Search These Records
James Muir
SRoH. Gunner James Muir. Home: Arkland, Gatehouse.
Enlisted October 1916, R.F.A. (Royal Field Artillery)
Served on Eastern Front (Balkan Front, Batoum & Russia).
Anwoth Grave : Agnes Grace Little wife of Alexander Muir of Arkland died in 1907. The stone also mentions a family death at Davington.
1901 Eskdalemuir Census, Davington Cottage : James Muir (3) with father Alexander (39, shepherd) and mother Agnes G (36) + 6 sisters.
1911 Anwoth Census, at Arkland Farm : James Muir (13, born Gatehouse) with father Alex. (farmer, widower, born Creetown) + 5 sisters & 1 brother.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 31st March 1916 : James Muir (18), shepherd, Arkland, Gatehouse. 21 score of sheep on the farm. - exempted (from duty) till 1st October.
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse and lived at Arkland.
Robert Muir
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.
Robert Muir 2nd Battalion Brigade Royal Field Artillery.
Military records : Original number 4362 2nd Lowland Reserve Battalion RFA.
Later 655742 Gunner RFA.
Attestation : 01/10/1914
Robert Muir, born Girthon. 29 years 2 months. Ploughman working for William Fergusson, Nether Rusko, Gatehouse. He lived at Nether Rusko.
Medical Report: 5'8'' good vision and physical development.
09/12/1914 to 22/12/1914 In Kirkcudbright Hospital with influenza.
In 1918 he was ill whilst in France (debility).
04/03/1919 When disembodied said to be 'now quite well'
Conduct Sheet – blank.
Service Records :
01/10/1914 to 10/05/1917 Home (probably Kirkcudbright) Granted Proficiency Pay in October 1916.
11/05/1917 to 05/09/1918 France with BEF as a Gunner. Attached to 1st Gen. Distribution Unit and later 59th Gen. Distribution Unit in the Field.
06/09/1918 leave to UK (14 days) War pay increased to 4d per day.
21/09/1918 to 20/12/1918 France.
Next of Kin : sister Mrs G Maxwell (Elizabeth) at Renton (actually Rainton), later Borness, Borgue.
Certificate of Identity : Address given as Renton, Gatehouse. Born 1874 A1 medical condition.
Awarded British & Victory medals.
1881 Girthon Census, at Rainton Cottage : Robert Muir (1, born Girthon) with father George Muir (farm labourer), mother Margaret, 3 older brothers, including George, and an older sister.
1891 Borgue Census, at High Borgue Cottage : Robert Muir (11, born Girthon) with father George Muir and mother Margaret.
1901 Dalbeattie Census, in High Street : Robert Muir (labourer, aged 21, born Girthon) with George (carter, born Borgue) & Lizzie Muir. George is probably Robert's elder brother.
Gatehouse link : Army records say Robert Muir was born in Girthon and when he left the Army his home was given as Rainton (but this may have been his sister's address).
William Muir
SRoH. No mention in Stewartry Roll of Honour. Found in ‘Find My Past’ after searching for ‘Gatehouse’.
Driver in Army Service Corps (T/16758).
Army records: William Muir enlisted in Glasgow 03/10/1900 as 16758 Army Service Corps.
He was 19 years 2 months old, a carter, born Gatehouse, Kirkcudbrightshire. He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He was 5' 3½'' and was Presbyterian. He had a scar on his left thumb and on his left knee.
His home was on the south side of Glasgow (street name illegible). It was scored out and replaced by c/o Mrs Gilmour, Roseberry Terrace, Gatehouse. Medical health was good. He had attended school and had a 3rd Class qualification.
He seems to have been a Reservist and spent most of the time at Home until 03/10/1914 although there is a mention of Cork (1903) in some records. In 1903 he was appointed as a L/Cpl. for a few months.
Mother: Elizabeth Gilmour, Birtwhistle Street, Gatehouse.
21/10/1912 - re-engaged at Dumfries.
04/10/1914 to 27/06/1918 served with Expeditionary Force.
07/10/1914 posted to 1 Cav. Div. B.E.F.
15/03/1915 2 Coy. 7th Divnl. Train (?)
28/06/1915 2nd Batt. Bord. Reg. (7 Div)
26/11/1917 - a bounty of £13-6-8 paid
28/06/1918 to 27/07/1918 on furlough
28/07/1918 to 25/03/1919 with Expeditionary Force
19/03/1919 to 27/04/1919 Home, then transferred to Class Z.
Medals : 1914 Star, British War medal and Victory medal.
Certificate of Identity : 30/03/1919 William Muir T/16758 Driver A.S.C. Address: Roseberry Terrace. Born 1882. Fought in France. B1 medical Condition.
Conduct Sheet : Various misdemeanours such as 16/11/1914 'drunk whilst in charge of a pair of horses on active service' Punishment- 28 days F. P.(Field Punishment) No. 2 ( fettered and handcuffed but not attached to anything).
19/04 1916 - Drunk - 21 days F.P. No 2 (fettered and handcuffed to an object for several hours a day).
He was also 'absent from roll call at 5.25 a.m.' and late back from leave on other occasions.
Despite these misdemeanours he was given reports such as 'He is a good ...driver - honest, reliable and industrious' and 'a good recruit'.
11/01/1917 Accident Report: '(At) Bus- les-Artois - Driver Muir was at the time driving a water cart and was thrown off the cart owing to the uneven state of the road. Under the circumstances, I consider he was in no way to blame (for the accident).
William was in the7th Can. G. Hospital with an injury to his leg.
Bus-lès-Artois is between Amiens & Arras. 7th Canadian General Hospital was at Étaples.
1891 Girthon census in Catherine Street: William Muir (9, born Girthon) was with his grandparents William Muir (60, a carter) and Jane Muir.
1891 Girthon census also in Catherine Street: Elizabeth Gilmour (32, born Girthon) with husband James Gilmour (general labourer) a daughter and 2 sons. Elizabeth is William Muir's mother.
1901 Girthon census : Elizabeth and James Gilmour are now living in Birtwhistle Street. No William Muir.
1911 Girthon census : James and Elizabeth Gilmour are now living in Rosebery Terrace.
William Muir not found in 1901 & 1911 census.
Birth certificate : Girthon - William Muir (illegitimate) born 20/06/1881 in Back Street, Gatehouse. Mother Elizabeth Muir, dressmaker.
Girthon Banns : 06/05/1883 - James Gilmour of Anwoth married Elizabeth Mure of Girthon. (William's mother and step father).
Gatehouse link : Born in Gatehouse.
Thomas Barrie Muirhead
SRoH. Lance-Corporal Thomas Barrie Muirhead. Home: High Creoch, Gatehouse.
Enlisted September 1914, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.
Transferred to Machine Gun Corps. Served on Western Front (Loos, Neuve Chapelle, Somme).
Killed on the Somme, 16th March 1917.
Anwoth & Girthon War Memorial, Gatehouse inscription : Tom Muirhead L.Cpl. M.G.C.
Girthon Church Memorial : T. Muirhead M.G.C.
CWGC : Lance Corporal T.Muirhead 20386 Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) 1st Coy.
Died 16th March 1917. Buried Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu, Somme, France. Grave I.I.3
Soldiers Who Died in Great War : L/Cpl Thomas Muirhead 20386 MGC (Infantry) Formerly 10989 Cameron Highlanders. Enlisted at Dumfries.
Born Lochmaben. Died (killed in action) 16th March 1917 in France/Flanders
Army records - Roll of Individuals (Machine Gun Corps): Pte 20386 Thomas Muirhead (Previously S/10989 Cam'n Hrs.) Killed in Action 16/03/1917.
Medal Index Card: Pte. Thomas Muirhead Cam. High. S/10989 & M.G.C. 20386. Sent to (1) France on 10/01/1915.
Killed in Action. Awarded Victory, British & 15 Star medals.
Medals applied for by his brother 27/03/1923 and sent to Mr J. Muirhead, Dungarg Cottage, Castle Douglas.
1891 Maybole Census, at Cutroy(?) Bridge : Thomas Muirhead (6, born Lochmaben) with father Alexander (46, unemployed shepherd), mother Jane (44) + 3 sisters.
1901 Kirkcudbright Census, at Greatcross Bothy: Thomas Muirhead (16, assistant gamekeeper, born Lochmaben) with gamekeeper William Stitt.
1911 Girthon census, at Laghead : Thomas Muirhead (26, gamekeeper, born Lochmaben) was a boarder with the Caig family.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 30th March 1917: Thomas Muirhead (previously gamekeeper at Cally when he lived at High Creoch) was killed on 16/03/1917. A letter to his sister in Kirkmahoe says that he was struck by a shell and killed instantly. He said that the whole company mourned the loss of one of their gallant comrades and that he would be missed as a brother.
He had enlisted on 28/08/1914 in the Argyll & Southern Highlanders but later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. He was one of the first men from Gatehouse to enlist. He was 31 years old. In more than 2 years at the Front he had never been ill. He was a very popular man.
ScotlandsPeople Index : 1884 birth at Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire Thomas Muirhead. Father: Alexander Muirhead Mother Jane Hume.
Gatehouse link : Born Lochmaben, but worked as a gamekeeper around Gatehouse.
James Murray
SRoH. Private. Home: Digby Street, Gatehouse.
Enlisted Scots Guards. Served on Western Front. Wounded September 1915.
1901 Girthon Census, at Boreland of Girthon : James Murray (8, born Girthon) with father William (shepherd) and mother Sarah G. Murray + 1 sister.
Gatehouse link : Home address was Digby Street when he enlisted.
Key to Sources