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William Austin
SRoH. Captain William Austin. Home: Boreland of Girthon.
Enlisted June 1915, 11th Black Watch. Transferred to 8th (S) Battalion.
Served on Western Front (1st & 2nd Somme, Passchendaele, Arras, Ypres).
Awarded Military Cross for :-
“Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. In spite of heavy casualties, he gained his objective, and made some prisoners. His advance was carried out under most difficult conditions, having to change direction considerably in order to pass the barrage. He displayed great courage and ability throughout.”
Bar to Military Cross. Belgian Croix de Guerre, and mentioned in Despatches.
Was previously a cadet in Glasgow University O.T.C. (Officers’ Training Corps)
1901 Twynholm Census, at Ingleston, William Austin (6, born Kirkbean) with father Robert (farmer), mother Effie, sister Effie + 3 servants.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 22nd June 1917: Captain William Austin, who is 23, has been awarded the Military Cross. He is the 4th and youngest son of Mr & Mrs Robert Austin of Ingleston. He was educated at Kirkcudbright Academy and George Watson's College, Edinburgh. He was a member of the Glasgow University O.T.C. Prior to the war he worked for Messrs. Hunter & Craig, merchants in Glasgow.
His brothers Sgt. John Austin, Cpl. Robert Austin and 2nd Lieut. Douglas Austin are all soldiers and he has a sister who is a nurse.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 3rd August 1917 Lieutenant William Austin of the Black Watch has been awarded the Military Cross. He is the son of Mr Austin of Ingleston. Lieut. Austin's commanding officer Sir George Abercromby was also awarded the D.S.O.
William's medals are in the Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright.
William's parents were Robert Austin and Euphemia (Effy) Douglas.
ex John Sproat (great nephew) : William married Isabelle Brown Sproat. After the war he was the farm manager for the Cumstoun Estate and lived at Ingleston, Twynholm.
Scotland's People : William & Isabelle marriage confirmed in 1929 at Borgue.
Gatehouse link : Stewartry Roll of Honour gives home as Boreland of Girthon.
John Robson Bathgate
SRoH. No mention. First reference came from newspaper ref. to Private J. Bathgate.
CWGC : Private John Bathgate, Service No: S/4158, Date of Death: 25th Sept. 1915.
Regiment/Service: 2nd Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).
Loos Memorial (Pas de Calais) : Panel 78 to 83.
Soldiers who Died in Great War: John Bathgate, born Selkirk. Enlisted in Edinburgh as Private S/4158 Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 2nd Battalion. Killed in action 25 Sept 1915 France & Flanders.
Medal record card: Pte John Bathgate Royal Highlanders 3/4158 entered 24/11/14 and served in France.
1891 Selkirk Census, at Yarrow : John Bathgate (age 9, born Selkirk) with parents George (general labourer) & Jessie R Bathgate + 3 siblings (inc. Robert age 6).
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 29/10/1915: News has been received by Mr. Robert Bathgate, lately gamekeeper on Cally Estate, Gatehouse, that his brother Private J. Bathgate, 2nd Black Watch, has been missing since 25th September. He was a time-expired man, and spent the most of his service in India and South Africa. He came home from Canada last October, re-enlisted in his old regiment, and had been in France since November.
Scotlands People : George Bathgate & Jessie Robson married in 1873 at Teviotdale. John Robson Bathgate born 1881 at Selkirk. Robert Robson Bathgate born 1884 at Selkirk. George Bathgate died 17th February 1914 in Gatehouse, his normal address being Hartwoodburn, The Haining, Selkirk (ex Probate details).
Gatehouse link : His brother Robert lived at Deer Park and worked on Cally Estate.
Robert Robson Bathgate
SRoH - No mention.
We know of Robert from a newspaper report about John Bathgate in the D&G Standard & Advertiser of 23rd Dec.1916 which names Robert as John's brother as well as the late Mr. G. Bathgate, Hardwoodburn, Selkirk being their father. The article confirms that Robert,.lately gamekeeper at Cally, was now serving as a gunner in the R.G.A. (Royal Garrison Artillery).
Medal Index card : 106823 Bdr. Robert Bathgate R.G.A. Awarded Victory and British War medals.
Medal Roll: 106823 Bdr Bathgate, Robert. 243 Siege Bty. R.G.A.
1891 Selkirk Census at Yarrow : Robert Bathgate (age 6, born Selkirk) with parents George (general labourer) & Jessie R Bathgate + 3 siblings (including John age 9).
1901 Selkirk Census, at Sheilshaugh: Robert Bathgate (age 17, born Selkirk). Rabbit catcher.
1911 Girthon Census, at Deer Park : Robert Bathgate (age 27, gamekeeper, born Selkirk), with wife Lottie (age 30, born John O' Groats, Caithness) and daughter Maggie Jessie (age 3, born Gatehouse).
Ancestry.co.uk : A family tree gives George Bathgate & Jessie Robson as parents of Robert Bathgate.
Scotlands People : George Bathgate & Jessie Robson married in 1873 at Teviotdale. John Robson Bathgate born 1881 at Selkirk. Robert Robson Bathgate born 1884 at Selkirk. George Bathgate died 17th February 1914 in Gatehouse, his normal address being Hartwoodburn, The Haining, Selkirk (ex Probate details).
Scotlands People : Robert Bathgate and Lottie Begg married 21st Sept.1906 in Edinburgh (ex daughter Maggie's birth certificate). Robert and Lottie Bathgate had 2 children both born in Girthon; Maggie Jessie born in 1917 and George Robert born 1911.
Ancestry.co.uk : A family tree says that Robert and Lottie and their 2 children emigrated to Canada in 1920.
1921 Ontario Census, Canada : the Bathgate family lived at Dawn, Lamton West. Robert was a CABIER.
Robert's brother John Robson Bathgate was killed in 1915.
James Bendall
SRoH In Stewartry Roll of Honour as J. Bendal, Castle Douglas; no details.
- no proof that this is the correct James Bendall. (see brother Thomas Bendall's entry)
Army Records - Roll of Medals: James Bendall Private 241819 7th Gordon Highlanders. No information found of a John Bendall in the Gordon Highlanders.
1901 Girthon Census, at High Street, next to the Well Entry: James Bendall (2, born Gatehouse) with father William (41, saddler journeyman). wife Elizabeth, brothers William (16), John (12), Thomas (6), James (2) and sister Mary J. Bendall.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 6th October 1916 : article about William Bendall ends 'his parents resided in Gatehouse and there are two other sons serving - one with the Kirkcudbrightshire Battery and one in Gordon Highlanders.'
James had brothers William (RFA Kirkcudbright Battery) and Thomas (Scots Guards) who were soldiers.
Thomas Bendall
SRoH. There is an entry for J. Bendal, Castle Douglas; no details. Should this read T. Bendall? See KA article below
Army records:
Attestation:31/01/1916 Thomas Bendall 297 Royal Scots. Home - George Street, Whithorn. He was 22 years 5 months old. 5' 7½''. Single and a labourer. Next of kin; W. Bendall, father.
Pension records: Pte. Thomas Bendall 46444
31/01/1916 attested in Royal Scots
22/07/1916 with B.E.F.
07/07/1917 transferred to Labour Corps (395th HS Employment Coy.)
25/06/1918 compulsory transfer as a Private to Road Coy? -almost illegible
26/04/1919 transferred to Dorset regiment. (46444)
28/08/1919 399 POW Coy France for demobilization.
01/10/1919 transferred to Class 'Z'
Pension records state that he was 26 and single. He had a GSW (gun shot wound) to finger, hand and ankle sustained in 1916 in France. Address - George Street, Whithorn.
Admitted to 155 NG Hospital Leicester 17/09/1916 to 21/01/1917 with GSW to 3rd finger and left thigh and ankle.
Protection certificate 05/09/1919 : Pte Thomas Bendall 46444 (3rd Dorsets) 391 POW. Born 1894. Fought in France. Address George St, Whithorn.
1901 Girthon Census, at High Street, next to the Well Entry: Thomas Bendall (6, born Gatehouse) with father William (41, saddler journeyman)., wife Elizabeth, brothers William (16), John (12), James (2) and sister Mary J. Bendall.
Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser 6th October 1916 :
Mr and Mrs Bendall, St John's Street, Whithorn, have received a letter from their son, Private Thomas Bendall, Royal Scots, stating that he has been wounded in the thigh, ankle and fingers in recent fighting and that he is now in a hospital in Leicester. Private Bendall was employed in Castle Douglas when he enlisted. His parents formerly lived in Gatehouse and there are two other sons serving in the army - William was with the Kirkcudbrightshire Battery (William) and one in Gordon Highlanders (James).
Gatehouse link: Born in Gatehouse and lived there when young.
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