
1901 Straiton Census, at Little Barbeth : James Murray (13, born Straiton) with father John (50, gamekeeper) and mother Agnes (53 born Dalmellington) + 1 sister.
1911 Anwoth census, at Rutherford Cottage, James Murray (23, gamekeeper, born Straiton). He was a boarder with the Mitchell family.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1st June 1917 : Gunner James Murray died 22/05/1917. He had been a gamekeeper at Anwoth and later Kelburn. Husband of Mary Johnston and youngest son of John Murray, Forrest Lodge, Dalry.
D&G Standard 1917 : James had been the gamekeeper on the Kirkdale Estate (Kirkmabreck) and later at the Kelburn Estate, Ayrshire. His wife Mary Johnston was from Kelburn Castle, Fairlie, Largs, Ayrshire.
ScotlandsPeople Index : 1914 marriage of James Murray to Mary Johnston at Largs.
Gatehouse link : Born Straiton, but was gamekeeper at Anwoth and Kirkdale.
James McMillan Murray
SRoH. Second-Lieutenant James McMillan Murray. Home: Mile End, Gatehouse. Enlisted February 1915, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
Served on Western Front (Somme & Arras).
Killed in action near Croisilles 23rd June 1917. Promoted from Private.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse : James McM. Murray Sec.Lieut. S.R.
The Glasgow High School Memorial : 'The Old Boys of the High School of Glasgow who in the Great War laid down their lives in the service of their country': James McMillan Murray.
Girthon & Anwoth Free Church : 2nd Lt. James McMillan Murray, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Girthon Gravestone : ….and.their son 2nd Lt. James McMillan 5th Bt. The Cameronians, killed in action, 24th June 1917, aged 21 years. Father: James Murray, Mother Mary Baird, of Mile End, Gatehouse.
CWGC : 2nd Lieut. James McMillan Murray, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 8th Battalion. Died 24/06/1917 (aged 21). Buried Croisilles British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave I.F.8 Parents: John & Mary Murray, Mile End, Gatehouse.
1901 Girthon Census, at Mile-End : James McM.Murray (5, born Gatehouse) with father James (35, joiner), mother Mary (38) + brother Robert (7).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 29th July 1917 : Report of the death of James McMillan Murray. James had been partly educated at Glasgow High School. He worked in a chartered accountant's office. Enlisted as a Private in the Cameronians in 1915 and received a commission 17/07/1916 with the Cameronians. He went to France in October 1916 and fell leading a raiding party on the 23/24th June 1917. He was 22 years old. He had been on leave 2 weeks before he was killed.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 12th August 1921 : Unveiling of Gatehouse War Memorial. Wreath laid by: ‘Mr and Mrs James Murray, in loving memory’
James’ brother Robert also fought in the war, and he survived.
Gatehouse link : Born and educated in Gatehouse before completing his education in Glasgow.
Jas. Murray
SRoH. Listed in Roll of Honour (as a soldier from Gatehouse) but no known details.
Note: There are 4 James Murray’s with a Gatehouse association on the Stewartry Roll of Honour. One was a gunner born Straiton in 1888. One had a middle name McMillan who was born Gatehouse 1896. One, a private, lived in Digby Street when he enlisted. The fourth is merely identified as ‘Jas. Murray, Gatehouse’.
1901 Girthon Census : There is a 5 year old James McM Murray at Mile End, and an 8 year old James at Boreland Cottages. There were no James Murray’s in Anwoth.
1911 Census : There was a 45 year old James Murray in Girthon and one of 47 years in Anwoth – these can probably be discounted on the basis of age. A James Murray (23, born Straiton) was living at Rutherford Cottage, Anwoth.
Robert Murray
SRoH. Sergeant Robert Murray. Home: Mile End, Gatehouse.
Enlisted February 1915, Royal Army Medical Corps.
Served at Gallipoli (Sulva Bay), Egypt & East Africa. Awarded 1914-15 Star.
Girthon Gravestone : James Murray was Robert’s father. Mother was Mary Baird of Mile End, Gatehouse.
1901 Girthon Census, at Mile End : Robert Murray (7, born Gatehouse) with father James (35, joiner) and mother Mary (38) + brother James McM (5).
1911 Girthon Census, on the Mail Road (probably Mile End) : Robert Murray (17, chemist’s assistant, born Gatehouse) with father James (45, joiner) and mother Mary (48).
Note: The Mail Road refers to the same stretch of road where Mile End is situated. It is now called Woodside Terrace.
Robert’s brother James McMillan Murray was killed in 1917.
Gatehouse link : Born and raised in Gatehouse.
William Murray
SRoH. Lance-Corporal & Musketry Instructor William Murray.
Home: Kirkdale, Gatehouse. Enlisted November 1915. Gordon Highlanders.
Home Service.
1891 Straiton Census : at Little Barbeth, William Murray (12, born Dalmellington) with father John (40, gamekeeper) and mother Agnes (43)+ William’s brother James (3, born Straiton) & 2 other siblings. James later became a gamekeeper on the Kirkdale estate near Gatehouse.
1911 Girthon & Anwoth Censuses : The only William Murray was 8 years old.
1911 Kirkmabreck Census (parish containing Kirkdale) :No William Murray
Gunner James Murray had a brother called William who was 9 years his senior.
Soldier William Murray enlisted in 1915. If the two references are to the same person then William would have been about 37 when he enlisted. This could explain why he only saw Home Service. It might also explain why William gave his home address as Kirkdale - James was gamekeeper at Kirkdale.
Gatehouse link : Brother James worked as gamekeeper at Kirkdale.
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