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James Milligan
SRoH. Listed in Roll of Honour but no known details.
Girthon Church Memorial : J Milligan SR
CWGC : Lance Corporal J Milligan 42727 Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 21st Battalion. Died 08/10/1918 (aged 21).
Buried Thillay Road Cemetery Beaulancourt, Pas de Calais, France Grave F. 29
Son of Mrs A McBurnie of Ruscoe Cottage, Gatehouse.
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : L/Cpl James Milligan 42727 MGC. Born Droughtag, Wigtown. Died of wounds 08/10/1918. He enlisted in Dumfries.
This web site and the Scottish National War memorial website state that he was formerly K.O.S.B. (2410).
Army Records - Register of Soldiers Effects: Milligan, James M.G.C. 21st Battalion L/Cpl. 42727. (Died) of wounds 08/10/1918 in France. £28-14-1 sent to his mother Agnes (sole heir) and later a War Gratuity of £19 also sent to his mother Mrs Agnes McBurnie.
1901 Kirkinner census at Baryerrock (?) Cottage: with the McClure family - Mitchell J. Milligan (3, born Glasserton) with mother Agnes Milligan (31, dairymaid) and possibly 2 siblings Lily (9) and George (6) Milligan.
Name Mitchell rather than Michael (per birth record) confirmed in Scotlands People index but this is possibly a transcription error.
Wigtownshire Free Press 28/11/1918: James Milligan Lance Corporal (42727) 21st Battalion Machine Gun Corps. He enlisted in October 1914 and served at Arras. He was wounded near Bapaume and died of his wounds. Son of Agnes Milligan, later Mrs Agnes McBurnie of Minnigaff..
General Register of Scotland - Birth: Michael James Milligan 1898 at Appleby, Glasserton, Wigtownshire. Mother Agnes Milligan.
Scotlands People Index - Agnes Milligan married William McBurnie at Mochrum in 1914. In 1918 when James died, his mother was living in Minnigaff.
Mother was living at Rusco, Anwoth in 1921 when War Memorial erected in Gatehouse.
Gatehouse link : Mother lived at Rusco Cottage.
John Milligan
SRoH. Ordinary Seaman John Milligan. Home: Catherine Street, Gatehouse. Enlisted August 1917, H.M.S. ‘Tiger’. HMS Tiger was a battle cruiser. In 1917 she was on patrol in the North Sea.
1901 Girthon Census, High Street :- John Milligan (1, born Gatehouse) with father John (39, estate gardener/porter, born Gatehouse) and mother Margaret (31).
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : John Milligan (11, born Gatehouse) with father John (49, jobbing gardener) and mother Margaret (41) + 4 siblings. John & Margaret had been married for 11 years.
Girthon Banns : John Milligan from Anwoth married Margaret Stewart from Girthon on 3rd December 1899. These are Seaman John's parents.
Gatehouse link : Born and lived in Gatehouse.
Robert Mitchell
SRoH. Telegraphist Robert Mitchell. Home: High Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted April 1917, H.M.Y. ‘Medusa II’ Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, then H.M.S. ‘Merops’ or ‘Q28’. Served in Foreign and Home waters.
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street (no.28) : Robert Mitchell (2, born Gatehouse) with father Robert Mitchell (25, law clerk), mother Mary A.(23) + 1 sister.
1911 Girthon Census, High Street : Robert Mitchell (12, born Girthon) with father Robert A. Mitchell (34, law clerk, born Borgue), and mother Mary Agnes (33), + 4 siblings.
Mitchell family tree : Robert emigrated to Canada in 1921. He later moved to Boston, Mass. USA and served as a police officer in the Deaham Police Reserve during World War II.
H.M.Y. Medusa was an auxilliary patrol yacht. She was a schooner and very luxurious. To avoid confusion with the destroyer H.M.S Medusa, the yacht was renamed H.M.Y. Medusa II
Robert then served on H.M.S. ‘Merops’ / ‘Q28’. Q-boats were small freighters with guns concealed in a collapsible deck structure. They were used to lure U-boats (German submarines) to sail close to them before the crew of the Q-boat opened fire at close range. The H.M.S. Merops went into Q boat service on 02/02/1917.
The ship has been known by various names. H.M.S. Merope (rhymes with therapy), H.M.S. Merops, Q28, H.M.S. Bellmore and several other names.
There is a painting by William L. Wylie in a book 'More Sea Fights of the Great War' (Maritime Museum, Greenwich) entitled 'Merope in action with U boats', showing an imaginery encounter with German submarines.
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse, emigrated to Canada, then U.S.A.
Robert Alexander Mitchell
SRoH. Lieutenant Robert Alexander Mitchell. Home: High Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted July 1916. Served on H.M.S. ‘Hermione’ Auxiliary Patrol, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves. (R.N.V.R.)
Served on Minesweeping duty on Dutch & Norwegian Coast.
Promoted from Sub-Lieutenant 28th July 1917.
1891 Borgue Census, at Senwick Cottage : Robert Mitchell (14) with father Robert (53, gamekeeper, born Kirkmahoe) and mother Jane (50, born Kilmarnock) + brother John (12).
1901 Girthon Census, Catherine Street (28) : Robert Mitchell (25, law clerk, born Borgue) with wife Mary A.(23, born Glasgow) + son Robert (2) and daughter Mary J.(4).
1911 Girthon census, High Street:, Robert A. Mitchell (34, law clerk, born Borgue) with wife Mary Agnes (33) + Mary Jane (14), Robert (12), Frances Kinghorn (9), Margaret Agnes (7) and John Alexander (4).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 3rd August 1917: Mr R.A. Mitchell, High Street, Gatehouse a sub-Lieutenant with the RNVR has been promoted to Lieutenant.
Robert was born at the Gamekeeper’s Cottage, Senwick, Borgue in 1877. His father was Robert Mitchell, mother Jane Williamson.
Robert married Mary Agnes Reid in 1896.
He continued minesweeping until 1919 as there were many unexploded mines to clear after the war ended. Became a captain on ‘sub’ patrol in West of Scotland waters.
After the war Robert worked as a clerk on the Cally Estate, Gatehouse.
Gatehouse link : Born in Borgue and lived in Gatehouse.
David Alexander Mollons
SRoH. Private David Mollons. Home: Hillhead, Gatehouse.
Enlisted May 1918, 13th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Transferred to 5th Reserve Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Home Service.
1881 Urr Census : David A. Mollons (5, born Dumfries) with father Alexander G. (42, hotel keeper) and mother Mary (34) + 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
1891 Urr Census, at New Inn Crocketford : David Mollons (15, born Dumfries) with father Alexander Gordon (52, publician) and mother Mary (44) + 2 sisters and 2 brothers.
1901 Urr Census, at New Inn Hotel : David Mollons (25, gamekeeper, single, born Dumfries) with sister Agnes Dunn (27, widowed, hotel keeper).
1911 Census : The only David Mollons of the correct age in Scotland,was at Partick in Glasgow. (ScotlandsPeople Index). He was 35 years old.
ScotlandsPeople Index : David Alexander Mollons born 1875 Dumfries, Dumfriesshire.
David would have been given Home Service because of his age (43 in 1918 when he enlisted).
Gatehouse link : Born in Dumfries. According to the Stewartry Roll of Honour his home address was Hillhead, Gatehouse.
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