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Walter Coats McMurray
SRoH. Trooper Walter C McMurray. Ayrshire Yeomanry.
N.B. Walter McMurray is the only one of 5 McMurray brothers who fought in the war and whose name does not appear in the final Stewartry Roll of Honour. He was also the only one of the 5 whose name was on the provisional Roll of Honour published in 1914.
Castle Douglas Post Office Roll of Honour : W C McMurray (Gatehouse) , Postman, Ayr Yeomanry.
Medal Index Card : Pte. Walter C. McMurray (205544) R.S. Fus. Victory & British medals.
1881 Girthon Census, High Street : Walter C.McMurray (less than a year old, born Gatehouse) with father James (letter carrier), mother Margaret J. + 6 brothers and a sister.
1891 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Walter G McMurray (10, born Gatehouse) with father James (55, postman), mother Margaret J (46) + 6 brothers.
1901 Greenock Census, Antigua Street : Walter Coats McMurray (20, postman, born Girthon) was a boarder with the Smith family.
1911 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Walter McMurray (30, postman, born Girthon) with father James (retired postman), mother Margaret, 3 brothers, a nephew + 2 nieces.
Born c.1881 Girthon, father James McMurray, mother Margaret Jane Anderson.
Walter was married to Jane Sharpe from Girthon on 16/04/1911.
Brothers Adam, David, John, Walter and Wellwood McMurray all fought in the war and survived. Their nephew James was also a soldier but he was killed in1916.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
Wellwood McMurray
SRoH. Private Wellwood McMurray. Home: Catherine Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted June 1916, 3rd King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
Transferred to Royal Air Force. Served on Western Front.
1891 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Wellwood McMurray (7, born Gatehouse with father James (postman), mother Margaret J. + 6 brothers.
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street: Wellwood McMurray (17, apprentice watchmaker, born Girthon) with father James (retired postman), mother Margaret J. + 4 brothers.
1911 Girthon Census, Catherine Street : Wellwood McMurray (27, general ironmonger, born Girthon) with father James (retired postman), mother Margaret, 3 brothers, a nephew (James) and 2 nieces.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser October 5th 1917: In memoriam message from Wellwood McMurray R.F.C. in France in memory of his nephew Rifleman James McMurray who was killed in October 1916.
Girthon Banns: Wellwood married Elizabeth McClellan Henry on 30th July 1911 at Girthon.
Brothers Adam, David, John, Walter and Wellwood McMurray all fought in the war and survived. Their nephew James was also a soldier but he was killed in1916.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
P. McMurtrie
SRoH. Not in Stewartry Roll of Honour. Identified as a soldier from Anwoth & Girthon ex Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser “First Instalment of Stewartry Roll of Honour” 25th December 1914.
Private P McMurtrie 5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
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.
Robert McNeill
SRoH. Sergeant Robert McNeill. Largs Cottages, Twynholm.
Enlisted November 1914, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers. Transferred to Scottish Rifles. Served on Western Front. Wounded three times. Killed in action 25th July 1918.
Twynholm War Memorial Inscription : Robert McNeil Scot. Rifles
Colvend War Memorial Inscription : McNeill Robert Sergt 2nd Scottish Rifles 25 July 1918
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : Acting Sergeant 41950 2nd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Formerly 15842 Royal Scots Fusiliers. Born Girthon. Lived Twynholm. Killed in action 24th Jul 1918, France.
Source unspecified : Enlisted in November 1914 as Private (15842). In the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers and later transferred to the Cameronians. He was a shepherd at Torbay Farm, Colvend. Killed 24th Jul 1918 and is buried at Sucrerie Cemetery, Alblains-St. Nazaire, France.
1891 Girthon Census, Culreoch Cothouse : William Hutton (1, born Girthon) with mother Janet and grandparents Alexander & Mary Hutton. 'William ' seems to be a transcription error by the enumerator.
1901 Twynholm Census, Low Nunton : Robert (10, born Girthon) with parents Robert McNeill (shepherd) and mother Janet + 2 sisters and 2 brothers.
Birth certificate : Robert Hutton (illegitimate) born 9th January 1891 at Culreoch. Mother Janet Hutton, domestic servant
Mother Janet Hutton was married later in 1891 to Robert McNeill.
Parents later lived at Largs Gardens, Twynholm.
Gatehouse link : Born in Girthon.
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