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James Caig
SRoH. Private James Caig. Home: Gatehouse-of-Fleet.
Enlisted March 1916, Gordon Highlanders.
Served on Western Front. Wounded at Beaumont Hamel. (Fractured skull)
Died in 44th Casualty Clearing Station, Puchevillers 14th November 1916.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : James Caig G.H.
Anwoth Church Memorial : James Caig Gordons
Borgue Gravestone: ...also James, his only son, died of wounds 14th November 1916, aged 29 years, interred at Puchbillers. Father: John Caig. Mother: Margaret Marshall. Home: Bruachmore, Gatehouse.
CWGC : Private J. Caig, S/11589 Gordon Highlanders (1st Battalion)
Died 14/11/1916. Buried Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme France. Grave: VI.A.30
Military Records – No. S/11589 Gordon Highlanders. Home: Brewery Cottage, Gatehouse. Joined when 28yrs & 3 months in 1916. He was a rabbit catcher.
Height 5’ 10½’’ & weight 168lbs. Father: Mr John Caig, gamedealer (aged 63)
Sister Helen Caig was a military nurse.
(Bruachmore and Brewery Cottage are next to each other at Brewery Brae, Gatehouse)
1891 Rerrick census, at Stockmoss Cottage : James (3, born Rerrick, Kirkcudbrightshire) with father John (gamekeeper) and mother Maggie, Rerrick + 2 sisters, Nellie & Agnes.
1901 Rerrick census, at Stockmoss Cottage : James Caig (13, born Rerrick) with father John (gamekeeper) and mother Margaret.
1911 Anwoth census, Fleet Street : James Caig (23, rabbit catcher, born Rerrick) with father John Caig (rabbit dealer) and wife Janet (born Perthshire).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 1st December 1916 : Mr John Caig, game dealer, Gatehouse has learned unofficially that his son, James Caig, Gordon Highlanders, was severely wounded on 13th November. Another Gatehouse lad, who saw his comrade carried off the field, conveyed the news in a letter home.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 8th December 1916 : Last week, Mr John Caig, Brewery Cottage, Gatehouse received official information that his son Private James Caig. of the Gordon Highlanders, had died of his wounds in hospital.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 15th December 1916 : a photo of Gatehouse soldier Private Jas. Craig of the Gordon Highlanders. We know of no soldier called James Craig from Gatehouse, although there was a William Craig and a James Craik. However, James Caig was wounded and later died of his wounds in November 1916, so we believe that this is a photo of James Caig not James Craig.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 16th November 1917: In Memoriam 'In loving memory of my son Private James Caig, Gordon Highlanders, who died of wounds in France on 14th November 1916.' Inserted by father John Caig, Brewery Cottage, Gatehouse.
Note: James & Helen's mother Margaret Marshall died in 1905 at Earlston, Borgue.(Borgue gravestone)
See family details for Helen Caig above.
Gatehouse link : Lived in Gatehouse.
Alexander Stewart Campbell
SRoH. Not in Stewartry Roll of Honour. First identified ex newspaper article (below).
Girthon Gravestone : Grandmother Jane Telfer (née Carnochan) died in 1898, mother Mary Telfer died in 1899, and father Alexr. S Campbell died in 1924.
Rev. Alexander Stewart Campbell died in 1966 (aged 79).
Medal Index Card : Campbell, Alexander S. Pte R.A.M.C. 43355. Awarded Victory, British War & 15 Star medals. Entered war 20.1.15 in France.
Military Medal Award : Private Alexander S. Campbell 43355. Royal Army Medical Corps. 16 Fd. Amb. Batt.
1891 Girthon Census, High Street : Alexander Campbell (4, born Girthon), with father Alexander (blacksmith), mother Mary, sister Jane and grandmother Jane Telfer.
1901 Girthon Census, High Street : Alexander S. Campbell (14, born Girthon) with widowed father Alexander S. Campbell (blacksmith) and sister Jean.
1911 Anwoth Census, Bridge Terrace : Alexander Stewart Campbell (24, student of theology, born Girthon) with widowed father Alexander Stewart Campbell (retired blacksmith).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 25 June 1915: Provost Campbell, Gatehouse, has received a parcel from his son, the Rev A S Campbell who is in the ranks of the RAMC., a souvenir from France in the shape of the oil pump from a German aeroplane which dropped bombs, killing 17 people at Hazelbrouck, and was afterwards brought down at St Omer.
1921 Unveiling of War Memorial : “Gatehouse and District Gold Medal for Gallantry”
Scotlands People Index : Birth of Alexander Stewart Campbell 1886 Girthon.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
David Campbell
SRoH. No details in Stewartry Roll of Honour.
Identified from Military Records on Ancestry.co.uk after searching for ‘Girthon’.
Military Records. Private. No 44498 Home: Boreland of Girthon.
Served with Labour Corps (363 Reserve Employment Coy.) – aged 37 (born c.1880)
He was 5’ 10’’ tall with blue eyes & brown hair. He was single & a self employed farmer.
Served in France March 1917 to August 1917.
Discharged 29th Nov 1917 as ‘no longer physically fit for active service’. He suffered from a hernia and also bronchitis (claimed he had TB as a child but no TB found)
His Pension Claim states ‘His conduct has been good. His disability has been aggravated by active service’
Not in any Girthon or Anwoth census, but Military records say he lived at Boreland of Girthon.
Discharged from Army on 29th Nov 1917 aged 37y 8m, so born c. May 1880.
Served 281 days so enlisted c. 21st Feb 1917. Was a farmer.
Birth on 31st May 1880 at Chapelton, Borgue is a distinct possibility but by no means proven.
Gatehouse link : Lived at Boreland of Girthon.
William Campbell
SRoH. In Stewartry Roll of Honour but no details.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Wm. Campbell Lieut. R.F.A.
CWGC : There is only one Lieut. William Campbell in the Royal Field Artillery in the CWGC database. He was born in Perthshire, the son of David & Isabella A.Campbell. He was killed in action 6th July 1917 aged 26. Grave in Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Father David was dead in 1917 and mother Isabella had moved to 31 Finglas Road, Glasnevin, Dublin.
This William Campbell was also a Lieutenant 2nd Squadron Royal Flying Corps.
There is no mention of Gatehouse.
Military Papers : Register of Soldiers Effects, Lieut.W. Campbell (27889) of R.F.A. & R.F.C., killed in action 06/07/1917. No listed association with Gatehouse.
1901 Anwoth Census, Fleet Street, 10 yr old William John Campbell with widowed mother Jessie (washerwoman) and 3 other children. This is the only William Campbell of the correct sort of age in Anwoth or Girthon in 1901. The same family were at Kirkmabreck in 1891. Father given as William Campbell, gardener.
Gatehouse link : No reference known other than the War Memorial..
Alexander Carswell
SRoH. In Stewartry Roll of Honour but no details.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Alexr. Carswell S.MJR Canadians.
Anwoth Church Memorial: C.S.M. Alexander H. Carswell Canadians
CWGC : Alexander Hannay Carswell. Pte. 192459 Canadian Infantry. Killed Saturday April 7th 1917. On Vimy Memorial.
British Army Short Attestation, 26th Feb. 1896: Alexander Carswell 5010 Border Regiment. Born 1878 Anwoth. Aged 18y 1 month. School teacher. Discharged 22 May 1896 on payment of £10 within 3 months of enlistment. Father - Thomas Carswell 25 Catherine Street, Maryport. Younger brother - Albert Carswell, same address.
Canadian Attestation 25/08/1915 at Toronto : Alexander Hannay Carswell, born Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. Date of birth - July 13th 1878. Next of kin Ellen Jane Carswell (wife), 87 Rawlinson Ave., Toronto. Trade - clerk.
Served in army before: 1895-96 Pte. Galloway Rifles (Territorials); 1898 Pte. 3D. Lanark Territorials; 1904-10 Sgt. & Instructor Liverpool Scottish.
Age 37 yrs 1 month. 5'10½''. Fair complexion, brown eyes, brown hair. Tattoos: left forearm - picture of a dancing girl. Right forearm - butterfly. Presbyterian.
Canadian Great War Project : Alexander Hannay Carswell 192459 15th Canadian Infantry. Birth - July 13 1878. Died in war, unknown cause April 7 1917. Buried Vimy Memorial, France.
1881 Maryport Census, Cumberland : Agnes Carswell (seaman’s wife) with Alexander H. (aged 2) and a daughter.
1891 Anwoth Census : Alexr H. Carswell (born c. 1878, Anwoth) living in Fleet St., Gatehouse, with mother Agnes Carswell + 3 siblings.
1901 Wallasay Census, Cheshire : Alexander Carswell, clerk, (aged 24, born Scotland) with wife Nellie (aged 24, born Ireland) and Nellie’s siblings Jack & Lizzie Moore.
1911 Anwoth Census : Alexander's mother Agnes Carswell still living in Fleet Street with daughter Agnes. She was a refreshment purveyor.
Toronto Star Newspaper May 15th 1917 gives home address as 93 Erskine Avenue Toronto. It says Alexander had a wife, 3 daughters and a son.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 3rd August 1917: Death of Coy. Sergeant-Major A.H. Carswell, Highlanders of Canada who was killed in action 7th April (1917). He was in his 39th year. He was the eldest son of Mrs. Carswell, late of Gatehouse.
Birth Certificate : Born 13/07/1878 Fleet Street, Gatehouse (Anwoth) as John Carswell.
Father: Thomas Carswell (merchant seaman) Mother: Agnes Hannay or Messenger. Birth registered by the father. On 02/09/1878 an official change (authorised by the minister of the United Presbyterian Church) changed John’s name to Alexander Hannay Carswell.
Parents Marriage : 20th December 1875 at Fleet St. Anwoth, Thomas Carswell (21, merchant seaman) & Agnes Messenger (18). Agnes' parents given as Joseph Messenger, seaman, ( reputed father) & Elizabeth Hannay.
Marriage : Alexander married Ellen Jane Moore in Q1 1901 at Ballycastle, County Antrim, Ireland.
Find My Past: 1910 : Alexander Carswell, his wife Ellen and 4 children sailed from Liverpool to Montreal.
Alexander & Ellen had 4 children in Birkenhead: John Alexander (1901), Peggy (1903), Nora Patricia (1904) and Elizabeth (1907). The family sailed from Liverpool to Quebec Canada in 1910.
In August 1915 he enlisted with the 92nd Battalion Canadians (part of the 48th Highlanders of Canada) in Toronto with the rank of Sergeant Major. On arrival in England he reverted to the rank of Private so that he could join the 15th Battalion, Canadian Infantry and go to war in France. (ex Ken Morrison)
Gatehouse link : Born in Fleet Street, parents married in Anwoth.
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